Alstef Automation - Automated Baggage Handling Systems

Alstef, a French company created in 1961, is a pioneer of automated high-bay storage in France. The company has taken advantage of its expertise in material handling technology to develop a full range of baggage handling equipment, with the first 100% Hold Baggage Screening (HBS) system being delivered to Aéroports de Paris (ADP) for the Paris-Orly airport in 1998.

Alstef employs a total of 180 people in France, at the head office and in the five branches of Lyon, Lille, Nice, Fort de France, and abroad in the four subsidiaries in Canada, Turkey, Brazil and Morocco.

Baggage handling capabilities

With a design team of 60 engineers and technicians out of a total staff of 140, Alstef is a system integrator with in-house technical expertise in everything from system design and simulation, mechanical and electrical engineering, PLC control and SCADA solutions.

Alstef was certified ISO 9001 in 1999, the certificate ISO 9001 V 2008 was awarded in March 2009. The quality system focuses on customer satisfaction, with strong emphasis on the implementation of efficient and reliable processes. This guarantees timely delivery of a system that will meet all customers’ specifications.

For each project, an experienced project manager is nominated to maintain communication with the customer, and coordinate the various components of the system and its interfaces with the environment.

Conveyor systems

Alstef has developed a full range of baggage handling conveyors, which are designed to meet the demanding specifications of ADP. They are part of the systems delivered by Alstef, and have played an important part in establishing Alstef as one of the few regular suppliers of ADP for Paris Orly and CDG airports.

These conveyors are used for all the 100% HBS systems delivered by Alstef, such as those in Lyon St. Exupery, Bale-Mulhouse, Abidjan or Istanbul.

Integration of autover® DCV systems

To satisfy the constant evolution of customer needs towards more flexible and more reliable solutions offering reduced transfer time, reduced operating cost and increased redundancy, Alstef has developed unique skills in the integration of Beumer autover Destination Coded Vehicles (DCV).

Toulouse Airport in France and the Emirates' headquarters in Dubai are the first customers to benefit from the advantages of this technology, but many other clients are seriously considering a DCV based solution for the future development of their baggage handling systems.

Implementation of hold baggage screening

Because of the rapid growth of passenger traffic and the constant need for more security, airport operators are regularly faced with the challenge of extending or upgrading their baggage systems while maintaining smooth operation.

Alstef has a long track record of such successful operations.The most representative example of this is Istanbul, where the initial system, featuring 144 check-in desks and a 341m tilt-tray sorter, was delivered early in 2000. Only three years later, a major extension was added to bring the system capacity to 25 million passengers, and more recently, in 2006, an in-depth modification of the system was needed to incorporate eight EDS machines, five in-line tomography machines, a 180m tilt-tray sorter and two lines for transfer bags.

Support to system operations

Alstef has also developed strong expertise in the maintenance and operation of baggage systems. Alstef can offer a wide range of services including regular preventive maintenance visits, 24-hour down-modem software support and full maintenance services, including a permanent dedicated team with commitment to performance.

The maintenance of the TBE system in Paris CDG started in 2003 with a team of six technicians and one part-time graduate engineer. It has gradually increased, as the system grew, to the present team of 18 technicians and two full-time graduate engineers. With Istanbul, Paris Orly, Paris CDG and Fort de France, Alstef has a cumulative experience of 15 years in the on-site maintenance of baggage systems.