SAP-AutoStore integration at Balluff: Automated warehousing in the 21st century.

Hungary, the USA and then the world: global stage for AutoStore systems in SAP.

Whenever Balluff comes into play, everything is a little bigger than usual. At the serial production site in Veszprém (Hungary), 1,000 of the almost 4,000 employees are waiting for the new AutoStore system to go live. At the same time, the fast and efficient rollout of the AutoStore integration at the distribution centre in Florence, Kentucky (USA) is crucial for the entire Americas region. With the right preparation and the right mindset, Balluff and status C mastered this task in less than 30 days per location - ultimately also thanks to the performance of the robust AutoStore add-on status C store:IT.

Our authors and experts

Pascal Contursi

Digital and sales marketing

Author

Dirk Pawlowski

Consulting Logistics SAP

Expert
Last updated on 28.05.2025

Project

Industry

Sensor and automation technology

Time span

  • Go Live Hungary: January 2023 – June 2023

  • Rollout USA: February 2024 – October 2024

Achievements

  • Targeted go-live and rollout at two international locations resulting in an increase in efficiency of up to 70%

  • Integration of four ports per AutoStore system with direct connection to SAP Warehouse Management (SAP WM)

  • Individual customising e.g. for prioritised transport orders

  • Optimised picking strategy for efficient distribution logistics

Bringing together what belongs together: automator meets automation.

Balluff is a leading global player in the field of sensor and automation technology and stands for quality and innovation for four generations. With over 4,000 employees in 68 countries worldwide, the company from Neuhausen a.d.F. pursues a clear vision: the continuous optimisation of its production and logistics processes. It is obvious that an industry leader in automation would also want to work with automated warehouse technology. The starting point for the project was the construction of a new central warehouse in Veszprém, Hungary, the company's largest serial production site and development base.

With the objective of increasing storage space and picking capacities, the distribution centre for North, Central and South America in Florence, Kentucky (USA) was to follow in the rollout. In this way, status C is helping to make a strategically important location for Balluff's regional distribution in the Americas region ready for the warehousing of the future. Ambitious? Definitely. But thanks to the seamless connection of the AutoStore solution status C store:IT to the already implemented SAP Warehouse Management, this was a feasible task.

Plug and play – and still 100% personalised: customising with AutoStore.

The project was launched in January 2023 at the Hungarian site in Veszprém. A new central warehouse including an AutoStore system with a capacity of 30,000 boxes was to be built here. The core task was to seamlessly integrate the AutoStore system with three carousel ports and two conveyor ports into the existing SAP Warehouse Management (WM) system. In doing so, status C relied on the tried-and-tested AutoStore integration status C store:IT, which enables a direct connection between SAP and the AutoStore.

The existing material flow was analysed in in-depth workshops and it was jointly determined which customising requirements had to be met as part of the AutoStore integration. A special feature in Veszprém was the handling of so-called ‘food contact material’, i.e. goods that could only be picked at special ports due to their direct contact with food. In addition, predefined categories in the system were to indicate without contradiction which area - e.g. sales or production - was currently being picked. An ‘express’ category was also intended to clearly prioritise the orders. All these special requirements could be mapped and implemented via customising. Hungarian as a language setting was also quickly and easily integrated.

What are carousel ports and conveyor ports in AutoStore?

Carousel Ports in AutoStore

The carousel port was developed for smooth cooperation between humans and robots and ensures that the next container to be loaded or unloaded is always ready. Three rotating arms operate at this workstation, each carrying a container. Two of these arms are positioned at the rear of the port to enable the robots to load and unload the containers. The third arm is in the front position so that the employees can easily access the goods in the container.

The carousel port remains the most used and most popular workstation. It is based on precise usage data that records people's working behaviour down to the minute. The current model, the Carousel Port 4.0, has a revised safety cover that can be moved flexibly in all directions. A new safety box with additional emergency stop functions has also been integrated. These improvements increase the efficiency, user-friendliness and safety of the Carousel Port while also helping to reduce operating costs.

In figures: Three rotating arms for a continuous product flow, 2.5 seconds for container changes to optimise productivity.

Conveyor-Ports in AutoStore

The conveyor port uses a transport system to bring containers to the operating personnel. For many customers, the conveyor port is all that is needed to access all the bins in the grid. Whilst one container is made available to the operator, the next container is prepared by a storage robot above the port. The conveyor port is the basic version of a workstation. The containers are loaded onto the conveyor system and transported to an opening outside the grid. Safety mechanisms and sensors ensure safe operation.

The conveyor port is available in narrow or wide versions and supports both transverse and longitudinal container feeding. It can be installed on either side of the grid.

In figures: 240 containers per hour, 5 seconds minimum time for container exchange.

An overview of all the advantages of direct AutoStore integration.

  • Zsuzsanna Deutsch

    Head of Logistics at Balluff Veszprém

    ‘The pragmatic and unbureaucratic approach of status C helped us to quickly overcome the complex challenges at the site. We were able to put the AutoStore system into operation quickly and are still very satisfied with the solution today.’

  • Hondo Santos

    Vice President Logistics at Balluff

    ‘The close collaboration with status C, combined with their ability to react quickly, has had a decisive impact on the success of our project. Communication was always open and focussed.’

From Kentucky across two continents: Modern warehousing for efficient distribution logistics.

The project was then driven forward into the US, where the main challenge was to modernise the existing hardware. Lessons learnt from the project in Hungary enabled many processes to be adapted and workflows to be kept streamlined. Florence in the US state of Kentucky acts as a distribution centre for the Americas region and was equipped with a new AutoStore system due to the massive throughput figures. Here too, status C store:IT ensured that the SAP system took over control.

Particularly noteworthy is the introduction of a prioritisation system, which sorts transport orders not chronologically by date of creation, but by pick-up or delivery date. This is a decisive advantage, as it ensures that the right goods end up in the right truck at the right time. Identical to the AutoStore system in Veszprém, the respective ports in Florence were also mapped as work centres in the SAP system thanks to individual customising. SAP users can be added to work stations and thus log in to the status C store:IT app. This link between user, workstation and app ensures that each user is only provided with the apps and orders that are relevant to them.

  • Matthäus Gnilka

    Consulting & development Logistics SAP, status C AG

    ‘What is particularly noteworthy for me is that we were able to prepare the AutoStore integration in the best possible way despite the time difference and physical distance. Everyone worked in unison. This maximised the efficiency of our deployment in the USA.’

  • Dr. Dirk Pawlowski

    Consulting Logistics SAP, status C AG

    ‘Due to the size and importance of the Veszprém site in particular, I am pleased to be able to look back on a successful AutoStore integration. Our solution not only makes order picking easier, but also the lives of the employees.’

Remote, hybrid, on-site: collaboration that simply works.

Die erfolgreiche Umsetzung des Projekts ist nicht nur der technischen Expertise, sondern auch der engen Zusammenarbeit zwischen Balluff und status C zu verdanken. Was zunächst als Remote-Projekt begann, gipfelte schließlich in intensiven Vor-Ort-Konzeptworkshops und Reisen in die jeweiligen Werke nach Ungarn und in die USA. Dadurch, dass die Lagerhardware schon Wochen vor dem Go Live zur Verfügung stand, konnten die Integrationstests sowie Mitarbeiterschulungen direkt an den jeweiligen AutoStore-Systemen stattfinden und technische Hürden somit minimiert werden.

Diese Art der Kooperation zwischen Balluff und status C ist ein Paradebeispiel dafür, wie in kürzester Zeit und dank fokussierter Vorbereitung Großprojekte dieser Art zeit- und kosteneffizient umgesetzt werden können. Balluff blickt nach Abschluss beider Projekte auf eine übergreifende Effizienzsteigerung von 30% in Veszprém sowie eine Steigerung der Pickleistung von über 70 % in Florence, Kentucky zurück. Ein Ergebnis, auf das alle Beteiligten stolz sein können.

The successful execution of the project is a result not only of the technical expertise, but also of the close collaboration between Balluff and status C. What initially began as a remote project ultimately peaked in intensive on-site concept workshops and trips to the respective plants in Hungary and the US. The fact that the warehouse hardware was available weeks before the go-live meant that the integration tests and employee training could take place directly on the respective AutoStore systems, thus minimising technical obstacles.

This type of cooperation between Balluff and status C is a prime example of how major projects of this size can be implemented quickly and cost-effectively thanks to focussed preparation. After completing both projects, Balluff can look back on an overall increase in efficiency of 30% in Veszprém and an increase in picking performance of over 70% in Florence, Kentucky. A result that everyone involved can be proud of.

Download Success Story (PDF) — English