Transaher installs the Pallet Shuttle system for 20,000 pallets

Transaher: Flexible, tailored solutions

Transaher, a leading transportation and logistics provider, offers flexible, tailored solutions for managing supply chains across diverse industries. Founded in 1985, the company operates a fleet of more than 1,000 vehicles for local and long-haul distribution. With more than 3,000 active clients, Transaher operates 46 branches across Spain and Portugal and employs more than 1,200 people. With its new warehouse in Montornès del Vallès (Barcelona), outfitted by Mecalux, Transaher is enhancing the service it provides to its clients.

With more than four decades of experience as a third-party logistics (3PL) company, Transaher has taken another step toward bringing more of its activities in-house. The business operates an extensive network of 46 distribution centers (DCs) across Spain and Portugal, providing transportation and warehousing services. Its new facility in Montornès del Vallès (Barcelona), equipped by Mecalux, strengthens its presence in the Iberian market.

The facility supplies products such as bathroom fixtures, radiators, and heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment. Its primary goal is to enhance service levels for one of Transaher’s more than 3,000 active clients, a company specializing in HVAC products. “We needed a solution capable of handling large volumes of inventory while adapting to our client’s diverse product range,” says Almudena Pérez, Logistics Manager at Transaher.

Designed to maximize capacity within a limited footprint, Transaher’s new DC accommodates thousands of pallets across three storage systems: the Pallet Shuttle, drive-in racking, and selective pallet racks. The high-density systems are arranged in a U-shaped layout, leaving the center of the facility available for order picking and fulfillment operations.

Eight shuttles for faster operations

To improve warehouse productivity, the 3PL implemented Mecalux’s Pallet Shuttle. This semi-automated system combines high-density storage with the automatic movement of pallets within racking lanes.

Transaher’s DC in Montornès del Vallès features 12 racking blocks standing 33' high with a capacity for 20,000 pallets. Eight motorized shuttles transport goods autonomously within lanes up to 13 pallets deep. Operators first place the shuttles into the storage lanes using forklifts. The shuttles then automatically move pallets to the first available location. Alternatively, they return stored loads to the aisle for retrieval, enabling LIFO (last in, first out) management.

The shuttles are controlled via Wi-Fi-connected tablets running dedicated software. Operators can select the number of pallets to retrieve, conduct inventory counts, and manage user authorizations, among other tasks.

To complement the high-density operations of the semi-automated Pallet Shuttle system, Transaher also installed 10 drive-in racking blocks capable of storing thousands of pallets. Designed with storage lanes up to 24 pallets deep, this solution houses the tallest HVAC products. Its configuration allows operators to work from a single aisle — with front access only — or from two aisles, with loading from the front and retrieval from the rear.

Capacity to meet a demanding market

Lastly, Transaher’s selective pallet racks accommodate nearly 4,000 pallets and provide direct access to every storage location. This is a key advantage for speeding up order picking and managing a wide variety of SKUs, including bathroom fixtures, radiators, and HVAC equipment. Thanks to this system, the company can store and fulfill orders for a broad range of products with greater flexibility.

Transaher receives full container loads of merchandise from its client, requiring efficient inbound and outbound operations. By combining multiple Mecalux storage solutions, the 3PL provider effectively handles a demanding logistics environment, characterized by high volumes of incoming goods, diverse product formats, and the need for fast order fulfillment.

We needed a solution capable of handling large volumes of inventory while adapting to our client’s diverse product range.