1976/77
A new building is opened on Helmstedter Straße in Braunschweig for the distribution service of the Westermann publishing house. It includes a high-bay warehouse and a shipping complex with space for 9,344 pallets. At peak times, around 1,500 orders are processed for anywhere between one individual book and 20,000 copies. Information from the in-house IT system is used to collate individual shipments.
1982
Westermann Logistik GmbH is founded on 10th May as the successor to Westermann distribution. At the end of 1984, one central IT system in line with market requirements replaces the four existing systems.
1988
Westermann Logistik is already providing distribution services for 45 book and magazine publishers. The company firmly establishes itself as a comprehensive service provider with an extensive portfolio of services – from receiving goods, debt collection, address transfer services and subscription support right up to dispatch services and tailor-made evaluations and statistics.
1991
From April 1991, the computer and its “chaotic” distribution method ensure good organisation within the company and encourages warehouse dialogue across the whole site. Title-based storage and index cards become a thing of the past. New stocks are allocated to 16,000 pallet spaces within a matter of seconds. A new marketing information system allows Westermann Logistik customers direct and quick access to their data files. At its peak, during the busy summer for school books at the time of the German reunification, up to 500,000 books left Westermann Logistik in 4,000 to 6,000 shipments.
1994
In September 1994, the old system is replaced with an entirely modernised, two-storey distribution plant with a computer-led conveying and order-picking system.
1998
The Westermann Logistik GmbH building complex on Helmstedter Straße welcomes a new high-bay warehouse and is joined with a connecting bridge.
