The Grauthoff Türengruppe has expanded its production and logistics processes, relying on automation solutions from the Kraft Group. The automation and custom machine manufacturing company implemented a combined solution consisting of a packaging system, stacking buffer, and sorting warehouse, which is optimally tailored to the plant’s operations.

Project Concept and Objectives

To meet increasing shipping demands, the sorting warehouse was specifically integrated into Grauthoff’s existing processes—with the overarching goal of further optimizing processes in the specialty retail sector and enhancing customer benefits. The system automatically assigns doors to their respective delivery routes after packaging and arranges them in the correct order for loading.

The Kraft Group had previously implemented an automated packaging system at the Grauthoff Türengruppe, enabling efficient and user-friendly packaging of the doors.

The central task of the entire system is clearly defined:
The doors are optimally packaged, transported to the stacking buffer, and then automatically sorted and prepared in the correct order for shipping.

Technical Implementation

The solution implemented by the Kraft Group at Grauthoff Türengruppe integrates packaging, storage, and sorting into a coordinated end-to-end process.

In the packaging facility, the doors are first packaged in a manner that ensures safe transport and facilitates assembly. Particular emphasis is placed on practical and user-friendly packaging that enables installers to perform the installation as easily and intuitively as possible. The doors are optimally protected, especially at sensitive points, and are easier to handle on the construction site.

Photo description: The IPS100, the heart of the packaging line, ensures efficient, safe, and user-friendly packaging of the doors.

The packaged stacks of doors are then transferred from the various production areas to the sorting warehouse via stacking buffers. There, they are automatically assigned to the respective delivery routes.

Photo description: High-capacity stacking buffer for temporary storage and control of material flow.

The doors are specifically arranged in an order that corresponds to the subsequent loading process at Grauthoff. In the end, each door is located exactly where it is needed for loading.

In the subsequent process, both complete and partially finished packages are formed. This allows for flexible adaptation to different order sizes and delivery structures. The finished units are transported via defined routes to the transfer points and are made available there directly for loading.

Photo description: Detailed view of a door securely packaged for transport inside the automated sorting warehouse.

Benefits for Grauthoff

The combination of the packaging system and the sorting warehouse results in significant improvements for the Grauthoff Türengruppe:

• A seamless and structured material flow from the end of production to loading
• Optimized and user-friendly packaging of the doors
• Reduced risk of errors in route assignment
• Reduced effort for manual pre-sorting and rework
• Shorter picking and loading times
• Noticeable relief for employees in day-to-day operations
• Optimized further processing at specialty retailers thanks to goods that are already pre-sorted and prepared for order fulfillment

The benefits are particularly evident in shipping:
The doors are securely packaged, printed, uniquely identifiable via a QR code, and pre-sorted and ready for delivery. This allows trucks to be loaded faster and in the correct order.

Conclusion

The project at Grauthoff Türengruppe demonstrates how combining packaging, storage, and sorting creates a seamless and efficient logistics process. The solution implemented by the Kraft Group ensures that a wide variety of product variants is transformed into a clearly structured shipping process.

This provides Grauthoff with a future-proof foundation for reliably and efficiently managing increasing demands in day-to-day operations as well as further growth.

Photo description: Side view of the automated sorting warehouse