Sustainable and energy-efficient logistics lighting

Smart lighting solutions make a big difference in logistics rooms. With the right lighting choices, logistics managers gain considerable energy savings, avoid picking errors and improve the working conditions of the facilities.

Read how Ferrometal achieved energy savings of 74 % and improved occupational safety and comfort by investing in smart logistics lighting.

Energy-efficiency, comfort and sustainability

In the Baltic region, Ferrometal is known as the industry-leading supplier of fasteners and other small accessories required for the assembly and installation of customers’ end products. Having the widest product range in the field ensures that the products required are quickly found and delivered to the customers’ production facilities or work sites in a timely manner. The company has about 45.000 of stocked articles and 15.000 pallet locations at their warehouse in Nurmijärvi, Finland.

In its operations, Ferrometal seeks to do things in a more environmentally-friendly way. As one of the points of improvement, the company decided to modernise the lighting of their 10 000 m2 warehouse. The previous lighting solution was a combination of multi-metal lamps and fluorescent tubes that were using a lot of energy and therefore a lot of money. The update to modern LED lighting was seen as a more energy-efficient, sustainable and environmentally-friendly choice.

On top of environmental aspects, improving workplace comfort and safety drove the decision to renew the lighting. The previous lighting caused some discomfort glare that affected the storing and collecting of items in the high-bay facilities. By providing a better, more accurate and smarter lighting, the management wanted to avoid errors and improve occupational safety and comfort at the premises.

“We wanted to improve the light levels and light quality. Now we can see the shelf signs better even at higher altitudes, which helps us avoid picking errors.”

Jan Seipell, Logistics Manager, Ferrometal

With the new lighting, Ferrometal was also hoping to reduce lighting maintenance needs. Previously, luminaire replacements were frequently needed and they took up a lot of time to handle. Furthermore, having broken luminaires and dark corners at the warehouse created an additional safety risk.

Smart logistics lighting

Greenled delivered Ferrometal’s new lighting solution as a turnkey service including lighting design, installation and commissioning. The building is now illuminated with Greenled’s energy-efficient LED luminaires and equipped with smart DALI-based lighting control.

The energy-efficient luminaires combined with smart lighting control help Ferrometal achieve considerable energy savings. At the premises, motion detectors are used to switch on, switch off, brighten and dim the luminaires depending on the use of each space.

During workdays from 6 AM to 10 PM, the lighting of the main warehouses is kept at a maintenance level and automatically brightened when someone enters an aisle by foot or forklift. This way, the three halls are never entirely illuminated at full power. Instead, lighting is brightened where lighting is needed and the energy savings of the logistics rooms are maximised.

Image: The warehouse aisles are equipped with motion detectors to minimise the energy consumption of the lighting.

With high-quality luminaires, Ferrometal has also managed to improve the safety and comfort of the workplace. Overall, the light levels are now higher than before and the lighting is even and glare-free. The improvements were immediately noticed by the employees:

“Right after the lighting renewal, our employees thanked us. The new lighting was perceived brighter and better and the working environment felt more comfortable.”

Jan Seipell, Logistics Manager, Ferrometal

After the successful lighting renewal of the logistics rooms, Ferrometal asked Greenled to supply an additional lighting project for them. Today, the lighting of the Amica eatery and the hallway lighting of Ferrometal’s office spaces are also illuminated with Greenled’s solutions.

The lighting renewal in a nutshell: key results

Greenled delivered Ferrometal a modern logistics lighting solution as a turnkey service:

• An environmentally-friendly, sustainable lighting solution
• Minimised lighting maintenance needs
• 74 % of energy savings in lighting
• 55 tons less CO² emissions per year
• Improved workplace safety and comfort
• Fewer picking errors