Dosenbach-Ochsner Automates New E-Commerce Warehouse

By implementing Exotec’s Skypod® System at its Luterbach site, Dosenbach-Ochsner expanded its warehouse by 174,000 storage locations, achieved a throughput of 1,800 order lines per hour, and significantly improved working conditions for its staff. Exotec did not act solely as a technology supplier — it took on full responsibility as system integrator for the entire intralogistics solution, from conveyor technology through to the dispatch area.

Dosenbach-Ochsner AG is one of Switzerland’s largest footwear and sports retailers. The company operates around 400 stores under the Dosenbach, Ochsner Shoes, Ochsner Sport, and Snipes brands, including their respective online shops. To efficiently serve its growing e-commerce business, Dosenbach-Ochsner decided to build a dedicated e-commerce warehouse at its Luterbach site and set out to find a future-proof automation solution.

The decision to invest in warehouse automation was the result of a comprehensive strategic analysis. Gregor Oberfranz, Head of Logistics at Dosenbach-Ochsner and project manager for the new build, summarises the starting point:

“You have to approach these topics from multiple angles. There is the market side — in our case: how is the omnichannel business developing, and e-commerce in particular? How is the demographic landscape shifting? Are workers available? How are cost structures in the country changing? All of that classically leads to a business case on the basis of which you can start thinking about automation.”

Added to this was the inherent complexity of projects of this scale: they require a technology partner who can adapt to changing market conditions — both technically and in terms of processes — and who takes responsibility for the interplay of all components within the overall system. The solution sought by Dosenbach-Ochsner had to combine flexibility, software integration capability, and a compelling Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

Once Dosenbach-Ochsner had defined approximately 80 per cent of its requirements — primarily the volumes to be handled — the company, supported by logistics consultancy MIEBACH Consulting Switzerland, approached several suppliers. Exotec emerged as the winner: not only through the Skypod® System as its core technology, but with a comprehensive integration offering that brought all workstreams under a single point of responsibility.

The decision was based on three key criteria:

• TCO — total cost of ownership over the project lifetime
• Technical solution — fit with the specific requirements of e-commerce fulfilment
• Software flexibility — straightforward integration into the existing IT architecture and adaptability to changing business requirements

As system integrator, Exotec coordinated and took responsibility for the entire intralogistics solution across all levels of the new warehouse building. This encompassed, alongside the Skypod® System, the integration of third-party conveyor technology from SSI Schäfer and NERAK vertical conveyors for inter-floor transport, the connection of Safelog AGVs for automated transport from picking to packing stations, and the link-up to the new Warehouse Management System from PSI — all implemented in parallel with ongoing operations.

On the upper floor, 18 decanting workstations were set up where goods arriving from the existing building via conveyor lines are separated and fed into the Skypod® System via two bin interface stations. On the ground floor, the system connects seamlessly: AGVs collect bins from the picking stations and transport them to the packing area, separated by four brands each with their own carton design. The packed orders are then conveyed onward to two different dispatch destinations.

The speed of physical implementation was particularly impressive: racking installation and robot integration on the floor proceeded without friction. Maintenance planning was also incorporated into the project from the outset — a fundamental requirement for the customer:

“What was very important to me was that the topic of maintenance was built into the project before it even started. Maintenance must be a known quantity — it cannot be a black box that only gets discussed at go-live.”

The project was a success. The system went live on schedule, and all online shops operated from the Luterbach site were able to launch on time. For Oberfranz, that is the decisive measure: