The portfolio of metal dealer Brütsch/Rüegger in Regensdorf, in the canton of Zurich, encompasses more than 8,000 products and 5,500 tons of stock. The full-range supplier has recently replaced its semi-automated honeycomb storage system with the fully automated Unitop and Unitower long goods storage systems from Kasto. Two adapted band saws complement the process chain—a key success factor.

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Brütsch/Rüegger Metals has grown continuously since its founding in 1877. Today, with 30 employees, the company is one of the leading suppliers of tubes, bars, and profiles in Switzerland. With this growth came new challenges: The semi-automated honeycomb storage system from the 1980s in Hall 5 was increasingly reaching its limits. In addition to limited space utilization, the high search effort and the safety risks associated with manual operation also hampered processes.

Hand-controlled obstacles

The manual setup process using a rail crane was increasingly becoming a bottleneck, and efficiency requirements could no longer be met. "Continuous product range expansions and the acquisition of Walter Looser AG, the leading Swiss supplier of semi-finished and finished bronze products, led us to look for a high-performance successor solution," explains CEO
Patrick Epp.

CEO P. Epp

"The amount of storage steadily increased, and at a certain point, our storage capacity was exhausted." Expanding the warehouses was not possible due to the existing infrastructure. Therefore, densification remained the only option. The company launched "Project Core." The goal was to increase capacity , bring warehousing up to the latest state of the art, and significantly improve process efficiency.

Integrated overall solution

The requirements were complex: The new system had to offer twice the storage capacity, fit into the 26 m wide hall 5, and be able to store both 6 m and 12 m long goods. It had to operate reliably and be easy to operate. Also on the wish list was the ability to implement seven different input and output stations to store the material simultaneously and process it with multiple saws. The required capacity was a particular challenge – not only the space but also the height was limited, as a photovoltaic system on the roof of the hall provides green electricity.

Powerful combination

"We've been using the Kasto-win A 3.3 from Kasto since 2018, and we're very satisfied with it," reports Patrick Epp. The high-performance automatic band saw for serial cuts operates quickly and reliably. Automatic functions, short downtimes, and comprehensive monitoring systems ensure high efficiency, safety, and tool-friendly operation – from single cuts to large-scale production. "A clear advantage of Kasto over the competition is that we get both bearings from a single source," emphasizes the Managing Director. "Everyone else could only supply one or the other."

Save space

The combination of the Unitop drive-over storage system with a storage length of 6 m and the Unitower tower storage system with a storage length of 12 m, as well as two sawing centers from the Kastowin series (F 3.3 and A 3.6), enables space-saving storage and processing of long goods in a single hall. In the drive-over storage system, a storage and retrieval machine moves over the metals stored in cassettes, quickly storing and retrieving them. To achieve the required capacity despite the limited hall height, the company installed both systems 4 m below ground level.

Organization and access simplified

The overhead storage system transfers long goods to the three double output stations in short cycles. With automatic bar separation and a connection to the Kastowin saws, Brütsch/Rüegger uses a flexible production system that largely operates without personnel. The metal specialist stores special products such as 12 m long cylinder tubes for the hydraulics industry in the Unitower . Loads of up to 5 t per cassette can be quickly and easily prepared with the tower storage system.

Advantages in practice

The conversion was carried out step by step: First, the fitters removed the right half of the old honeycomb warehouse and the storage and retrieval machine (SRM) to make room for the new building. During this time, Brütsch/Rüegger temporarily stored the goods in other halls. The left section initially remained standing and was operated manually by the employees. Kasto installed the two storage systems Unitop and Unitower in the 4 m deep pit. Next came the Kastoflow align front-end storage station on the drive-over storage system, which efficiently transferred the long goods from the temporary storage facilities and the still-standing old storage half to the new Unitop.

Finally, the specialists completely dismantled the remaining half and installed three double retrieval stations on the now-cleared space, which automatically supply four sawing centers with supplies. "It was a challenge to reconcile the renovation and day-to-day operations," Patrick Epp recalls. "But the Kasto systems, both the storage solutions and the saws, have brought us significantly forward in terms of efficiency."

Noticeable on all levels

The changes are noticeable at all levels. "Organization and access to materials have been much easier since the renovation," says the managing director. "And this applies not only to the speed of the previous honeycomb storage system, but also compared to the drive-over storage system from another manufacturer that we use." The new storage system has also improved occupational safety, as goods are now automatically transferred to the saws via retrieval stations – a noticeable improvement over the previous manual solution. The reduced susceptibility to errors in the setup process has a direct impact on customer satisfaction. The Kasto branch in Switzerland ensures rapid assistance in the event of malfunctions and minimizes any downtime.

successfully completed "Project Core" with the commissioning of the last saw, a Kastowin A and efficient processing of our products. Kasto supplies complete systems and solutions we can rely on."

www.kasto.com