Würth store in Bitburg (D)
Würth and Wanzl expand 24/6 concept with dispenser for connecting elements
The sales space of the Würth24 store in Bitburg is around 500 m2. Around the clock, customers can choose from over 5,000 products from fastening materials to hand and power tools, lubricants, abrasives and personal protective equipment. For even more service and increased space efficiency, Würth in Bitburg now uses an automatic dispenser jointly developed by Wanzl and KNAPP. "Our dispenser provides customers primarily with connecting elements such as screws and dowels. Due to their packaging, these are ideally suited for issue via a dispenser. In future, we will be able to offer a large part of the screw and dowel range in an extremely space-efficient way and achieve a space saving of about one third of the store space," explains Marina Schwarzstein, Head of Shopfitting at Würth.
Perfect customer experience
The dispensers are intuitive, simple and fast to operate. Customers can obtain information about the various products and then select the desired items via a clearly organised 27-inch touch screen on the ordering terminal. Similarly to online shopping, the order is placed in a digital shopping basket and can be exchanged, increased, reduced or completely removed at any time. Once the selection is complete, the dispenser picks the selected items in a matter of seconds and transports them to the goods output compartment using a gripper arm.
This process can be followed live via a screen. Payment is then made in the store’s checkout area, during the day to staff or at the self-checkout terminal, and during extended opening hours only at the self-checkout terminal. Matthias Kurz, Business Development Manager at KNAPP, continues: "The machine makes life easier for staff as it eliminates the need to stock shelves, which is very time-consuming. When the dispenser is filled, the articles are first scanned automatically. That's all staff have to do. Once scanned, the articles are maintained via the middleware and automatically stored in the store's merchandise management system for the purposes of continuous inventory control. When stocks are running out, the store manager is informed." After the scanning process, the articles enter the interior of the dispenser via a conveyor belt, where a picking robot picks the goods with a gripper arm and stores them according to the principle of chaotic storage.
Maximum customer specificity through holistic project management
The partners needed just one year to realise the innovative Würth24 store in Bitburg, from conception to installation and go-live. "For us, best possible customer proximity and support are crucial for the success of projects. At Wanzl alone, four departments were involved: Key Account Management, our digital innovation department Digital Office, Project Management and our Service department. We were in constant close contact with Würth and our technology partner KNAPP in various workshops and several weekly jour fixes during the peak phase," says Michael Weiß, Senior Director Project Management at Wanzl.
His colleague Christoph Kübel, Senior Director Sales Retail at Wanzl, adds: "It was only through this intensive cooperation that we were able to implement the project so quickly and cleanly. Wanzl supplied all the shopfitting components required for the entire 24/6 store, such as the gates, partitions, self-checkout terminals, shelves, design elements and much more. We are also responsible for back-end technology in the store via our Wanzl Connect® software platform. Together with KNAPP, we also carried out the implementation, installation and commissioning of the dispenser. We were able to integrate it perfectly into the new Würth store design, which we developed together with the customer last year."
The extended 24/6 concept and the successful cooperation impressed all parties involved. Which is why more Würth24 stores with 24-hour service and dispenser in modern design are planned for this year.
