Pushing forward with the modernisation of logistics

With a seven-figure investment volume, Faber-Castell – one of the world’s leading companies for high-quality writing, drawing and creative design products as well as decorative cosmetic products – wishes to further enhance and significantly expand its global customer service in the next two to three years by means of the automation of logistics and packaging processes. A new, very modern storage and delivery warehouse of the logistics partner Geis is being built at the Port of Nuremberg, where 80 employees will relocate to during the first quarter of 2022. Currently the company is packaging and delivering goods from its location in Erlangen-Frauenaurach.

“The new logistics centre will meet our demands for an integrated production and logistics strategy”, says chief technology officer Dr. Hans-Kurt von Werder. “The area is ideal in order to integrate fully automatic packaging machines, for example, in addition to the storage and commissioning of goods. In line with the concept of ‘late customising’, we also will be able to individually fulfil the packaging and printing wishes of our customers”. Previously, packaging services were primarily carried out at the secondary branch in the Czech Republic and in the future will also be provided from the new domestic location. With regard to logistics process optimisation, Faber-Castell has deliberately opted against outsourcing to a service provider and outsourcing jobs to low-wage countries: “We are delighted that we not only can offer all employees of the distribution centre a job at the new location, but that we will also create additional jobs”, emphasises Faber-Castell human resources manager René Günzel. “We have opportunities to expand at the Port of Nuremberg”, adds Hans Kostka, director of logistics at Faber-Castell. “Furthermore, with the planned relocation we also put logistics and automatised packaging under one roof – an additional step towards better managing our processes, shortening turnaround times and further optimising our delivery performance”.  

During the business year 2020, Faber-Castell delivered approximately 1.7 million ordered items from the Erlangen-Frauenaurach location for the companies Faber-Castell, Eberhard Faber and Faber-Castell Cosmetics – this corresponds with a volume of nearly 30,000 pallets and 158,000 packages. The company exports goods from Germany to 117 countries. www.faber-castell.de

Photo: The logistics centre in Frauenaurach.