Challenge
The Merchandising Company’s distribution center was located in an old warehouse just west of downtown Cincinnati, Ohio.
While the facility was 110,000 square feet, the ceiling height limited them to storing products no higher than 16 feet.
With current business levels being at an all-time high and an optimistic sales forecast, it became obvious that a larger, state-of-the-art facility was a must.
Solution
Hy-Tek assigned a team of industrial designers and began analyzing the Merchandiser’s 10,000 SKUs, working with the client’s IT department on the interface between the Warehouse Management System (WMS) and our Conveyor Control Systems (CCS).
With the above steps finalized, we presented multiple concepts for the 112,000-square-foot facility (now, 500,000 square feet), taking into consideration forecasted growth along with other key points taken from the client’s five-year business plan.
After finalizing the design, we implemented the solution within 23 weeks.
Results
The system as designed has supported the Food Merchandisers growth of more than 112% since system commissioning while reducing operating costs by several percentage points.
With the client’s proactive approach of designing for the future and a few system enhancements, the system, designed to process 1,100 orders per day, can accommodate up to 3,000 orders per day. The facility can expand to 500,000 square feet, positioning the client to accommodate future client demands as well as enhancing its position for new business development.
