SCHULTE Lagertechnik invests in fully automated shelving lines for its 100th anniversary

In 1921 Franz and Josef Schulte founded the Schulte Brothers Company during the exciting 1920s, which today also includes SCHULTE Lagertechnik GmbH situated in Sundern, Germany. The specialist in the development and manufacture of high-quality shelving systems sells its products and services across Europe through specialist retailers and its own online shop. For the 100th anniversary, the company invested a mid-seven-digit amount in fully automated shelf production. The investment contributes to securing growth and thus the future of the central manufacturing site.

MULTIplus shelving systems with high demand

In the past the Schulte brothers had produced curtain rods and shopping carts. In the first decades of the company’s history, the focus was on household products. The first household shelf in the sixties was the entry into the shelving market for industry and trade. The MULTIplus shelving system, which was developed in Sundern in 2001, became particularly important.

In the context of the ongoing growth in the sectors of eCommerce and logistics growth, these shelving solutions are in constant and increasing demand. This is due to the construction-related high stability (with shelf loads of up to 330 kg) and the flexible range of application thanks to the versatile options and accessories. Andrea Schulte, granddaughter of one of the founders and today`s CEO: “For our clients, including leading e-commerce retailers, we plan and assemble shelving systems. It is of course important to deliver immediately after planning. For this we currently need the new shelf production line, which enables us to manufacture as quickly as necessary, so that we can deliver and assemble at short notice.”

Almost two years of preparation

Such a system, as it has now been put into operation at the premises of SCHULTE Lagertechnik has to be custom made. The planning and construction, which was carried out together with the machine and system integrators, took 20 months alone. Although it is already the company’s fourth shelf production line, it is by far the largest and most powerful. And thus the largest investment in the company’s history.

The advantage: The MULTIplus shelves are manufactured fully automatically in just a few steps and then even packaged. Another special feature of the plant is its capacity. If the shelf blanks or blanks (roughly cut steel sheets) on the previous systems are fed from a pallet, the new system automatically uses up to four available pallets. This ensures a constant supply of material for a complete night shift, for example.

After feeding, the MULTIplus shelves with all their special design properties are manufactured to a high quality in four process steps: cutting, punching out, edging and toxicity. Toxen is a modern joining process that connects metal surfaces with one another using pressure – it replaces more complex spot welding. In an additional step, the floors are automatically packed and placed back on pallets for further transport in the factory. With the system, SCHULTE Lagertechnik can manufacture more than one million additional shelves per year at a cost-optimized basis.

Strengthening the central location in Sundern

As a family-run business with a long tradition in Sunden, SCHULTE Lagertechnik feels closely connected to the region and its people. Andrea Schulte: “The roots of our company are here in Sundern in Germany, even if the business is becoming increasingly international. In my childhood I went to the “office” with my grandfather. That shapes and connects, with the company, but also with the region. That is one of the reasons why we are investing here locally.”

A plus point for SCHULTE Lagertechnik is and remains the important argument “Made in Germany”. The company benefits from the skills and ideas of its own specialists, and vice versa. A win-win situation that is also reflected in the brand story of the company and employer brand. Andrea Schulte: “Our brand essence is“ make clever ”. That is a maxim that we work by continuously. And so it is just clever for us to invest in profitable technology here on site and to generate growth and success together with the workforce with cleverness. This is our way of building the bridge between origin, tradition and future.”

Anyone who would like to find out more about the company or the employer SCHULTE Lagertechnik can find a lot of information on the website www.schulte-lagertechnik.de or on the company’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIN channels.