DC Coolblue
The TRL department organised this activity together with Coolblue. With an attendance of 22 people, it was excellently attended. Partly because of the location, we were able to welcome many members from the region.
The lecture was given by Rob van Winkel, Process Engineer. Coolblue has experienced very strong sales growth since its establishment, which translates into a growing need for storage space. Hence, since its opening in 2015, the DC in Tilburg has grown from 22,000 m2 to 88,000 m2 in 2017. It is pivotal in the distribution of white and brown goods in the Benelux.
Coolblue is mainly concerned with storage and has outsourced the distribution of most products to companies such as PostNL and Bpost.
The DC is ideally located in relation to suppliers; Philips, Samsung etc. are literally around the corner and access to road and water infrastructure is excellent.
The group was split into two parts, which were then given a very interesting guided tour by Rob and his colleague John Verheijen. The DC that Coolblue rents from Prologis consists of what are without doubt the largest warehouses we TRL members have seen so far. A remarkably large number of staff were walking around, this despite the fact that we visited the DC before the peak workload (related to evening orders). Enquiries about opportunities for automation gave an interesting insight into the issues. Several projects in this area were started enthusiastically, but stopped after a while, as the disadvantages proved to outweigh the benefits. While distribution tasks were mechanised where possible, this involved vehicles such as forklift trucks, not, for example, automated lift systems as we find in some other DCs. In terms of cost and flexibility, this appears to be a better choice at Coolblue.
Also of interest was the internally assembled packaging machine; a combination of conveyors, box erectors, closers and a labelling machine. The packaging machine folds the cardboard box in which Coolblue sends products exactly to size. Whereas other internet companies work with standard boxes that are often half empty, this is clearly not the case at Coolblue. This way, many more packages fit into a truck or van, which also provides an environmental benefit.
Afterwards, a drinks reception took place.
This excursion was highly appreciated by the members.
Below is a photo of the lecture. No photography was allowed inside the DC.
Description
Visit to the DC of Coolblue in Tilburg with presentation and guided tour.
When you register, you must provide the name of your employer and also give permission for your name and company name to be passed on to the host.
Coolblue has the following house rules:
- Visitors are required to show proof of identity.
- If you have your own work shoes (with reinforced noses), it is a good idea to bring them. If you do not have them, overshoes are available (Tip is not to wear high heels).
- As soon as visitors enter the warehouse from the offices, they should leave items such as telephones, smokes, wallets, watches, etc. in a locker.
- When leaving the warehouse, visitors must pass through a metal detector. So here, shoes with a lot of steel in them should be taken off and things like belts should be taken off for a while.
The maximum number of participants is 25.
Speaker(s)
Rob van Winkel, process engineer
Location
Asteriastraat 4a, Tilburg
Organiser
Transportation and Logistics
Name and contact details for information
Further information from Jaap Vleugel