New automated storage facility allows for efficient and demand-based production processes

Lödige Industries has recently completed a new high-bay distribution and storage centre for SPIMACO’s pharmaceutical production facility in Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new state-of the-art warehouse provides fully automated transfer of existing production lines across multiple floors and rooms and was designed as a turnkey-project. It allows for palletising, picking, automated storage & retrieval and dispatch of pharmaceutical goods in full compliance with pharmaceutical regulations. The new facility constructed by Lödige Industries, augments an existing storage facility from 1988 and allows SPIMACO to almost double its throughput rates for handling finished goods. In the ongoing Covid-19-pandemic, a highly capable infrastructure is of even greater importance.

Lödige Industries has completed a new high-bay distribution and storage centre for SPIMACO’s pharmaceutical production facility in Qassim.
Lödige Industries has completed a new high-bay distribution and storage centre for SPIMACO’s pharmaceutical production facility in Qassim.

Khalid Al-Khattaf, CEO of SPIMACO, explains the advantages of the new facility: “Our old distribution centre was beginning to limit our capabilities. But now with the new facility, we have modernised the existing systems and our potential for growth has become unlimited. Since pharmaceutical products are very sensitive, it was important to have a highly reliable solution tailored to our needs. By acting as a general contractor and merging a mix of different solutions into one system, Lödige Industries managed to provide us with a fast and reliable system that fulfils our requirements for safety and quality today and ports our future growth plans.”

The extension became necessary since the existing facilities lacked the capacity for expansion and modernisation. Furthermore, many of the processes were manual and hence time consuming and error prone. Now the warehousing system is equipped with more than 5000 storage spaces, several hundred meters of conveyors for cases and pallets, two palletising robots and over 30 automated shuttle vehicles. The automation of the new system reduces manual handling as much as possible, doubling throughput rates of finished goods handling.

In addition, the automation and modernisation give SPIMACO full inventory control, quality track & trace programs and improved handling of highly delicate products governed by strict industry rules & regulations. In the highly regulated and time sensitive market for pharmaceutical products these will prove important competitive advantages for SPIMACO.

Lödige Industries undertook a strategic analysis of SPIMACO’s existing and future processes and requirements to design and integrate the new transportation and fulfilment systems, incorporating solutions from different suppliers into one custom-made system where necessary. The material handling manufacturer acted as a general contractor for the installation and commissioning to meet SPIMACO’s requirements.

Guy Walker, Managing Director for Lödige Industries in the Middle East, illustrates the importance of this: “The contract demonstrates the ability of Lödige Industries to deliver full turnkey projects, beyond the materials handling equipment in this region, as it does elsewhere around the world. This was a highly complex project. To ensure the new facility runs smoothly across production, SPIMACO has engaged Lödige Industries for operational management of the facility and resident maintenance for the initial period of operation.”