Customer reference: Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH – Smart supply for clean processes

What began as a small company in wooden barracks in 1948 in Vlotho, has now become a global partner for the future of the laundry industry. The mission of the family-led company Herbert Kannegiesser GmbH is to develop innovative solutions for automation, robotisation, ergonomics, productivity and sustainability.

Trendsetting technologies developed by the East Westphalian manufacturer guarantee the highest level of quality, hygiene, availability and productivity for textile service providers. The product portfolio includes machines and systems from the areas of laundry technology, flat linen, mouldings, logistics, process technology and data information systems. Today, the family enterprise has 2,000 employees in all regions across the world. Development and production with a high level of vertical integration take place at eight locations – six in Germany and one each in the United Kingdom and the USA.

Whether during peak production phases or in challenging times, a reliable supply of production materials is more important than ever. If even a single sensitive small part is missing during ongoing manufacturing, this can lead to unnecessary downtime and result in costly follow‑up effects. To prevent this, it is crucial to establish a process that provides materials exactly where and when they are needed – without manual effort, without detours and without additional time or procurement expenditure.

Objectives of the production supply

Maximising supply security for production materials
Achieving maximum transparency
Minimising coordination efforts
Reducing time‑consuming, manual activities

Optimising procurement processes

For Kannegiesser, even the smallest component is of greatest importance. Screws, nuts and washers may seem insignificant at first glance, but they are of tremendous value: Fasteners have proven to be an important factor in day‑to‑day operations for ensuring safe and trouble‑free manufacturing. Whether traditional fasteners used for securely installing drum walls, heat‑resistant protective equipment required for maintenance, or special parts that are tailor‑made for specific design solutions – all these parts have one thing in common: They perform essential fastening functions and are therefore indispensable for the stability and safety of the machines. As a result, not a single component may be missing. Particularly in purchasing, C‑Parts with irregular demand, low unit values and a wide variety of components have a major impact on procurement, making their sourcing extremely time‑consuming, error‑prone and inefficient. This is precisely why the intelligent supply solutions for automated production supply from Würth Industrie Service have been deployed at Kannegiesser for the past 25 years

Boost for production supply

To reliably, proactively and fully automatically control requirements, Kannegiesser relies on the comprehensive RFID system world of Würth Industrie Service. At the heart of the supply concept is the RFID Kanban system, which triggers reorders without any manual intervention and thus ensures stable material availability. The iPLACER^® enables decentralised, autonomous demand transmission directly at the workstation or on flow racks – from goods receipts and issues to postings and automatic order triggering. The system is complemented by iSHELF^®, the intelligent shelves that detect empty bins immediately and transmit the information directly to the Kanban Management System. For larger bins, the intelligent pallet box iBOX^® ensures automatic and secure detection of empties, while iPUSH^® enables easy order triggering at the push of a button. Around 80 of these modules are in use at Kannegiesser, ensuring consistently lean processes across all plants. The digital shelf label iDISPLAY additionally provides real‑time information on inventory levels, availability and filling quantities – fully integrated into the ERP system. Together, these systems form a continuously smart, transparent and efficient supply chain that optimally supports the production process.

“Thanks to RFID Kanban, we benefit from a secure supply, wherein all the required parts are available at the right time, at the right place, in the right quantity. The RFID solutions by Würth Industrie Service have proven to be a real game changer and are ideal for safe and efficient production,” said Jörg Stichnoth, Head of Production Planning / Disposition at the Kannegiesser plant in Sarstedt

Boost for material supply

For a reliable and always available supply of auxiliary and operating materials, Kannegiesser relies on the ORSY^®mat vending machines from Würth Industrie Service. These vending systems handle the entire process chain – from delivery and storage to fully automatic replenishment – ensuring that consumables are provided as required, around the clock and directly at the place of use. The ORSY^®mat WGT, equipped with integrated weighing cells, detects item withdrawals with precision and automatically updates the inventory. This allows employees to remove personal protective equipment such as gloves, glasses, ear plugs or tools individually and independently of packaging units. All ten systems in operation transmit demand to Würth Industrie Service in real time, reduce loss through secured access authorisation and offer full transparency regarding consumption and costs. In addition, Kannegiesser uses the resource‑saving REFILLO^®mat 2.0, which automatically fills Würth operating materials from large containers into handy refill cans, enabling multiple reuse. Together, these systems ensure a consistently efficient, sustainable and around‑the‑clock material supply throughout the entire production process.

An occasion to celebrate: 25 years of Kanban at the Sarstedt location

A special highlight of the collaboration was the 25‑year Kanban anniversary, which Kannegiesser and Würth Industrie Service celebrated together in 2025. The first Kanban bins were already delivered to Sarstedt in 1999 – marking the beginning of a partnership that has grown into a long‑standing success story. Since then, around 106,000 bins have been in circulation, with approximately 1,000 refills carried out, ensuring a continuously stable and reliable supply. For both companies, the long‑term cooperation reflects a trusting partnership on equal footing and forms a strong foundation for future projects and continued joint development.