Highly efficient solutions for intralogistics and goods distribution

Ferag is seen as a company with a global presence and recognized high innovation potential, both of which offered ideal conditions for rapidly gaining a foothold in the intra-logistics business. Founded in 1957 and headquartered in Hinwil in Switzerland’s Zürcher Oberland, the group sees its main area of expertise in the development and implementation of pioneering technical solutions. In doing so, the group brings to the table decades of experience in realizing and putting into action complex turnkey projects as the global technology leader in postpress processing systems. This is in addition to excellent product quality and typical Swiss precision, which ensures high availability and reliability of the systems and components throughout their life cycle.

Since its launch in 2014, the Skyfall overhead conveyor technology has proven the ideal solution when additional transportation space is required at floor level or when there is no more space available in an existing property. This highly efficient system is much more flexible than an ultra-light electric monorail system, which meant it was not surprise that it quickly found customers for the most varied applications, including as a pocket sorter for fashion logistics and e-commerce. The Swiss score here with stations for automatic loading and unloading of Skyfall pockets: this groundbreaking technology can fill and empty up to 2000 pockets per hour. The largest Skyfall project implemented by Ferag to date can be found in production logistics at the automotive supplier Dräxlmaier. This conveyor was realized in several installation phases in the Chinese city of Shenyang, and is used for the transportation and intermediate buffering of components for vehicle interiors. Here, more than 18,000 trolley hangers are used in the overhead buffer alone. This is combined with a gravity-driven stretch on which the hangers are driven by gravity alone – thus saving energy – that extends over more than five kilometres.

Launched three years ago, the denisort system integrates three functions into a single conveying line for the first time. These functions – conveying, sorting and order packing – can run in parallel and exactly in tandem with each other. The Ferag innovation also combines the benefits of tilt-tray and slide-tray sorters in a single system. Users – including Europe’s leading photo service provider CEWE – particularly appreciate the 3D capabilities of the Swiss technology, which makes the system the ideal solution for existing properties with limited space. Meanwhile, at the international ophthalmic optics manufacturer ZEISS Vision Care based in Aalen in the German territory of Württemberg, careful and gentle product handling is also of prime importance. After all, the spectacle lenses produced here must not be damaged when sorting during goods dispatch.

A completely new addition to the denisort line is the modular denisort compact vertical sorter. This mobile system is ideal for sorting goods weighing up to seven kilograms. Hence, it is perfect for CEP services, 3PL and e-commerce users looking for a sorting machine to increase throughput at peak times.

In contrast, deniway plate chain conveyor technology is already considered a classic, having proven itself over many years in the printing industry before also gradually taking over sectors such as food, cosmetics, healthcare and e-commerce. Zalando, for example, disposes of used cartons via a deniway line. Other satisfied users include food giants Nestlé and Mondelez, plus Bisleri, Auchan and DHL, all of whom swear by the robust Ferag system. This is because deniway technology is unbeatable in one respect: it forms one of the most efficient interfaces between upstream production and palletizers currently available on the market.