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Gebroeders Doms Optimizes Logistics at Tarkett

Tarkett automates its logistics process with a flexible AGV solution from Doms powered by SIMOVE. Better ergonomics, greater capacity.

Manual pallet handling? That's now a thing of the past at Tarkett. Gebroeders Doms automated the step after the automatic warehouse: fully automated pallet assembly and wrapping. Not with a fixed conveyor line, but with flexible AGVs and robots. Ideal for scaling organically as production volumes grow—and with significantly fewer forklift movements.

Thousands of Kilos Every Day

Millions of square meters of carpet tiles flow through Tarkett's logistics warehouse in Waalwijk annually. In 2020, Tarkett built a new automated warehouse with standard forklift AGVs to streamline this flow. Single-product pallets only needed wrapping from that point on. However, mixed pallets with multiple product references still required manual preparation by warehouse staff.

"A single box of carpet tiles weighs approximately 20 kg," explains Ronnie van Gils, a warehouse supervisor. "By the end of a workday, you've easily lifted thousands of kilos. Unloading, labeling, restacking on a new pallet, moving to the wrapper… We worked with great precision, but it was physically demanding and repetitive—and warehouse staff are hard to find."

"We tried everything to make the work more ergonomic for our team: adjusted heights, exoskeletons… But these were just band-aids. That's why it's great that Tarkett, as a company, is investing in a fully automated warehouse. With this setup, we can continue to grow in the future."

Doms - Ronnie van Gils

About Gebroeders Doms and Tarkett

Gebroeders Doms specializes in customized solutions for production chains and warehouses. In recent years, the company has invested heavily in flexible AGV-based solutions.

Tarkett is a global leader in premium flooring and sports surfaces, operating in more than 100 countries. At its Waalwijk facility, the company manufactures carpet tiles that are shipped worldwide.

By the end of a workday, you've easily lifted thousands of kilos. That called for a different approach.
Ronnie van Gils, Warehouse Supervisor, Tarkett

Flexible Islands Instead of Fixed Lines

Tarkett searched for a solution. "The initial proposals were fixed conveyor systems. Pallets arrive, get unstacked, boxes move to the next station, get restacked on a new pallet, and then get wrapped. A fixed line offers little flexibility and would actually require more forklift movements than we currently have. That's why we reached out to Gebroeders Doms—we already knew them from a robotics project at another facility."

"We specialize in logistics within production environments: moving products from machine to machine," explains Peter Doms, Managing Director of Gebroeders Doms. "Increasingly, we do this with AGVs. In production, we're seeing a shift from fixed, long production lines to flexible production islands that work together seamlessly. We proposed the same approach for this warehouse environment. With AGVs, we much better replicate how people actually handle logistics work."

Doms - flexible islands

This led to the creation of Pick Pack: a solution with three AGVs that transport pallets to two robots, which then unstack, label, and restack them onto five different pallets per robot. Finished pallets are transported back via AGVs to an automatic wrapper, where they're prepared for shipment.

"This works much better than a fixed line," confirms Ronnie. "We also make far fewer truck movements than before, because the AGVs handle all the work."

Doms - Pick Pack

SIMOVE Fleetmanager as a Ready-to-Use Toolbox

The backbone of Pick Pack is SIMOVE Fleetmanager, which orchestrates the entire process. "We've only been working intensively with AGVs for a couple of years," Peter adds. "Normally, that's a steep learning curve. Most AGV manufacturers develop their own toolkits and vehicle controls, which you have to master first. With a package like SIMOVE, that's not necessary. The technical foundation is ready, everything works seamlessly together, and we can focus on the concrete solution."

"We have multiple teams that develop our software and vehicle dynamics and keep them compatible with all AGVs via the open VDA 5050 protocol," confirms Jeroen Pieters, Account Manager at Siemens. "SIMOVE Fleetmanager is built in WinCC OA, making it easily manageable for automation companies with some Siemens expertise. We provide the building blocks that Gebroeders Doms can quickly put to work."

Doms - Jeroen Pieters
With SIMOVE Fleetmanager, we provide the building blocks that Gebroeders Doms can quickly put to work.
Jeroen Pieters, Account Manager, Siemens

Integration with the existing automated warehouse was also straightforward thanks to SIMOVE Fleetmanager. Peter explains: "The PLC simply sends a ready-bit to the Fleetmanager, and it takes over from there. We didn't need an additional Warehouse Control System (WCS). There's a mini-WCS built into the PLC that communicates directly with the Warehouse Management System (WMS)."

Building a Resilient Supply Chain

"I'm delighted that Tarkett continues to manufacture in Europe. The challenges are significant: labor shortages, an aging workforce, sustainability targets. Automation isn't just an economic necessity—it's a societal imperative. What we see here is a tangible example of how we can build that transition to a resilient supply chain together. This also fully aligns with the new trend of near- and reshoring."

Doms - Peter Doms
Automation isn't just an economic necessity—it's a societal imperative. This is how we make people's work more meaningful.
Peter Doms, Managing Director, Gebroeders Doms

The Benefits at a Glance

  • Flexible layout, no fixed conveyors
  • Less equipment with greater added value
  • Fast scalability (add AGVs or robots as needed)
  • Better ergonomics
  • Fewer forklift movements
  • Robust integration with warehouse software
  • Complete continuity as volumes grow