BlueLink

CS 2.0: a New Era for Logistics

After four years of effort and investment, AFI KLM E&M is putting the finishing touch to one of the most innovative logistics centers in the MRO world. AFI KLM E&M's logistics center in Amsterdam is a key link in the support chain provided to more than 50 customers operating Boeing 787, 737 and 747 fleets worldwide. Since 2017, it has been the subject of a vast modernization program called "CS 2.0" (CS as in "Components Services"). In practice, the project involved is building a state-of-the-art logistic center in Hangar 14 and transforming the former deco bay into an automated warehouse.

“This is a major project, both in terms of the investment it represents and the benefits it will generate for customers and employees”

Jan Willem van Woerdekom

Program director

CS 2.0

A New Era for Logistics

Ready for the future

The entire logistics process has been redesigned, optimized and digitized. Inside the warehouse, flows are largely automated with conveyor belts, automatically guided vehicles, automated storage and retrieval systems and an internal "mini-hyperloop" - a pneumatic system for fast dispatch. Each package is automatically weighed, as well as identified and photographed at each stage of its transfer thanks to network of cameras. All of this equipment is coupled with an integrated management system connected to the repair shops, which makes it possible to track in real time the status of stocks and the position of each part in the supply chain. Today, the CS 2.0 project is entering its final phase. The platform is hosting its first logistics flows for final tests and adjustments and it will gradually ramp up until the end of 2021.

“These innovations aim to make our logistics processes more efficient, simpler and smoother. They not only allow us to make our turn around time more reliable and shorter, but above it focusses our operation to the needs of our customers: thanks to this new step in the digitization of logistics, we will be able to greatly improve the level of service we provide to them, and in particular the possibilities of communication and real-time monitoring of their components. We are currently accelerating with the objective of delivering the full potential of the project to our customers by 2022.”

Jan Willem van Woerdekom

Program director