Rob: “It had actually been on our minds for a while, but the timing was never right. The market is changing fast: customers expect speed, prices are under pressure and at the same time it’s increasingly difficult to find enough staff. At a certain point you realise something has to change.”

“In the past, the business case never worked out because the height restrictions in this building made a classic crane-based automation system impossible. It was only with shuttle technology that everything fell into place: suddenly we could use the available space to its maximum and make the project financially viable.”

Wim: “The hardest part is that everything has to happen live. We couldn’t use several halls for months while construction was ongoing, but storage had to continue. At times we were really at our limit with 34,000 pallets on site. That required serious juggling, limiting inbound flows and rearranging product categories. It created enormous pressure, but also the satisfaction of succeeding while maintaining outstanding service. Our customers barely noticed the transition.”

Rob: “Because it allows us to make smarter use of what was already there. We were able to reuse the existing frames in the new installation, which saved a great deal of money and reduced our environmental footprint by more than 680 tonnes of CO₂. The system also offers flexibility: lifts can carry shuttles to different levels, so we can shift capacity where it’s needed depending on demand.”

Rob: “We sat down with Movu, Stow and an external consultant. During those sessions, Fraxinus emerged as the right partner to handle the in- and outbound systems. They integrate all conveyors, lifts and cabling, and also manage the interface with our existing Magic Black Box.”

Wim: “We use that system for fast truck loading. Pallets are buffered and arranged in the correct order for dispatch. Initially, we considered replacing it with the shuttle system, but along the way we decided to keep it because it loads far faster than shuttles can. Fraxinus created the connection so that the system now runs seamlessly within the new automation. In the next phase, a retrofit is planned to upgrade the control system and make the Magic Black Box fully future-proof again.”

Wim: “Very smoothly. There have been many versions of the plan, and many last-minute changes, but Fraxinus has always responded flexibly. When an adjustment is needed, there’s no fuss but just a shared focus on finding the best solution. Technically, everything fits together perfectly: mechanics, cabling and software complement each other.”

Rob: “Normally, in a large-scale automation project, an integrator is appointed to coordinate everything. That’s not the case here. Fraxinus communicates directly with Movu and with us as the client — and it works remarkably well. Fraxinus shows great flexibility; they’ll move heaven and earth to get things ready on time. The collaboration with Codius for software and cabling also runs smoothly. The only drawback is the distance, but with Digi X-ON many issues can be resolved remotely. In an upcoming stage of the project, camera monitoring will also be installed.”

Wim: “We began demolition work in June 2024. Phase 1 is already operational, and the rollout of the next phases is in full swing. In total, the construction and installation period spans about eighteen months. By mid-2026, all five phases should be fully operational.”

Rob: “By the end, together with the Magic Black Box, we’ll have 30,000 pallets in automated storage. That gives us the scale and flexibility to continue growing over the next twenty years. That’s exactly what Project Elixir is about: giving our site new life for the decades ahead.”