Rhenus and Thalia expand partnership

The book retailing group, Thalia, has been relying on the logistics and warehouse services provided by Rhenus Warehousing Solutions for more than 20 years.

The logistics base in Hörselgau in the federal state of Thuringia is now being significantly expanded so that it is able to serve the strong increase in demand from the B2C sector and the seasonal business to an even better degree. At the same time, Rhenus and Thalia are extending their partnership for a further ten years and are also constructing one of the world’s most efficient AutoStores (robotic warehouses).

Rhenus Warehousing Solutions and Thalia expand their partnership and construct one of the most efficient AutoStores in the world Rhenus Warehousing Solutions and Thalia expand their partnership and construct one of the most efficient AutoStores in the world
With 530 robots, 240,000 containers and 90 ports, the planned AutoStore in Hörselgau will be absolutely enormous. Rhenus and Thalia are expecting the facilities to be fully utilised during peak periods. Image source: Rhenus Group.

Customers benefit from the tailor-made warehousing solutions and fulfilment services provided by Rhenus Warehousing Solutions, a provider of logistical and warehouse services, at more than 180 business sites in 23 different countries. This is also true of Thalia, the leading omni-channel bookseller in the Germany, Austria and Switzerland region; it has more than 500 bookshops within its network, an online store and a shopping app. Rhenus has been storing and picking goods for Thalia at its Hörselgau site in Thuringia since 2011. The logistics space and capacity there are now being expanded and a new AutoStore with 530 robots will be integrated in the processes.

The expansion and conversion work in Hörselgau is being conducted to include various different factors. The enlarged logistics and warehouse space will increase the volume of goods that can be shipped from the business site that has a central location. The AutoStore will provide support by automating picking processes. “Our continual expansion in the store-based bookselling sector as well as the increasing volume of orders in our online business have made it easy to decide to use an automated picking method – the AutoStore solution particularly reflects the requirements of our order structure very well,” says Marco Rebohm, Managing Director of Supply Chains and Logistics at Thalia. “We’re also being affected by the shortage of specialist workers and the challenges of attracting new members of staff. By using the new AutoStore, we’re therefore preventing any excess pressure on our current teams during seasonal peaks such as the pre-Christmas period,” Marco Rebohm continues.

Automating work stages in the picking process not only means that workers have less distance to walk thanks to the “goods-to-person” principle, but it also enables more pleasant working conditions at ergonomically designed workplaces. With 530 robots, 240,000 containers and 90 ports, the planned AutoStore in Hörselgau will be absolutely enormous. Rhenus and Thalia are expecting the facilities to be fully utilised during peak periods. Rhenus has been able to make full use of the experience that it has gained from similar projects in Duisburg and Tilburg (Netherlands) when drawing up the dimensions for the AutoStore. “Coupled with our long-standing familiarity with this customer and our understanding of its requirements, we’ve been able to estimate the required expansion work very accurately,” says Dr Stephan Peters, a Member of the Rhenus Group’s Management Board. Thanks to the matrix structure of the AutoStore, it will also be possible to expand the existing facility at any time.

The expansion work at Hörselgau is due to be completed by April 2025. “We’re delighted to be able to once again intensify our stable partnership with Thalia even further through this project,” Dr Peters continues. The regular exchange of ideas between the two companies, which goes far beyond day-to.day business and involves various experts and hierarchical levels, has since become a valuable routine.