SLS Bearings (Singapore)

New distribution center strengthens product supply capabilities

Industrial equipment trading company SLS Bearings (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. relocated its head office in Singapore in March 2017, with the aim of further expanding its business. Approximately 10 minutes by car from the previous location, the company’s new head office is situated in the area of Tuas in the western part of the country where new port development is underway. Alongside the company’s head office is a 24-hour distribution center, equipped with state-of-the-art systems including a large AS/RS over 100m long. This has enabled SLS Bearings to significantly strengthen its product supply capabilities for domestic and overseas users alike.

Established in 1963, SLS Bearings (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. has always made the most of its location in Singapore, as a thriving hub for intermediate trade. With bearings and transmission parts supplied by manufacturers in Japan, China and Europe, amongst others, it supplies products to the likes of auto manufacturers, food producers and mining companies in Singapore and other countries such as Malaysia, China and Indonesia.

Prior installing Daifuku ASRS at new premises, SLS Bearing had fit the other company’s unit load AS/ RS at old plant, the fast growing business had soon caused the old ASRS storage capacity running out and required to fix conventional racking to make up for the shortfall storage capacity. The Information data and material flow was not well conceptualized at that juncture made the layout unable to optimize the operation, moreover by deploying fixed-load stands for storage and retrieval resulted operator needed to move from aisle to aisle to complete the pick list, the picking stand not at ergonomic height had also reduced the operation efficiency. Once SLS Bearing secure new premises determined the new ASRS system must have goods to man concept and overcome all previous design deficiency.

The end result was to install a new large-scale unit load AS/RS to hold 19,950 pallets, 21m wide, 105m long, and 27m high. The AS/RS can be loaded and unloaded from the front (HP) and the opposite side (OP). To the front, equip with two high-speed shuttle sorting transfer vehicles (STV). Products are loaded, and stored and retrieved for overseas customers, via 18 stations. Products for domestic customers meanwhile are stored and retrieved from the other side. To optimize storage efficiency, few pallets with less occupancy will be retrieved out for consolidating into a single pallet on the second floor pick and deposit station.