left to right: Lukas Maier/Projektleiter bei Honold und Arkadiusz Sikorski/Projektleiter bei Husqvarna
Neu-Ulm, 11.02.2019. On December 1, 2018, Honold began a strategic partnership in the area of contract and distribution logistics with the logistics unit of the Swedish Husqvarna Group, Husqvarna Logistics GmbH based in Ulm. At the Neu-Ulm site, Husqvarna has more than 20,000 pallet spaces for storage and retrieval as well as value-added services on an area of 12,000 square meters. With Honold as a reliable and experienced logistics partner, the Husqvarna Group can respond even more quickly and flexibly to the demand in the garden segment that is highly seasonal and weather-dependent.
As the world’s largest manufacturer of gardening tools and European market leader in irrigation technology with the Gardena brand, the Swedish Husqvarna Group has been looking for another strategic logistics partner in Germany. In the tender of the logistics unit of the Group, Husqvarna Logistics GmbH, Honold prevailed over other competitors.
After awarding the project, both partners designed and implemented the joint implementation project with over 500 person-days and an interdisciplinary project team. In total, more than 30 project members from Honold and the Husqvarna Group were involved in the planning. The duration of the cooperation between the Husqvarna Group and Honold is five years. The Honold Group has invested 1.8 million euros in the project.
The GoLive of the joint logistics project finally took place as planned on 1 December 2018 at the Neu-Ulm site. With the start, up to 25 new jobs were created. The project covers 12,000 square meters with a total of 20,000 pallet spaces. Every day, up to 1,000 pallets can be handled at the Neu-Ulm location in the incoming and outgoing goods in 2-shift operation. With seasonal peaks or increased demand can be flexibly converted to a 3-shift operation. If required, further processes in the logistics center can be processed via the storage and retrieval of pallets. These include the unloading of containers with subsequent palletizing as well as further value added services. Honold’s range of services also includes shuttle transports between the Honold site in Neu-Ulm and the Ulm site of the Husqvarna Group. All processes are controlled and handled transparently, largely paperless and with maximum efficiency by Honold, using the SAP EWM system.
Honold and the Husqvarna Group are very satisfied with their achievements so far. The project manager at Honold, Lukas Maier draws a very positive interim balance and is, above all, proud of the perfect implementation and cooperation in the interdisciplinary project team within a short time corridor:
“Project implementation from kick-off to go-live within five months is remarkable. In view of the short timeline, the modernization of the entire fire protection system and the coordination and setup of the automated data exchange via a bidirectional IT interface were particularly challenging. “
The key to the success of the logistics project was above all the partnership and open working method, in which both partners always met at eye level.
The project manager at Husqvarna, Arkadiusz Sikorski, convinced Honold with a very good concept even before the project started. He also draws a very positive summary of the cooperation:
“The logistics project went smoothly and Honold was able to implement operational requirements with a high degree of professionalism, so we had our GoLive on time at the agreed time.”
With the implementation of the logistics project with Honold, the Husqvarna Group has expanded its capacity to react quickly and flexibly to seasonal and weather-related fluctuations in demand. The cooperation took place at a very favorable time for the group, as Husqvarna with its Gardena brand is gradually expanding the garden business not only in Germany but also internationally. Honold has found a reliable logistics partner for further expansion and successful sales.
About the Husqvarna Group:
Husqvarna Group is the world’s largest manufacturer of forestry, landscaping and gardening equipment, including chain saws, brush cutters, lawn mowers and garden tractors. It is the European leader in irrigation technology under the Gardena brand. The Group is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of cutters and diamond tools for the construction and stone industries. The company’s products and solutions are distributed in specialized stores and on the large area both for private users and professional users. Net sales in 2017 amounted to SEK 39 billion and the average number of employees was 13,000 in more than 40 countries. In Germany, the Husqvarna Group has around 1,850 employees in Ulm, Heuchlingen, Niederstotzingen and Laichingen.
Contact Husqvarna:
Heribert Wettels
Director Public Relations
Tel.: +49 (0)731 490-513
Fax: +49 (0)731 490-1513