Karl-Heinz and Werner deliver kitchen furniture throughout Europe
Story
The teams of drivers transport over 700.000 kitchens from Nobilia’s factories each year. RoadStars tagged along on one of these trips.
The Nobilia factory in Verl-Sürenheide is around one kilometre long.
It’s a good thing the parking spaces are numbered. Karl-Heinz Zadach and Werner Stzrelczyk drive past a seemingly endless line of white trailers. In the back left or somewhere in the middle? That wouldn’t be enough to specify the location in the Nobilia truck parking area, as the fleet contains 700 trailers. “It’s really busy here on Sunday night into Monday morning,” Karl-Heinz says. Then, the loaded trailers leave the yard in the headquarters in Verl, near Gütersloh, Germany, every minute.
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Join RoadStars“The suspension comfort in the Actros is really great. It’s a great drive.”
– Werner Stzrelczyk
Karl-Heinz and Werner drive all over Europe for Nobilia.
Karl-Heinz and Werner drive all over Europe for Nobilia.
Karl-Heinz and Werner drive all over Europe for Nobilia.
Karl-Heinz and Werner drive all over Europe for Nobilia.
Karl-Heinz and Werner drive all over Europe for Nobilia.
Driving in a team.
Karl-Heinz is the first one to climb into the driver’s seat of the white Actros 1840. The team does not have a typical trucker day in front of it. “Driving is just one part of our job,” says Werner.
What this means becomes clear when they reach their first destination, a large furniture store, not far from the factory. The Nobilia pair takes care of all the unloading. Karl-Heinz reverses back to the allocated platform. “Unloading is not a problem here, but every so often things can be a bit tighter,” says the 48-year-old, switching off the engine and taking his gloves from the compartment in the door panel. Particularly when they are delivering smaller kitchen studios and have to drive into city centres. “You really come to appreciate the Sideguard Assist.”
The truckers unload one trailer per shift.
The truckers unload one trailer per shift.
The truckers unload one trailer per shift.
The truckers unload one trailer per shift.
The truckers unload one trailer per shift.
Up to 15 kitchens per trailer.
Now, it’s time for the other part of the job. Piece by piece, Werner and Karl-Heinz unload the trailer. Some customers receive an entire trailer load, while on other trips, the pair call on several customers one after another. However, one thing is always the same: at the end of their shift, the trailer is empty, fully unloaded by the pair from the eastern region of North Rhine-Westphalia. “Unloading makes a nice change from driving,” says Werner, as he adjusts the seat and steering wheel. He will drive the next bit. “I look at it more like fitness training,” says Karl-Heinz. There are lots of loading aids to spare your body. If you use them, you stay fit.”
Hitching and loading the trip plan are carried out shortly before the end of day.
Hitching and loading the trip plan are carried out shortly before the end of day.
Hitching and loading the trip plan are carried out shortly before the end of day.
Over 20 years of experience.
Karl-Heinz looks on the driving part as a form of relaxation. Werner agrees: “The suspension comfort in the Actros is really great!” Predictive Powertrain Control is also a valuable comfort feature for the pair. “We’ve got everything we need. From driving in urban areas to motorways, the system takes a lot of work off of our shoulders.”
The pair have been working in furniture transportation for over 20 years. “Anyone who’s on the road in our line of work will come across Nobilia sooner or later,” says Werner. It is a big name in the industry. “The work conditions, routes and payment are all good,” says Karl-Heinz.
Sophisticated logistics: production is based precisely on what the route planning can allocate to the trucks.
Sophisticated logistics: production is based precisely on what the route planning can allocate to the trucks.
Sophisticated logistics: production is based precisely on what the route planning can allocate to the trucks.
Sophisticated logistics: production is based precisely on what the route planning can allocate to the trucks.
Sophisticated logistics: production is based precisely on what the route planning can allocate to the trucks.
Nobilia’s teams deliver throughout Europe.
In Germany, the delivery destinations include furniture stores and self-service furniture chains with large warehouses as well as smaller kitchen specialists without any loading docks. However, the drivers also travel to destinations throughout Europe, particularly to France, Austria and Belgium.
Whether it’s in Münster or Marseilles, when somebody opens the trailer to unload it, it is always a Nobilia employee. This enables the kitchen manufacturer to track who unloaded the furniture, and where and when, and respond more efficiently to any potential complaints.
“We have a strong commitment to high-quality unloading, and that works best with our own drivers,” says Mefrouche.
Over 3.300 kitchens per day.
There are rarely any complaints about damage during transportation. “Our drivers put a lot of time and energy into everything they do. And they know that everything depends on them around here.”
This also means that production and dispatch go hand in hand at Nobilia. Everything that rolls off the line is loaded up.
In 2018 this amounted to over 7.27 million cabinets and 1.69 million worktops, corresponding to around 730.000 kitchens.
Werner Stzrelczyk has been at Nobilia for two years.
Karl-Heinz Zadach has been working in the industry for 24 years and at Nobilia for the last 15 years.
A glimpse into the picking hall.
The pre-picked deliveries are loaded at almost 40 platforms. The tricks and ruses could fill a book. Once the employee closes the door of the trailer, everything is tightly packed up. Nevertheless, Nobilia does not transport kitchen building kits – the individual parts are completely assembled. The fully loaded single-axle trailers therefore have loads of just eleven to thirteen tonnes. “Apart from kitchens, we also transport Verl air,” says fleet manager Klaus Hartmann.
Always looking for drivers.
The fleet includes 200 tractor units, most of which are from Mercedes-Benz. Over 400 professional drivers work for the kitchen giant. Nobilia hired numerous new employees in 2018, particularly with regard to its fleet. The company is currently training ten interns to become professional drivers.
Shortly before the end of day, Karl-Heinz and Werner have got their truck ready for the next day.
“However, we’re always looking for drivers,” says Hartmann.
Karl-Heinz and Werner have finished their work for today. Werner gets
his new order for the next day from the Dispatch team. So, where is it
tomorrow? “Belgium,” Karl-Heinz reads from the trip plan. Werner nods:
“I like driving that route; it’s a good distance from here.”
Nobilia-Werke J. Stickling GmbH & Co. KG.
- With 200 trucks, 700 trailers, 400 drivers
- a total of 19.8 million kilometres per year
- and 3.300 kitchens per day
Photos: Christoph Börries
Video:
Alexander Tempel
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