KLP® RollStop Coil Storage provides firm foundation for Wiechers Spedition + Logistik

Wiechers Luftbild Duisburg

Safety and careful handling of steel coils were uppermost in the reasons for the selection of a KLP® RollStop Coil Storage Solution from Lankhorst Engineered Products by Wiechers Spedition + Logistik back in 2018. Five years on and the company is realising the on-going benefits of RollStop in terms of optimising storage capacity and reputational standing among customers.

Founded in 1904, Wiechers Spedition + Logistik is a 4^th generation steel coil storage and logistics business with headquarters in Bochum and a steel coil storage facility in Bochum and Duisburg. In Duisburg they also have their own railway system.  Steel is delivered by rail to Duisburg and distributed to manufacturers across the Ruhr region and Benelux. “On average we store the coils for 4 weeks before we deliver them to the manufacturer”, says Verena Wiechers, managing director, Wiechers Spedition + Logistik. “It’s a Just-In-Time logistics operation, so much so that we remove all packaging around the coil when it is delivered to our warehouse, enabling it to be used immediately upon delivery to the customer.”

The Duisburg warehouse is 17,000 square meters and has a 100,000 T storage capacity. A rail head runs into the warehouse allowing coils to be lifted from wagons by overhead crane. 

Coils can typically weigh up to 40T. “We chose the RollStop coil storage system primarily to improve warehouse safety. We consulted our steel manufacturing customers about coil storage. They had only good things to say about the RollStop system and its benefits to their operations,” notes Ms. Wiechers.

Before introducing the KLP® RollStop System, Wiechers used a combination of wooden blocks and steel plates. However, they were difficult to handle, less safe, and risked the possibility of damage to the coils. Operations Manager Markus Koch takes up the story. “We needed a coil storage system that was easier to handle and deploy, as well as being safer. We also wanted to develop our coil storage facilities to allow multi-stacking of coils and so maximise warehouse storage, the KLP® RollStop System was the obvious choice.”

One size fits all

The TÜV-approved, KLP® RollStop is a turnkey system. It comprises four components: rail, connector, spacer and RollStop – allowing a very simple installation on-site. The interlocking system consists of a reinforced rail with notches on which the RollStops can be positioned. The distance between the RollStops will vary depending on coil diameter. The distance between the rails can be adjusted to accommodate different coil widths.

All the RollStop components are encased in KLP® black recycled plastic making them extremely hard wearing and long lasting. It also provides a more sympathetic surface upon which to rest coils.

Coils may be stored up to three levels. Markus Koch again, “We’ve stored coils up to two levels which has been especially useful during busy periods. This highlights one of the on-going benefits of RollStop in allowing us to easily ‘flex’ our storage capability as the need arises.”

In addition to the KLP® RollStop System, Wiechers uses KLP® Storageblocks for storing slit coils that are too narrow for stacking. These V-shaped floor pads, with chock angles up to 15°, are installed in metal frames with flexible poles that allow optimal support for slit coils.

Commitment to Quality

Quality management is at the heart of Wiecher’s handling, storage and distribution of steel coils from rail delivery to despatch in one of the company’s large transport fleet. Certified to DIN EN ISO 9001: 2015, the company’s commitment to quality is reflected in the systematic planning and handling of coil storage. The heated Duisburg warehouse features eight overhead cranes ranging from 25 T to 40 T, allowing coils to be stored in the most efficient arrangement to ensure easy access and prompt delivery.

“We’ve come a long way over the last 110 years in terms of size, capability and technology, yet some things never change. Our choice of the KLP® RollStop System is just one of the ways we are exceeding customer expectations through the careful handling and on-time delivery of their steel coils,” concludes Verena Wiechers.

Wiechers management team

KLP® RollStop System at Wiechers 

KLP® Storageblocks at Wiechers