CS 6 / Building a Multidisciplinary Maintenance Team for Automated Warehousing

POMERICO GROUP

Building a Multidisciplinary Maintenance Team for Automated Warehousing

A global leader in intralogistics solutions, entrusted us with the strategic task of building a Maintenance Department team from scratch in a location with limited candidate availability – Bolesławiec (Osła) – next to the newly opened Amazon warehouse. This project required not only speed but also exceptional precision in matching competencies.

From the client’s perspective, it was a critical undertaking-any delay could have resulted in high contractual penalties imposed by the end customer. Our mission was to deliver a fully functional and stable team within a short timeframe.

Project goal

SSI Schäfer, a global leader in intralogistics solutions, entrusted us with the strategic task of building a Maintenance Department team from scratch in a location with limited candidate availability – Bolesławiec (Osła) – next to the newly opened Amazon warehouse. This project required not only speed but also exceptional precision in matching competencies.

From the client’s perspective, it was a critical undertaking – any delay could have resulted in high contractual penalties imposed by the end customer.

Our mission was to deliver a fully functional and stable team within a short timeframe.

Our approach

The project required hiring over 25 specialists within just a few months. The client emphasized that the team should not be homogeneous in terms of skills. On the contrary, they expected us to build a technically diverse structure combining:

mechanics and electromechanics,
service technicians of technical equipment,
specialists with IT and industrial automation expertise.

The added value we brought was the ability to deliver candidates who not only had hands-on experience maintaining physical technical infrastructure but could also operate systems supporting automated warehouse operations – such as control systems, machine communication, WMS-class solutions, and HMI interfaces.

Scope of actions

We carried out a nationwide recruitment campaign, using both online and offline channels.
We organized on-site interviews in Bolesławiec, coordinating them directly with SSI Schäfer representatives.
We conducted final candidate selection jointly with the client.

The entire recruitment process was completed in 3 months – half of the planned timeframe. Ultimately, the team grew to 35 people.

Results & Outcomes

A team with a full spectrum of technical competencies was successfully hired – from classic maintenance specialists to experts integrating physical devices with IT and automation layers.
During the first year, employee turnover was 0%, with only one person leaving the team.
Thanks to effective cooperation and operational precision, the client avoided contractual penalties, and the team started work even before the warehouse’s full launch.

The project was evaluated by SSI Schäfer’s headquarters as exemplary, leading to further collaborations with Pomerico.

Key Takeaways

This case study demonstrates that recruitment for automated warehouse environments cannot be limited to a simple division between “mechanics and electricians.” In modern intralogistics, IT and systems competencies are equally critical for integrating people with technology.

By deeply understanding the client’s expectations, leveraging industry knowledge, and engaging locally, Pomerico delivered not just a team – but real operational value that translated into business success for the client.