Fabory customers now receive fast delivery of fastening materials

01-05-2024

In 2024, Fabory expanded automation at its Tilburg distribution centre to improve stock replenishment, increase flexibility during peak periods and make its internal logistics processes more efficient.

The investment formed part of Fabory's continued focus on strengthening the availability and movement of fastening products across its European distribution network. At the time, the Tilburg facility held more than 100,000 stocked articles and served as a major distribution point for customers across several European markets.

By automating more of the bulk warehouse operation, Fabory reduced manual handling, increased storage efficiency, and shortened the time required to replenish stock within the distribution centre.

Automating Fabory's Tilburg Warehouse

The automated bulk warehouse was designed to make product movement between receiving, storage, and order fulfilment faster and more predictable.

Rather than relying entirely on manual warehouse processes, automated equipment handles a significant proportion of pallet movements throughout the facility. This allows warehouse teams to focus on activities where human expertise adds the greatest value, while repetitive material-handling tasks are completed automatically.

The investment also gave Fabory greater flexibility during periods of increased demand. Automated equipment can continue moving stock throughout the warehouse without the same dependence on manual handling capacity, helping the operation respond more effectively to changing workloads.

For customers, the objective was simple: improve the efficiency of supplying fastening products and create a more resilient logistics operation.

Learn more about Fabory's European warehouse and distribution network

28,000 Storage Locations and Automated Handling

When the automated bulk warehouse was introduced in 2024, three MXX high-rise trucks handled pallets across approximately 28,000 storage locations.

The automated trucks move through the high-bay warehouse and place pallets into their designated storage locations without requiring an operator to control every movement.

Four automated EXV stackers were also introduced to transport pallets between goods receiving, the storage area and an automated destacking robot.

Together, these systems created a more integrated material flow through the bulk warehouse.

Automation also creates greater consistency in how products are stored and transported. Each pallet movement can be controlled through the warehouse-management process, improving visibility of stock locations and reducing unnecessary movement.

The system was designed to support both productivity and safety by creating clearly controlled areas for automated equipment while warehouse employees carry out their own activities.

Replenishment Reduced from Days to Hours

One of the most significant results of the automation project was improved internal stock replenishment.

According to Fabory Logistics Director Joost Jansonius, the automated bulk warehouse reduced internal replenishment lead time from about one to two days to about two to three hours.

This figure relates to the movement and replenishment of stock within Fabory's warehouse operation rather than a two-to-three-hour customer delivery commitment.

Reducing internal replenishment time helps ensure products can move through the distribution centre more efficiently. Faster internal stock movement can support product availability and help the warehouse respond more quickly when demand changes.

It also demonstrates why improving logistics is about more than transportation. The efficiency of receiving, storing, replenishing, and picking products can all influence overall supply chain performance.

Greater Flexibility, Safety and Inventory Control

Warehouse automation also created greater flexibility during peak periods.

Automated handling equipment can continue operating when volumes increase, which reduces the need to scale manual pallet movements at the same rate as demand. This provides additional capacity while helping Fabory maintain a predictable flow of products through the facility.

The project also supported a safer working environment by separating automated pallet movements from activities carried out by warehouse employees wherever possible.

Greater visibility of stock movements provides another important benefit. Automated processes make it easier to understand where products are located and when replenishment is required.

Similar principles are also important for customers managing fastening products within their own manufacturing environments.

Fabory's inventory management solutions help manufacturers automate replenishment, improve stock visibility and reduce the manual effort associated with managing C-parts.

Fabory's European Distribution Network

Tilburg remains an important part of Fabory's wider European distribution infrastructure.

Fabory operates European distribution locations in Tilburg, Brno, Wednesbury and Seixal, which support customers across different markets and help create resilience within the supply network.

The Tilburg facility is Fabory's largest and most highly automated European warehouse, and the investment in automation shows how technology can improve the movement and availability of fastening products.

Continued investment in logistics, digitalisation and automation supports Fabory's broader objective of making the supply of fasteners and related C-parts more efficient for industrial customers.

For current delivery arrangements, lead times and market-specific charges, customers should always refer to Fabory's latest order and delivery information.

See the Automated Warehouse in Action

The automated warehouse demonstrates how equipment, warehouse-management technology and logistics expertise can work together to improve internal replenishment and material flow.

Watch the automated Tilburg warehouse in action to see how pallets are transported, stored, and replenished throughout the facility.