The traditional Swiss metal trader Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG replaced a semi-automatic honeycomb storage system with the fully automatic Unitop and Unitower long goods storage systems from Kasto. Two adapted band saws from the Kastowin series complete the process chain. In times of increasing demands, this combination becomes a decisive success factor.
© Kasto
The figures speak for themselves: the portfolio of Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG in Regensdorf in the canton of Zurich comprises more than 8,000 products and 5,500 tons of stock material. The full-range supplier of metal products has grown continuously since it was founded in 1877. Today, with 30 employees, it is one of the leading suppliers of tubes, rods and profiles in Switzerland.
But with growth came new challenges: The semi-automatic honeycomb warehouse from the 1980s in Hall 5 was increasingly reaching its limits. In addition to the low space utilization, the high search effort and the safety risks posed by manual operation also impaired the processes.
The manual set-up process using a rail-mounted crane increasingly became a bottleneck, and the efficiency requirements could no longer be met. “Continuous expansion of the product range and the takeover of Walter Looser AG, the leading Swiss supplier of semi-finished and finished bronze products, led us to look for a high-performance successor solution,” explains Patrick Epp, Managing Director at Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG. “The storage volume was constantly increasing and our storage capacities were exhausted at a certain point.”
Extending the halls was not possible due to the existing infrastructure. The only option was to consolidate. The company launched “Project Core”. The aim was to increase capacity, bring warehousing up to the current state of the art and make processes significantly more efficient.
© Kasto
The decisive advantage: complete system from a single source
The metal specialist’s requirements were complex: the new system had to offer twice the storage capacity, fit into the 26-metre-wide Hall 5 and be able to store both 6-metre and 12-metre long material. It had to work reliably and be easy to operate.
“We researched the market intensively,” reports Patrick Epp. “We have been using the Kastowin A 3.3 band saw from Kasto since 2018 and we are very satisfied with it.” The high-performance automatic band saw for series cuts works quickly and reliably. Automatic functions, short idle times and extensive monitoring systems ensure high efficiency, safety and tool-friendly work – from single cuts to large series. “This was one of the main reasons why we then discussed ideas for the planned warehouse with Kasto in person at LogiMAT in Stuttgart in 2022.”
It quickly became clear that the specialist for sawing and storage solutions offered exactly what Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG was looking for with its two systems Unitop and Unitower. “One clear advantage Kasto has over the competition is that we get both storage systems from a single source,” emphasizes the Managing Director. “All other providers could only supply one or the other.”
This system expertise is no coincidence. Kasto is the global market and technology leader for metal sawing machines, long goods and sheet metal storage systems as well as material handling. The Achern-based company sees itself not only as a machine manufacturer, but also as a solution provider for the entire process chain – from storage to transportation and processing.
© Kasto
Customized system for complex requirements
The new system consists of two Kasto storage systems: the Unitop drive-over storage system with a storage length of six meters and the Unitower tower storage system with a storage length of twelve meters as well as two sawing centers from the Kastowin series (F 3.3 and A 3.6). This constellation enables Brütsch/Rüegger to store and process the long goods in one hall in a space-saving manner.
In the transfer storage system, a storage and retrieval machine moves over the metals stored in cassettes and stores and retrieves them quickly. The special feature: In order to achieve the required capacity despite the limited hall height, the company sank both systems four meters deep into the floor.
The Unitop transfer storage system makes optimum use of the available space and ensures stock transparency thanks to computer control. The system reliably transfers long goods to the three double output stations in short cycles and thus fits seamlessly into the material flow. With automatic bar separation and connection to the Kastowin saws, Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG uses a flexible production system that largely operates without personnel. The metal specialist stores special products such as twelve-metre-long cylinder tubes for the hydraulics industry in the Unitower.
The tower storage system facilitates the material flow and also saves a lot of space thanks to its compact design. Loads of up to five tons per cassette can be provided quickly and easily.
© Kasto
From the old warehouse to an integrated overall solution
The conversion was carried out step by step: first, the fitters removed the right-hand half of the old honeycomb warehouse and the storage and retrieval machine (SRM) to make room for the new building. During this time, Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG stored the goods provisionally in other halls.
The left-hand section initially remained in place and was operated manually by the employees. A four-metre-deep pit was created, into which Kasto installed the two storage systems Unitop and Unitower.
Next came the Kastoflow align storage station at the front of the transfer storage system, which enabled Brütsch/Rüegger Metals AG to efficiently transfer the long goods from the temporary storage facilities and the old half of the storage system, which was still standing, to the new Unitop.
Finally, the specialists completely dismantled the remaining half and set up three double retrieval stations on the now free area, which automatically supply four sawing centers with replenishment.
“It was a challenge to reconcile the conversion with day-to-day business,” says Patrick Epp, looking back. “But the Kasto systems, both the storage solutions and the saws, have brought us a long way forward in terms of efficiency since then,” praises the Managing Director.
More than just speed: the benefits in practice
The changes are noticeable at all levels. “The organization and access to the material has been much easier since the conversion,” says Patrick Epp happily. “And this applies not only to the speed of the previous honeycomb warehouse, but also in comparison to the drive-over warehouse from another manufacturer that we are using.”
Thanks to the short storage and, above all, retrieval times, the metal specialist works much more efficiently. The new storage system has also improved occupational safety, as the goods are now automatically transferred to the saws via retrieval stations – a noticeable improvement on the previous manual solution.
The reduced susceptibility to errors in the set-up process has a direct impact on customer satisfaction. Faster access means shorter delivery times – a decisive competitive factor in the just-in-time production of modern industrial companies. The Kasto branch in Switzerland ensures rapid assistance in the event of faults and minimizes downtimes.
“Our expectations in terms of performance and quality were met 100 percent,” summarizes Managing Director Epp with satisfaction. The company successfully completed “Project Core” with the commissioning of the last saw, a Kastowin A 3.6, at the end of the year. His conclusion sums it up: “Decisive competitive factors are the compact storage and efficient processing of our products. Kasto supplies complete systems and solutions from a single source that we can rely on.”
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