Alainé will fit out its new logistics centre in Macon (France) with the semi-automatic Pallet Shuttle system from Mecalux. With this solution, the company will get a storage capacity of 20,397 pallets weighing a maximum 950 kg each.
The 8,000 m2 logistics centre will contain 18 blocks of racks measuring 11 m high, with five levels. The merchandise will be stored in each block, sorted as per the customer it belongs to and its demand. 
The operator inserts the Pallet Shuttle into the corresponding channel with a forklift. Then, the pallet is deposited in the channel entrance so the shuttle can move it horizontally to the first open location. To remove the goods, the same operation will be performed in reverse order.
The Pallet Shuttle will be run via a Wi-Fi connected control tablet and an intuitive software that requires no special training for operators.
Mecalux will install two conveyor circuits that will link the storage zones to the preloads area. In the dispatch area, a transfer car will distribute pallets into live channels. Goods are grouped according to the route or order, which speeds up their subsequent loading into transport lorries.
Founded in 1945, Alainé is a key logistics operator that owns and operates 300,000 m2 of warehouse space. Throughout the last few years, it has broadened its sales network and, currently, does business in more than twenty countries. It has offices in Luxembourg, Portugal, Slovakia, Poland and the UK.