Warehouse & distribution / 3PL
For logistics service provider CB in Culemborg, VTS Intralogistics modernised five existing high-bay cranes and developed a new Warehouse Control System (WCS). The mechanical structures were retained, while the controls and software were renewed. The new WCS now handles more than 3,000 pallet movements per day, without the entire high-bay warehouse having to be replaced.
The challenge: outdated controls in a high-bay warehouse in full operation
CB handles the storage and distribution of books for bookshops and other customers. In Culemborg, the company operates a high-bay warehouse of approximately 32 metres high, with space for around 23,000 pallets. In total, it holds approximately 9 million books, spread across 11,000 different titles.
CB uses five high-bay cranes for the automated storage and retrieval of pallets. These originally date from 1984. The mechanical structures were still in good working order, but the control technology was outdated and parts were becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. The existing Warehouse Control System and the connections with the installation were also due for replacement.
CB therefore wanted to modernise the high-bay warehouse without replacing the entire installation. The existing structures had to be retained, while the controls and software were renewed.
An important condition was that day-to-day operations had to continue as much as possible. The warehouse runs 24 hours a day, six days a week. Prolonged downtime was therefore not an option.
The solution: retrofit of high-bay cranes and a new WCS
VTS Intralogistics carried out the retrofit of the five high-bay cranes. The main mechanical structures were retained, while the control cabinets, PLC controls, drive technology, cabling, sensors, cameras and operating systems, among other things, were renewed.
In addition, VTS developed a new Warehouse Control System (WCS). This system controls the pallet movements between the pick stations, conveyor lines and high-bay cranes. Through an integration with the Warehouse Management System (WMS), orders and confirmations are exchanged automatically.
An important technical element was connecting the new software to the existing installation. The conveyor installation still worked with an older Siemens PLC, and no source code was available for the original crane software.
VTS therefore thoroughly investigated the existing operation and communication. By analysing, among other things, the network traffic between the cranes and the old WCS, the communication could be rebuilt. This allowed the new WCS to work with the existing installation and made the transition to the renewed crane controls possible.
The operator controls have also been renewed. With new HMI screens and a user interface for the WCS, operators can control the installation from different workstations.
The execution: modernising with minimal downtime
Because the warehouse had to remain operational during the work, the five high-bay cranes could not be shut down at the same time.
The cranes were therefore converted one by one. Before each conversion, part of the stock was temporarily moved to other parts of the warehouse. Each time, this involved approximately 3,500 pallets.
The first crane was modernised in 2025. The experience gained was used for the conversion of the remaining four cranes. For one of these cranes, the complete conversion was carried out in five weeks.
Commissioning the new WCS also required careful preparation. Because there was little time available for testing, the integrations between the WMS, WCS, the conveyor installation and the high-bay cranes were extensively checked in advance.
The result: a modernised high-bay warehouse
With the retrofit, CB now has five modernised high-bay cranes and a new WCS, while the existing mechanical structures have been retained.
The new WCS now handles more than 3,000 pallet movements per day. The control, operation and communication of the high-bay cranes have been renewed and outdated components have been replaced.
According to CB, the high-bay cranes are expected to last another 15 to 20 years after the overhaul. This allows the company to keep using the existing installation, without investing in a completely new high-bay warehouse.
"The existing high-bay cranes were still mechanically sound. By renewing the controls and software, they are expected to last at least another 15 to 20 years!"
Collaboration during live operations
The entire project took just over two years. During that period, CB and VTS worked closely together to align the work with the day-to-day logistics operation.
The planning of the crane overhauls and the switch to the new WCS in particular required careful preparation. By carrying out the work crane by crane and making good use of the available testing windows, the warehouse was able to keep running as much as possible during the modernisation.
With the renewed controls and software, CB now has an installation that fits the existing logistics processes and is technically ready for years to come.
