SAP EWM controls 2D shuttle system at Gerolsteiner 

Constance, 26 March 2026 – Gerolsteiner Brunnen GmbH & Co. KG is building a new compact pallet warehouse with a 2D shuttle system at its headquarters in Gerolstein for the storage and distribution of finished goods, including an automated lorry loading installation. As the general contractor, Körber is responsible for the turnkey delivery of the entire system, comprising the shuttle warehouse, pallet conveyor technology, integration of the automated lorry loading facilities, as well as the control and optimisation of the overall system using SAP EWM.

High storage density, redundancy and scalability 

At the heart of the facility is a high-performance 2D shuttle warehouse with 15,800 pallet locations arranged in channels, each capable of holding up to 11 pallets and allowing storage and retrieval from both sides. In the first construction phase, the warehouse will be operated with 16 ATLAS pallet shuttle vehicles and four lifts from Körber partner Movu. These enable storage and retrieval rates of up to 90 and 190 pallets per hour respectively. As throughput requirements increase, performance can be scaled up to 180 inbound and 290 outbound pallet movements per hour by integrating additional shuttle vehicles and lifts. 

The entire installation is designed with redundancy and resilience: individual vehicles or lifts can take over the tasks of others whenever required.

Business logic within SAP 

Körber implements all key elements of the business logic for warehouse control, including optimisation of the 2D shuttle operations, directly within SAP EWM. The system will manage inventory in the 2D shuttle warehouse with precise positional accuracy within the channels and is responsible for storage and retrieval strategies. 

In addition, SAP EWM will handle optimisation of shuttle roaming and lift coordination. This architecture ensures maximum transparency, efficiency and organisational simplicity for future enhancements: changes can be made within a single system by a single IT provider – a significant advantage from the customer’s perspective. 

Another key function of SAP EWM is the sequencing of pallets to optimise outbound and transport logistics to retail. “The seamless, central orchestration of all key processes via Extended Warehouse Management, combined with the high-performance, redundant shuttle warehouse, ensures maximum operational reliability with continuously scalable performance,” says Ingo Windshügel, Senior Vice President Körber Supply Chain Consulting. 

Despite the partly complex hardware and software requirements, commissioning of the new warehouse, including the optimisation phase, is planned for the first half of 2027 – less than 12 months after completion of racking installation. 

Investing in future readiness  

“As a market leader in branded mineral water, we are making targeted investments in securing our future viability. High-performance logistics that can scale in line with our requirements is a key lever in this,” says Harald Jakoby, Head of Technical Planning at Gerolsteiner. The shuttle warehouse’s high space and energy efficiency makes a significant contribution to the company’s sustainability strategy, while the intelligent integration of all processes via SAP EWM increases efficiency and reduces loading and unloading times at the warehouse dock.