Artys warehouse for sound systems

In any concert, show or play, a large quantity of materials (sound, audio, scenography, etc.) is required to make the public feel the energy from the performance. Artys is a French company belonging to the BERTO group that organises the logistics for this type of event. Recently, it opened a new distribution centre where it stores all these products. Mecalux has installed cantilever racks on mobile bases and a three-level mezzanine floor in an effort to maximise the space available.

Pictures
Technical Specifications

Warehouse of Artys: Pallet racks

Racking height: 9 m

Racking length: 14 m

Warehouse of Artys: Mobile cantilever racking

Racking height: 9 m

Racking length: 14 m
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Logistics for the performing arts, theatre and events

In 1987, Alain Befort, a French marketing technician and musician, founded Artys Light Sound Transfer. Since then, it has provided logistics and transport solutions to other companies that organise live events and shows in more than 34 European countries.

Artys is in charge of arranging each project's materials (sound equipment, lighting, screens, stages, etc.) and transporting them to the place where the event is being put on.

Challenges of event organising

A live event requires many materials to be held. The management of all this merchandise is a complicated, delicate task, as the products tend to have very different features and dimensions and, furthermore, each of them must be handled with care to avoid any possible damage.

Another more difficult task is the organisation of work. Events are held on very different dates, so it is difficult to plan when materials might be needed. For example, the demand for Artys services skyrockets during spring and summer because a large number of open-air music festivals are organised.

Artys has just commissioned a new 1,630 m2 warehousing facility in the French town of Saint-Michel-sur-Orge (very close to Paris) where it stores all products to deliver its services to its customers. Mecalux has equipped it with three different solutions which, according to Philippe Armand, the company's operations manager, “have helped to better organise products based on their dimensions.”

Each product is deposited in the corresponding system.

Cantilever racks on mobile bases. Long or large-sized loads.
Pallet racks. Products that can be set on pallets.
Mezzanine. Flight Cases, i.e containers for small products such as musical instruments, sound, lighting and audio-visual equipment, cables, etc.

In addition, one of Artys' priorities when equipping its new warehouse was to achieve the highest possible storage capacity. In the words of the company's CEO, “we wanted to optimize warehouse space to accommodate all of our products.”

Philippe Armand - Operations director at Artys
" For our new warehouse, we turn to Mecalux due to the good relationship we enjoy, as well as its high quality products. We needed racks for our goods and we chose Mecalux racks for their durability and usability. We are very satisfied with this joint endeavour.”

Multi-SKU warehousing

Mecalux's storage solutions are specifically designed to manage the wide range of items that Artys carries in its catalogue.

Cantilever racking
Eleven cantilever racks have been installed on mobile bases where long and bulky loads can be accommodated. Each cantilever rack stands 9 m high, divided into three levels, and runs 14 m long, which allows the maximum use of warehouse space to provide greater capacity.

It is a space-saving storage system that eliminates the number of aisles for the purpose of delivering optimum storage capacity. The racks are placed on mobile bases that move both laterally and independently. To open the required aisle and extract or deposit the goods, the operator gives the order using a remote-control device.

The racks consist of columns and jutting arms on which loads are placed. These components are easily configurable. So, as the company's chief operating officer points out, “they can be adapted to different heights and types of merchandise.”

Pallet racks
Artys has designed the racks for bulky products such as tyres or large crates placed on top of pallets for easy handling. If there is one thing that characterises this storage system, it is its versatility. The racking features components and accessories to adapt the storage tiers to any type of unit load, regardless of its size.

This solution also takes into account the company's workflows, allowing products to remain in stock for a prolonged period of time (even up to several months) and making it easier to extract them quickly at the precise moment.

The company's operations manager points out that “these racks are very rugged and heavy-duty so they absorb any potential impacts from operator run forklifts.”

The mezzanine
The mezzanine floor consists of two levels plus the ground level. According to Philippe Armand, “this solution has tripled the useful surface that we had.” In doing so, the entire height of the building has been harnessed to maximise the available space and obtain greater storage capacity.

Each floor has a different distribution that adapts to the wide variety of products stored by Artys.

Advantages for Artys

Large storage capacity: the entire warehouse area has been used to provide the largest possible storage capacity.
Optimal merchandise management: the storage solutions offer direct access to the merchandise, which speeds up storage tasks and facilitates stock control.
Versatile storage systems: in its new warehouse, the company can house all the products it needs, of different dimensions, characteristics and levels of demand.