Optimal use of space begins with thorough thinking

Expanding your machine park requires space. VDW Constructies from Lievegem (Waarschoot), specializing in the design, production and assembly of agricultural machinery, invested heavily in new machines without sacrificing warehouse space. Two automated warehouses type Lean-Lift® ensure efficient storage of small components, while a space-saving plate storage system will soon be installed. For these solutions, they call on DDD Technics, the official distributor of automated warehouse solutions from Hänel and Submentum.

When Adrien Van de Walle started distributing tractors and agricultural machinery more than 45 years ago, he must have only dreamed that his one-man business would grow into a strong player in the construction of all kinds of agricultural machinery. While for a long time many repairs were also carried out on existing machines, today the focus is on the design, production and assembly of new systems. The product portfolio consists of the most diverse systems, with an emphasis on mixing buckets, straw blowers, beet cutters and cleaners, and machinery for contractors.

"In 1995 I took my first steps in the company and in 2003 I was ready to take over the reins together with Erwin Willems, once my father's first permanent employee and right hand man, and continue to build the company. Today only 30% of the orders come from our own country and 70% of our production is exported, mainly to the Netherlands, France and Germany, Ireland and UK, Scandinavia, and more and more also to Canada. Sometimes we also deliver machines in Spain, Greece, Turkey and even New Zealand," says Managing Director Andy Van de Walle. 

"In many cases, we start from a standard model to make the necessary modifications depending on customers' needs. We aim to deliver all orders within four to eight weeks. In doing so, we want to carry out as much as possible in our own production hall in Waarschoot, in order to guarantee constant quality and to be able to respond flexibly to our customers' requests. For this, we can count on a team of thirty enthusiastic employees with enormous know-how, and we also invest continuously in our machinery. Today, this includes bending benches, plasma and laser cutting machines, lathes and milling machines, a welding robot and an automated painting system."

To expand machinery, however, you need sufficient space. It comes down to thinking carefully in advance about the efficient layout of production hall and warehouse space. Therefore, the managers of VDW Constructie went looking for a solution to store smaller components and materials compactly and accurately. At the Agriflanders fair in Ghent, they first came into contact with DDD Technics and the automated warehouses of Hänel.    

"They bought two second-hand tower warehouses type Hänel Lean-Lift® with 60 shelves with a load capacity of 250 kg each. Those are 2060 mm wide, 825 mm deep and 10000 mm high," said Chris Cherretté, technical commercial representative at DDD Technics. "Thanks to those platform lift systems, all parts are stored in a well-organized way and automatically brought to the work opening within seconds."

This investment proved so successful that Andy and Erwin are considering the purchase of a third similar warehouse in the near future. There is more, however, as both business owners were also looking for solutions to store metal sheets in a limited space. 

"We were extremely satisfied with DDD Technics' service, so we consulted them again and came into contact with their engineering partner Submentum from Menen. As a Belgian manufacturing company, we are convinced that you don't need to look across borders if suitable solutions can be found in your own country. This solution is simply completely 'made in Belgium,'" says Erwin Willems. "Thus, a vertical sheet warehouse with 59 cassettes of 6200 by 2300 mm, good for a total capacity of about 300 tons, was developed. It will have a total capacity of about 300 tons." 

Chris Cherretté concludes, "The system was first worked out in 3D, after which, together with the business managers, we looked at the technical side, in particular the integration in the production hall just outside the shop floor, the location of the control panel... So the customer also knew immediately what to expect. Meanwhile, this custom solution is being produced and we hope to install the plate warehouse at VDW Constructies soon."