Migros Verteilbetrieb - a controlled lighting solution

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Migros is one of Switzerland’s leading supermarket retailers. As such, its distribution centre at Migros Verteilbetrieb in Neuendorf (MVB) is an extremely busy logistics hub where cargo is handled around the clock.

At the Neuendorf site, the delivery and distribution of goods to the regional distribution centers and ultimately to the stores takes place both by rail and road.

The existing lighting had been in place for 30 or 40 years and consisted of traditional sodium lamps that were both inefficient, expensive, and difficult to maintain. As well as wanting to improve efficiency and reduce maintenance and costs, safety and sustainability was a key goal for this project.

In 2022, Thorn was commissioned to equip the site with a more modern lighting solution. Isaro Pro luminaires (Zhaga-ready) with Thorn’s UrbaSens City Connect control solution were used.

The safety aspect was one of the key challenges to overcome during the installation phase. ‘Safety is a big priority at the site,’ said Maciej Holzer, Head of Building Services at MVB. On site are continuously operating shunting trains, so lighting is a constant requirement, “we cannot afford to have an accident.”

Tobias Kocher, Managing Director and Head of Electrical in the area of Solothurn / Bern at CKW who installed the lighting solution on site added, “We cannot simply cordon off a small working area. Here we had to shut down overhead lines and stop vehicle movements, so it was a big operational task.”

Thanks to great coordination and strict time schedules, the new lighting was installed successfully with minimum downtime, and its impact has been recognised by workers across the Neuendorf site.

“We work in shifts starting early in the morning from 4am until 1pm and then from 2pm until 11/11.30 in the evening. The new lighting is noticeably brighter in the morning and feels more comfortable to work under than in the past. You can also see better in fog and bad weather, which is very important for us in terms of safety,” said Peter Wälchli, one of MVB’s shunting locomotive drivers.

The Isaro Pro luminaires are certified with the International Dark-Sky Association’s ‘Fixture Seal of Approval’. The luminaires themselves therefore help to protect the nighttime environment in Neuendorf. In addition, the use of the UrbaSens City Connect control solution further optimises the overall scheme. With a full suite of control, connectivity and data analysis reports, users are able to measure energy savings, CO2 emissions and access a heat map showing how the space is used overtime.

The use of UrbaSens City Connect ensures that when an area of the site is not being used, lighting dims down. Tobias Kocher said, “Installing the controls system was very simple in principle. We had to be careful not to mix up the serial numbers of the sensors that identify the individual luminaires on a system, but generally speaking, it was easy to do.”

The new lighting solution shows that Migros Verteilbetrieb not only talks about sustainability – they put it into practice, too.

Maciej Holzer confirmed, “We are planning further renovations for the future and eventually, we want to connect the whole area using UrbaSens. Not only does it make sense economically and environmentally, it shows we are considerate of the community around us, as well.”

The cooperation between the Migros distribution company, the CKW electricians and Thorn has proved very successful, as everyone involved agrees.