TEXT: MAGNUS CARLSSON
PHOTOS: SAMUEL UNÉUS
We've talked about it for a long time – but now it's finally time. Solar Sverige's new logistics centre is being inaugurated in Kumla. It is one of Sweden's leading facilities of its kind.
In the spring of 2024, Solar Sverige's CEO Anders Koppel broke the first symbolic sod for Solar's new logistics centre in Kumla, Sweden. Two years later, we have driven 4,000 poles into the ground, installed 6,800 metres of cable ladder and pulled several kilometers of cable to make everything work in our 48,000 square meter property.
Now the plant is ready to go into operation – even ahead of schedule.
- It has been a cool experience to carry out this project and see how well it has worked. This is the result of good cooperation between those involved; Solar, contractors and equipment suppliers. Everything has flowed incredibly well all the way, says Jonas Widström, VP Operations at Solar Sverige and the person who takes over full responsibility from Solar's side now that the project phase is coming to an end.
"State of the art" logistics centre
Jonas Widström describes the new facility as 'state of the art' when it comes to warehousing and logistics. With products from Solar's strategic suppliers, such as Siemens, MP-bolagen, Schneider, Nexans, Hager, PM-Flex and others, Solar has built a market-leading logistics facility.
Here, Solar will stock a large part of the hundreds of thousands of items in the range.
With the new warehouse, Solar is now investing in becoming an even better partner when it comes to logistics.
- Logistics is one of Solar's absolute greatest strengths, and something that our customers value immensely. Now, we have the opportunity to take logistics to another level, which will be an extra competitive advantage for us but also makes everyday life even easier and better for our customers, says Jonas Widström.
Advanced automation
The property in Kumla also houses a large office and doubles as a showroom for the product areas where Solar possesses special expertise. One such area is automation, where the entire facility is a demonstration of the difference good control systems and well-functioning industrial automation can make. Among other things, self-driving forklifts and the robot-based warehouse management system AutoStore are used.
BREEAM Excellent
Another thing that makes Solar's new logistics centre stand out is that it is certified according to BREEAM, the industry's most established system for environmental certification. The building reaches the BREEAM Excellent classification, which means that Solar has lived up to very tough requirements for energy supply, water use, building materials and waste management, among other things.
- This whole project is really a demonstration of some of the things that Solar is best at. Logistics, sustainability, automation – and not least collaboration. We are very proud of this journey, and are now looking forward to also being able to use the facility to the fullest, says Jonas Widström.
