The family-owned company Meyer Parkett, Premstätten, looks back on over 135 years of history. Founded in 1890 as a sawmill, it developed into a versatile wood processing company that entered the parquet flooring trade in the 1970s. When industrial production was discontinued around the turn of the millennium, the retail business grew rapidly. Today, Meyer Parkett is considered one of the leading suppliers of parquet, vinyl, and laminate flooring, as well as decking made of wood, WPC, and ceramic. The company also offers a wide range of accessories, including specialty products such as digitally printed flooring and innovative substructure systems.
In front of the new vehicles, from left: Meyer Parkett warehouse logistics expert Marcus Kaufmann, Schauer Forklift managing director Martin Schauer, Meyer Parkett managing director Stefan Meyer, Combilift country manager Gregor Kramar, and Meyer Parkett warehouse manager Wolfgang Knass © Birgit Fingerlos
Along with this growth came increased logistical complexity. At the former site in Kalsdorf, there were five scattered halls with paths and aisles that were confusing and spaces that grew “naturally” over time and were no longer ideally suited for use. At its core, the structure dated back to the sawmill era. “For a modern wholesaler, it is almost impossible to efficiently operate such a site,” Stefan Meyer, managing director of Meyer Parkett, explains. It became clear that a new building was needed.
New site
Warehouse logistics expert Marcus Kaufmann precisely maneuvers the WR4 multidirectional pedestrian-reach stacker through the aisles © Birgit Fingerlos
Construction of the newly designed site in Premstätten began at the end of 2024. A 60 by 60 m warehouse was put into operation in the summer. The newly constructed warehouse, which is already in use, combines storage areas for large goods and small parts, order picking zones, and a covered loading dock – with a logistics infrastructure specifically designed for high throughput. However, the floor plan alone was not enough. “We also needed forklifts that perfectly matched our new processes. That’s where Combilift comes in,” Meyer says.
The entrepreneur decided to purchase forklifts from the Irish manufacturer primarily because of their compact design and high lifting capacity. Combilift also offers exceptional flexibility when it comes to customer-specific configurations. Meyer was also impressed by the reliability and robustness of the forklifts.
Together with the shelving manufacturer Meta-Lagertechnik, Wiener Neudorf, and Meyer Parkett, Combilift developed the entire warehouse layout, including visualization. “During the planning phase, we were able to see on the screen how the forklifts would drive, where they would turn around, what the aisle widths would be, and what shelf heights were feasible,” Meyer tells us. This plan was then implemented nearly without any changes.
Three forklifts
Three Combilift forklifts are now used in the new warehouse. The centerpiece is the C 4000 STE multidirectional forklift with hydrostatic drive and a lifting capacity of 4 t. In addition, there is a WR4 multidirectional pedestrian-reach stacker for long loads and a CS pedestrian counterbalance reach forklift truck with a driver’s platform for fast order picking. “For us, it was important to have robust and durable trucks that are perfectly tailored to our processes. Combilift delivered exactly that,” Meyer says. “With our forklifts, Meyer Parkett handles storage, retrieval, and order picking quickly and efficiently,” Gregor Kramar, Combilift’s Country Manager in Austria, confirms.
The multidirectional forklift has a wide fork adjustment range, making the truck the ideal choice for long packages of differently sized flooring © Birgit Fingerlos
The C 4000 STE plays a key role in the new warehouse. “Its hydrostatic drive makes it the ideal solution for particularly narrow aisles,” Kramar explains. The aisles in the warehouse are just 2,500 mm wide, with a forklift working width and maximum product depth of 1,300 mm. This way, Meyer Parkett can get the most out of the existing storage space, much to the delight of the team. Another advantage of the Combilift C 4000 STE is its gentle load handling. A wide fork adjustment range and sensitive controls prevent pressure marks and damage to the delicate flooring material. Furthermore, the multi-directional forklift is equipped with a fork carriage camera that provides a clear view at heights of up to 7 m, thereby enabling faster and more precise work and ensuring high-quality order picking.
“Today, we store flooring with very different dimensions, short goods, special sizes, and long goods – a forklift has to be able to handle all of that,” Meyer says. Combilift is a market leader precisely because of the combination of flexibility, robustness, and customizability.
Technology that remains available
With its hydrostatic drive, the C 4000 STE can navigate aisles that are only 2,500 mm wide, thereby maximizing use of the available storage space © Birgit Fingerlos
“Another argument in favor of Combilift was the standardized components,” Meyer Parkett’s managing director emphasizes. Combilift relies on components from renowned global manufacturers such as Danfoss and Bosch. This commonality in terms of components simplifies maintenance and spare parts supply. “That’s a huge advantage,” Meyer says and adds: “We need equipment that runs reliably for years and for which spare parts are available worldwide.”
Furthermore, Schauer Gabelstapler, a Combilift dealer based in the region, provides service and support. “This geographical proximity reduces response times and ensures support during ongoing operations,” Martin Schauer, managing director of Schauer Gabelstapler in Gabersdorf, confirms.
Fast training
Employees were trained in the operation of the new forklifts immediately after the warehouse opened and quickly learned how to operate them. The results are evident after just a few months: Order picking times have been significantly reduced, distances are shorter, and storage and retrieval are more efficient. Thanks to the optimized layout and forklift performance, the number of trucks required could be reduced.
