Conforama digitalises France's largest logistics warehouse with Wifirst

Completed in 2017 in Tournan-en-Brie, Conforama's central warehouse is an extraordinary logistics facility. With 177,500 m² of floor space spread over 33.3 hectares, 31 15-meter-high units, and a capacity of 270,000 pallets, this site is a strategic pillar of the retailer's supply chain.

But to ensure smooth management of logistics processes, every square meter must have flawless network connectivity. Faced with WiFi coverage and configuration issues, Conforama called on Wifirst to completely redesign the warehouse's network infrastructure.

 

// TECHNICAL CHALLENGES

A large-scale project: consulting, design, integration

Wifirst's mission began with a technical consulting phase. An initial on-site visit during the pre-sales phase identified persistent coverage and configuration issues with the existing WiFi infrastructure.

The analysis highlighted the need to thoroughly rethink the network design to meet the site's specific constraints: height of the units, rack density, potential interferences, and constant equipment mobility.

 

Wifirst proposed a new WiFi 6 network architecture, the latest-generation technology offering better performance in dense environments. The entire radio design has been rethought to ensure optimal distribution of access points, consistent coverage, and maximum robustness, even in extreme conditions.

Deployed site network environment

Wifirst was able to provide its expertise from start to finish, while adapting to Conforama's technical ecosystem (customised integration model).

 

// DEPLOYMENT CHALLENGES

Meticulous execution on a fully operational site

Beyond the design challenges, deploying this new infrastructure represented a major operational challenge. As the warehouse was in continuous operation, the project had to be carried out without disrupting logistics activities, which are crucial to the brand's supply chain. The Wifirst teams carried out the complete pre-configuration of the 356 new access points and switches supplied by the client. The LAN network was deployed at night to ensure discretion and efficiency.

Pre-configuration of customer APs and switches and acceptance testing

 

Wifirst also supplied all the passive equipment required for the installation (cabling and accessories) and orchestrated the gradual replacement of the old network: 159 WiFi 5 access points were removed once the new units had been validated as working properly, ensuring a smooth transition.

An infrastructure ready for tomorrow's logistics challenges:

Following completion of the project, the warehouse is now equipped with 356 fully functional WiFi 6 access points, ensuring comprehensive and reliable coverage across the entire site. This new network infrastructure enables Conforama to secure all of its business processes, while paving the way for future developments: robotisation, geolocation, predictive maintenance and intelligent flow management.

• 356 WiFi 6 access points covering the entire site
• Stable, dense and scalable connectivity
• No reservations upon completion of the project
• A warehouse ready for the future challenges of connected logistics
  

Thanks to its tailor-made approach and expertise in complex industrial environments, Wifirst has enabled Conforama to take a strategic step forward in the digitalisation of its warehouse in Tournan-en-Brie.