KNAPP is a leading global supplier of intralogistics automation systems and software, with over 1700 active installations worldwide. KNAPP designs, installs, maintains and upgrades automated material handling solutions that feature the latest storage, picking and transport technologies. Headquartered in Graz, Austria, the KNAPP group employs around 3,800 staff worldwide and achieved a record turnover of 710 million euros in the past business year. The group was established in 1952 and its British subsidiary, KNAPP UK Ltd, has been operating since 1997.

Craig Rollason
Managing Director, KNAPP UK Ltd

Craig Rollason, Managing Director at KNAPP UK Ltd, speaks to Warehouse and Logistics News.

What are your best-known products and services?

Efficient and accurate item picking is at the core of what we do. Our OSR Shuttle™ system – the shuttle-based storage technology pioneered by KNAPP – forms the heart of many of our intralogistics solutions. Highly energy-efficient, the OSR Shuttle™ store serves ergonomic workstations from KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy range that are tailored to the needs of specific industry sectors. A solution increasingly relied upon – especially for e-com distribution – is our Pocket Sorter. This combines an overhead conveyor system with a matrix sortation algorithm to arrange pockets hanging on the conveyor into the precise sequence required for dispatch.

Other key products are our Open Shuttle AGVs, the KNAPP-Store robotic ASRS, A-frame autopickers, robotic order picking systems and intelligent conveyor systems. We’re also renowned for the quality of our Customer Service operation, which ensures maximum system availability for clients worldwide.

Which market sectors and countries are your customers in? Which ones are growing fastest?

The most important industries for KNAPP are retail, e-commerce, fashion, healthcare, food retail and industry solutions. The group has 36 subsidiaries around the world and the fastest growing markets are currently the USA and Europe. In terms of business sectors, e-com and retail are booming for KNAPP subsidiaries worldwide, while the pharmaceutical industry also continues to be a significant source of business.

Who are your major customers and what do you do for them?

UK clients include John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Boots, Debenhams, Staples, Clarks, British Gas, Well, J P Boden, Kuehne + Nagel, Sigma Pharmaceuticals and IKEA, for whom we supply integrated logistics solutions and software. For retail clients, we can combine handling of flat-packed goods with expertise in hanging garment logistics through the technology of KNAPP group member, Durkopp Fördertechnik.

How do your products benefit your customers’ businesses?

With a philosophy of ‘Making Complexity Simple’, we optimise system design to ensure intelligent material flows. Combined with sophisticated software, this approach ensures streamlined logistics, maximum efficiency, enhanced service levels and lower costs.

s KNAPP’s OSR Shuttle™ Evo is designed for
optimum performance

Why should customers choose you as their main supplier in your area?

Quite simply, we have a proven track record of innovation, reliability and customer service. Our expertise in order picking and industry-leading warehouse technology enable us to deliver efficient, flexible and robust solutions that ensure a competitive edge for our clients. KNAPP’s Customer Service offer is increasingly seen as a critical factor by clients. Many of the larger projects we deliver are supported by resident teams of KNAPP technicians who carry out preventative maintenance and deal swiftly with any operational issues that arise.

What’s business been like in the past year?

It is not difficult to see that the market has been incredibly buoyant this year – so many new warehouses can be seen from the motorways and main arterial roads. With labour in relatively short supply, there has been high demand for automation, so the whole automated logistics sector has been incredibly busy. In response, we have taken on more staff – both at our head office and to boost our engineering teams at customer sites – to cope with sustained growth now and for the future.

What were the business highlights for you in the last 12 months?

The highlight was undoubtedly winning our largest ever order in the UK, for a major e-com company. As a group, KNAPP recorded its most successful year since being established in 1952, with sales revenues of 710 million euros. As well as winning new clients, KNAPP UK once again secured additional projects from existing customers, demonstrating a level of trust that is always very gratifying. Another great event was the launch of the new automated warehouse in Watford for our client, Sigma Pharmaceuticals – with the ribbon being cut by Pharmacy Minister, Steve Brine MP.

What’s been your most outstanding recent project?

Without doubt it is the John Lewis Magna Park Campus. Our continued partnership with the John Lewis team has led to some really impressive intralogistics developments at the site and we were delighted to win the Logistics Manager Award for Automation Innovation with John Lewis at the recent Supply Chain Excellence Awards. The Magna Park team also scooped the Warehouse Initiative award at this event – in addition to other accolades this year at the UKWA Awards, The Logistics Awards and the CILT awards.

How have you fine-tuned your offering in the last 12 months and why?

We are continuing to develop our shuttle technology, making our solutions even more flexible and efficient. The KNAPP group’s annual budget for research and development is over 40 million euros. Software developments and innovations for the e-com sector are particular areas of focus.

What recent enhancements have you made in customer service?

Our Customer Service solutions are constantly evolving to meet clients’ changing needs. Our Customer Service offering is focused on delivering maximum performance capacity and availability for the entire life cycle of the client’s system, as well as ongoing consultation and training. To this end, we provide a comprehensive range of services from ad hoc engineer visits to onsite teams of resident technicians.

What new products have you brought out?

OSR Shuttle™ Evo – the latest generation of our shuttle storage solution – was rolled out in the early part of this year and the market response has been fantastic. Developed with our experience from over 25,000 shuttles delivered across 250 shuttle systems worldwide, OSR Shuttle™ Evo is designed for optimum performance in terms of speed, durability and availability. As well as handling various types and sizes of container with ease, OSR Shuttle™ Evo features an energy-efficient design and energy recuperation technology, making it a truly sustainable solution.

Are you planning to branch into any new areas, target new customers and take on more people?

With a strong pipeline of orders, we are continuing to grow in all areas of our business, both in the UK and globally. Ecommerce and pharmacy automation are definitely growth areas, with the direct-topatient market looking set to grow.

Are you investing in new premises and extra staff? What about staff development and training?

We continue to invest in apprenticeships to help recruit and train the Customer Service engineers that we need for our resident sites. We currently have a number of hardworking apprentices at various stages in their 4-year programme.

Are you involved in any major trade shows or other industry events over the next year? Together with KNAPP subsidiary, Dürkopp Fördertechnik, we will be exhibiting at the IntraLogisteX show in February and at IMHX 2019 in September.

And finally, if you had to sum up your company in a tweet what would it be?

A reliable, lifetime partner for #logistics #automation, delivering intelligent and highquality #warehouse and #software solutions to secure competitive advantage for clients.

KNAPP UK LTD

01865 965 000

sales.uk@knapp.com

www.knapp.com

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