New Version of Atlas WCS in IVC Group, Luxembourg

Is it necessary to upgrade or replace software, even if it works flawlessly? This is essential to ensure safety and smooth operation, as well as any necessary support.

Have you ever bought vinyl flooring? If you have, you may also have come across the brand or manufacturer IVC Group. With 1800 employees and 10 production units across Europe and the USA, the company produces more than 180 million m² of flooring annually, including luxury vinyl tiles and carpet tiles. We have been supporting the automated warehouse of the production unit in Luxembourg for more than a decade with our Atlas WCS solution.

A Kilometre-Long Production Line
Stopping and restarting production on a U-shaped line spanning a length of one kilometre is not something we do every day. For such a production line to stop unexpectedly or unannounced, however, is something we prefer not to imagine. Therefore, as with any other project, we took this project very seriously when we agreed to upgrade the software, because we know that even a project that looks simple at first glance can get complicated. Above all, we believe in our golden rule: Always be prepared!

Atlas WCS Operates an Automatic, Non-Chaotic Warehouse
The vinyl flooring warehouse in Luxembourg can be categorised as a non-chaotic warehouse (or fixed-location warehouse) – but with one specific feature. Their racks have double the depth, or, put differently: the material cassettes are arranged in two compact rows. If the material in the cassette in the second row needs to be picked, the cassette in the front row must first be moved aside. Therefore, the automated lift has the option to accept two cassettes at once. Such a storage strategy is a good solution for warehouses limited in height and length.

Although the Atlas WCS coordinating the automated material storage lifts had been working flawlessly since its implementation in 2010, an upgrade to more modern IT equipment was required due to approaching "End-of-Life". To ensure continued and smooth operations, we agreed with the customer to upgrade our software to the latest version of the solution.

We first tested the prepared solution upgrade remotely and thus eliminated any major malfunctions before the go-live. The upgrade itself, i.e., the go-live, was done live on site. Due to the limited time window available, as the time of production shutdown is limited, the coordination with other teams was thus more efficient and faster.

We also added VPN access for the customer, so that any necessary support from our side can be fast and efficient.

Benefits of Software Upgrades
With rapid technological progress, upgrades of information systems or software are crucial, even if the existing solutions work flawlessly – or we may only think they work flawlessly. With an upgrade, you are ensured:

• uninterrupted/reliable operations in the future;
• compatibility with the latest technologies;
• increased information security;
• 24/7 support for any interventions.