KNAPP develops ergonomic pallet picking for SPAR

To adjust to new challenges in the industry, SPAR Austria, in close collaboration with KNAPP, decided on a unique pallet picking system. The semi-automatic Pick-it-Easy Move system is used for picking the entire range of fast-moving articles. The Pick-it-Easy Move system was first put into operation in September 2014 at the SPAR headquarters in Maria Saal. The innovation stands out for handling heavy articles with a high degree of ergonomics. 

The SPAR headquarters in Maria Saal supplies around 150 SPAR, EUROSPAR and INTERSPAR stores in Carinthia and East Tyrol. The steadily growing assortment and the endeavour to solidify its position in the market motivated SPAR to make this investment for the future.

At the innovative Pick-it-Easy Move work stations, the SPAR employees move the goods directly from the original pallets to the target load carrier. In contrast to conventional systems, decanting is eliminated. During manual picking, the deliveries are assembled according to store into compact, stable order load carriers. The employee enjoys a high degree of ergonomics: the source pallet as well as the target load carrier are adjusted to an ergonomically correct height. Lifting heavier articles is eliminated through pushing, which greatly reduces the physical strain on the employee. By combining automation and manual handling, the system offers much flexibility in picking as well as a doubling of performance.

Dir. Mag. Paul Bacher, Managing Director for SPAR Carinthia and East Tyrol, proudly declared at the startup: “We are pleased that with the pallet picking system and the optimization of our logistics we could also invest in the health of our employees.”

The next installation of Pick-it-Easy Move is already planned – SPAR will realize several of these work stations in the new central warehouse in Ebergassing.