IFOY AWARD 2016: SSI Schäfer's Weasel wins Intralogistics Solution

• Jury of international trade journalists selects SSI Schäfer's AGV solution Weasel at Next Level Logistik GmbH as the winner in the "Intralogistics Solution" category.
• Colourful IFOY Award ceremony for the "Intralogistics Oscar" at the CeMAT in Hannover.
• Dr. Andreas Gruchow, Member of the Managing Board Deutsche Messe, presents the prestigious IFOY trophy.  

Hannover/ Unterföhring near Munich, May 31, 2016.   The IFOY Award in the category "Intralogistics Solution" goes to SSI Schäfer's Weasel at Next Level Logistik GmbH. In a tight finish, the in-plant fleet solution with Weasel® driverless transport systems came in first to secure the title of "Intralogistics Solution of the Year".

The name of the winner was a well-kept secret up to the last moment. Last Tuesday evening its identity was revealed at the CeMAT opening in Hannover, when Dr. Andreas Gruchow, Member of the Managing Board Deutsche Messe, presented the metal and glass trophy to the delighted winners. 

Besides the high customer value the key factor in the decision of the jury are the low investment costs of this AGV solution. “Considerably reduced investment costs open new customer perspectives in terms of automated transport solutions,” is the verdict of the jury. "Particularly in the era of Industry 4.0, it is a major advantage for companies if they can flexibly connect different in-plant areas and support processes in the front-to-end logistics environment. This system is especially beneficial for companies and start-ups whose business fields and capacity requirements tend to change at short notice", the jury added.

SSI Schäfer implemented the Weasel® driverless transport systems at the NextLevel Logistik GmbH company in Eltmann near Schweinfurt. Be it containers, cartons, trays or other products of widely varying sizes up to 35 kg – at NextLevel Logistik, Weasel is responsible for all transport tasks between incoming goods, the workplaces, goods dispatch, all the way through to waste disposal. The complete hardware and software for the system was installed and went into operation within the space of just three days. One special characteristic of the solution is the automatic RFID group reading system at the goods receipt stage. Unlike conventional AGVs Weasel does not require complex sensor technology or control systems.

A further major advantage from the point of view of the fashion logistics service provider active in the fast-growing eCommerce segment, is the flexibility and easy scalability of the solution: Weasel is not rail-based and can therefore be flexibly integrated in existing infrastructures. The AGV gets straight to the work stations via an optical guiding line. This can be installed in a rapid and flexible manner and may be adapted. The solution can grow together with the business volume, and seasonal performance peaks can easily be handled by using additional Weasels.

Since 2013, the IFOY Award has become established as a benchmark for cost efficiency and innovation. Due to the specialised expertise it represents, it is seen as the most important innovation award in intralogistics.

The winners are selected once a year by an independent jury of leading international trade journalists. A neutral test and a scientific "Innovation Check" form the basis for assessment by the jury. Both test series compare the finalists with their respective competitors. The sponsor of the IFOY Award, presented under the patronage of the German Ministry of Economics and Energy, is the VDMA Materials Handling and Logistics Systems Sector Association. Official IFOY partner is CeMAT, the leading international trade fair for intralogistics in Hannover. IFOY pallet partner is Chep, the global market leader in pallet pooling. IFOY technology partner is the battery charging specialist Fronius.

Photo credits (IFOY Andre Baschlakow)

Winner: http://www.ifoy.org/en/press/press-photos/category/105-ifoy-2016

IFOY AWARD - All winners 2016

Category: Counter Balanced Truck up to 3.5 t

• ECB18C, BYD (electric)

Category: Special Vehicle

• EJQ 325, Jungheinrich (electric)

Category: Warehouse Truck highlifter

• EKX 516, Jungheinrich (electric)

Category: Warehouse Truck lowlifter

• RT 4020, Crown (electric)

Category: Intralogistics Solution 

• SSI Schäfer implemented a inhouse-developed fleet solution with Weasel® driverless transport systems at the NextLevel Logistik GmbH company in Eltmann near Schweinfurt.

IFOY AWARD  WWW.IFOY.ORG

The International Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY AWARD) recognises the year's best materials handling equipment and intralogistics solutions. The aim of the organisation is to document the performance capability and innovative drive of the materials handling and intralogistics sector, helping to boost competitiveness and raise the profile of the entire intralogistics sector in the public arena. The winners of the IFOY Award are selected once a year by an independent jury of international trade journalists. The sponsor of the IFOY Award is the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association. Official partner is the leading international CeMAT trade fair for intralogistics in Hannover. IFOY pallet partner is CHEP, the global market leader in pallet pooling, IFOY technology partner is the battery charging specialist Fronius.

The patron of the IFOY Award is the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Members of the jury: Vladimir Antonov, Editor-in-Chief of Sklad i Technika, (Russia), Snejina Badjeva, Editor-in-Chief of LOGISTIKA magazine (Bulgaria), Theo Egberts, IFOY tester and owner of Buro Andersom/Andersom Testing (Netherlands, without voting rights), Sven Bennühr, Deutsche Logistik-Zeitung (DVZ) (Germany), Thilo Jörgl, Editor-in-Chief of LOGISTIK HEUTE (Germany), Anders Karlsson, Editor-in-Chief of Transport & Logistik iDag (Sweden), Klaus Koch, Editor-in-Chief Logistik&Fördertechnik, Handel Heute (Switzerland), Allan Leibowitz, Editor-in-Chief forkliftaction.com (Australia), Valeria Lima de Azevedo Nammur, Publisher LOGWEB Magazin (Brazil), Glenn Lund, Editor-in-Chief of Moderne Transport (Norway), Peter MacLeod, Editor-in-Chief of SHD Magazine (England), Bernd Maienschein, Editor-in-Chief of MM Logistik (Germany), Marilena Matei, Editorial Manager of Tranzit and Tranzit Logistica (Romania), Anton Mizunov, Editor-in-Chief of Skladskoj Komplex (Logistics and Transport)(Russia), Maurizio Peruzzi, Editor-in-Chief of Il Giornale della Logistica (Italy), Isabel Rodrigo, Editor-in-Chief of Logística Profesional (Spain), Hans-Joachim Schlobach, Publisher-Editor and Editor-in-Chief of BUSINESS+LOGISTIC (Austria), Sascha Schmel, Managing Director of the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Sector Association (without voting rights), Sabine Schulz-Rohde, Editor-in-Chief of Beschaffung aktuell (Germany), Sebastian Śliwieński, Editor-in-Chief of Warehouse Monitor (Poland), Heres Stad, Editor-in-Chief of Logistiek (Netherlands), Jarlath Sweeney, Editor-in-Chief of Fleet Transport (Ireland), Mats Udikas, Editor-in-Chief of Transportnytt (Sweden). Executive Jury Chairperson is Anita Würmser, logistics journalist and Managing Director of wuermser.communications. The headquarters of the IFOY Organisation are in Unterföhring near Munich.

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