Konecranes invests in Finnish heavy gear production site

16 January 2012

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In order to streamline material flows at the facility the company says it has made substantial investment in new material handling equipment, which has resulted in more efficient storage, collection and relocation of parts along the gear assembly line.

Over the last few years, Konecranes has made efforts to boost heavy component manufacturing capabilities at Hyvinkää for its heavy crane products, and making targeted investments leading to the construction of the automated warehouse.

The warehouse came online last August, despite the official opening being scheduled for months later.

This new automated warehouse, measuring 6.4m wide, 49.2m in length and 7.1m tall, can house a maximum of 752 European standard loading pallets. It features two material stations along with two long conveyors and a shorter outdoor conveyor system.

Featuring a shelving elevator capacity of 69 transfers per hour of loads weighing up to 1.5t per pallet, construction of the warehouse has obviated some order collection work and reduced collection times.

Konecranes says it has also simplified the processes at the beginning of the product assembly phase. It will be used to store semi-finished products, storage parts and line storage parts.

Although no details were disclosed, Konecranes believes that, along with the measures taken to improve health, safety and worker comfort, the new facilities have reduced the likelihood of workplace accidents, improved staff morale and boosted overall productivity.

Konecranes’ Hyvinkää factory, which employs roughly 70 people, has a production capacity of around 5,000 gears for Konecranes cranes per year.


Internal layout of Konecranes Hyvinkää heavy gear production facility Internal layout of Konecranes Hyvinkää heavy gear production facility