Expanded advanced distribution for RS Components in EuropeERT

Distributor RS Components (RS), commercial brand of Electrocomponents plc, has held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion of the company’s distribution centre (DC) at Bad Hersfeld, Germany.

RS has made a significant investment over the past two years to create one of the company’s largest distribution centres in its global supply chain network, fully automated and equipped with technology to ease operations. The facility is equipped with a 6.000 square metre solar powered system. Furthermore, the number of products held in closer proximity to customers in Continental Europe has almost tripled to circa 500.000. Something that will most definitively contribute to a reduction in the company’s carbon footprint.

The distribution centre is equipped with an extensive computerised, multi-shuttle system, and a conveyor system of two kilometres in length. The system is capable of managing 300,000 storage trays that can be stored and retrieved at a rate of 9,000 trays per hour. Situated in the heart of Europe, this facility has been expanded by approximately 16,000 square metre to create a storage area of around 37,000 square metre. This allows additional space for a vastly increased product range and stock levels, benefitting suppliers and customers with improved service and delivery.

“While delivering major benefits across our supply chain both in EMEA and globally, the technological efficiencies and increased storage capacity we have created through this expansion are a true reflection of the organisation’s commitment to our ESG (environmental, social and governance) goal of advancing sustainability – says Debbie Lentz, president of global supply chain at Electrocomponents -. A very big thank you goes to the project team and to all Bad Hersfeld employees for bringing this project to fruition, particularly when faced with the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19″.