Co-packing and Corrugate Disposal Client

co-packing and corrugate disposal conveyor system case study

Background

The client is a packaging company that provides a multitude of services for a variety of industries that redefines supply chains with innovative tote handling to creative container design and e-commerce fulfillment; the client offers specialized supply chain solutions for any packaging operation.

Century Conveyor Systems was selected by the client to engineer a corrugate takeaway system for a co-packing plant in New Jersey after identifying areas of improvement in its facility.

Challenge

The client experienced increased co-packing demand and the number of empty cartons being produced created bottlenecks for the single overhead conveyor from the repacking tables.

Associates tossed cartons onto the belt instead of properly inducting, often missing the conveyor causing safety concerns or having boxes get jammed in tough-to-reach areas. In addition, 2 additional separate co-packing lines in adjacent rooms did not outfeed to the same bailer, requiring manual labor to consolidate all the separate corrugate.

Goals

Streamline corrugate disposal process providing labor savings
Optimize repacking times for quicker turnaround
Connect disparate area lines and improve overall efficiency

System Specifications

Engineering and Integration: Century Conveyor Systems
Conveyor Equipment: Hytrol
Software and Controls: Lafayette Engineering and Century Conveyor Systems

Integration

The conveyor system proposed by Century consisted of 16 portable Hytrol PC incline conveyors discharging onto 5 Hytrol TH takeaway conveyor sections. In-between each incline conveyor are pack stations with roller tables and operator terminals. Each operator receives a pallet and corresponding corrugate magazine to be erected and packed with product. Empty cartons are placed on incline belts that extend above to the overhead conveyor gently transitioning them onto the take-away conveyor.

In a constant operation like this, a durable and stable-FPM system is a must. Century knew this and designed the system using Hytrol TH sections rated to a constant flow of 65 FPM. Utilizing a belt meant that even small pieces of paper and cardboard could be disposed of using the conveyor system.

The 5 TH takeaway conveyors are connected in series with the prior conveyor water falling onto the next conveyor. At the discharge of the conveyor, the empty cartons elevate onto a final section before being dropped into a bailer/compactor.

Adjacent rooms have a similar system setup, but outfeed into the main facility floor by waterfalling onto the bailer line. Consolidating these lines avoided deploying multiple bailers and designing all sections overhead and through partitioning walls kept the warehouse floor clear for forklift movement and pallet storage.

Results

Enabling a combined single flow from all areas of the warehouse optimized packing operations, improved the efficiency, space utilization, and organization of the facility, and provided the blueprint for future co-packing areas in the warehouse.

“The system connected all our lines to feed into a single bailer, and the incline conveyors helped our staff efficiently dispose of boxes, decreasing co-packing times. The Hytrol equipment used has been incredibly reliable, and we’ve replicated the solution Century designed at other locations”, says the client’s Director of Engineering.

Even though the system is a relatively straightforward design, Century’s innovative engineering both made efficient use of facility space and enabled multiple co-packing lines to operate simultaneously.

Searching for a similar solution?

Capital Candy

Background

Capital Candy’s history dates to 1938, when a couple from Montpelier, Vermont, opened a penny candy operation from their home. Over time, the operation offered new product lines, became incorporated and expanded into new territories.

Today, Capital Candy operates six days a week, 24 hours a day to provide grocery and convenience store products to 3,000 customers across six states. “We pick, pack and deliver 55,000 packages a week. Our trucks make 33 trips every night,” says Jim Thibeault, Operations Manager.

The operation houses mostly perishable items, such as dry grocery products, frozen and refrigerated foods, and non-food items, such as tobacco products. As the demand and variety of SKUs increased in the tobacco category, Capital Candy decided to design a new addition to house all tobacco-related products. But to make room for an ever-growing and ever-changing line of inventory, the operation required optimal storage, picking and replenishment solutions.

Challenge

Growth is great for business, but it can put a squeeze on space at the warehouse—which is exactly what happened at the Capital Candy operation.

“We’ve been fortunate to have increased sales every year for the past 15 years. But when COVID hit, many restaurants shut down, and convenience stores got very busy, which meant our SKUs had to increase too,” says Jim. “At one point, we were over 140% full in two regions of our warehouse. We had to do something.”

Capital Candy had two options: Find another warehouse and move, or build onto the existing facility in Barre, Vermont, where the operation had serviced customers for nearly 50 years. Capital Candy chose option two and got approval from the town for a 60- by 100-foot addition measuring 26 feet high to the warehouse.

Goals

Maximize pick areas for fast movers
Deploy high-density storage for slow movers

System Specifications

27-bay UNEX SpanTrack Wheel Bed
196 slot, 2 bay UNEX SpeedCell
UNEX Gravity Conveyor
287 sq. ft. steel work platform

Integration

Century Conveyor Systems utilized UNEX conveyor and equipment to integrate flawlessly with the exisiting UNEX roller rack, shelf track, and roller bed. Century installed 27 bays of SpanTrack Wheel Bed with four levels in each bay or 108 total levels of carton flow.

“The Wheel Beds are great because they make picking and replenishing easy. It will never be hard for them to re-slot the flow rack again,” says Dave Mydlowski; senior engineer from Century, who worked with Capital Candy and UNEX to design and implement carton flow solutions at the site. “And the quality of the product is excellent, durable, reliable.”

SpanTrack Wheel Beds drop easily into structures to create the ultimate flow rack system for full-case and each-case picking. The system is highly flexible, sturdy and provides carton flow for products of various sizes and weights. And because SpanTrack Wheel Beds provide 300% more product contact than plastic wheel rails, hang-ups are eliminated.

“With the new solution, efficiency was up immediately on day one—greater pick density, fewer steps, less climbing and better product storage,” says Jim.

Century also added two bays of SpeedCell and Gravity Conveyor in both downstairs and upstairs pick areas. SpeedCell provides high-density storage and can compress 200 feet of rack or shelving into 40 feet of highly organized space. More pick facings and greater SKU density mean less travel time and faster picks and restocking.

Results

The Wheel Beds allowed Capital Candy to store 3,600 more cases of product in the location and enabled the operation to add 900 new items with room to spare. The density of the pick also reduced the number of pickers needed in the tobacco area. The same picks are now being done by 1.5 fewer pickers, which is a huge savings for Capital Candy and a win for workers too. Pickers are paid by the number of items they pick. And because the pick area is so dense, pickers can pick more items faster.

By implementing SpeedCell, Capital Candy was able to slot 196 slower-moving items into two eight-foot bays with each picking, saving the operation about 72 feet of shelf space. “We’ve used many UNEX solutions, but this was the first time using SpeedCell, and our intention is to add it to other areas of the operation,” says Jim. “The product has maximized our space, and it’s been a hit with pickers, stockers and our purchasing department.”

Convenience Store Distribution

Fedway Associates

Background

Fedway Associates is a New Jersey-based wine and spirits wholesaler with a rich history. The company got its start in 1933 after prohibition. Today, it services licensed package stores, restaurants, and bars throughout the state. The company currently operates in a state-of-the-art 539,000-square-foot distribution facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey.

Challenge

The company had been working with a nearly 20-year-old Hytrol system. They were looking to update that system in 2012. However, Hurricane Sandy would hit New Jersey later that year which compelled the company to find a new facility, thus a new conveyor system and Warehouse Control System (WCS) would need to be integrated.

Goals

Increase product accuracy and throughput
Incorporate a WCS
Decrease product breakage

System Specifications

Additional 106,000 SF mezzanine
Double-stacked roll transfer
60-ft sliding shoe sorter

Results

Fedway Associates was able to reduce product breakage by more than 70 percent with the new system. An increase in throughput rate reduced the number of hours taken to process cases. The state-of-the-art WCS helped with product traceability and inventory accuracy which ensures the correct cartons are shipped.

Reduced product breakage by more than 70%
Increased throughput
Increase product traceability
Increased inventory accuracy
Warehouse control system incorporated

Wine & Spirits

Salson Logistics

Background

Salson Logistics is a port-to-shelf 3PL logistics services provider, servicing large retailers and consumer brand products. Their customer-focused capabilities and their desire to provide and accommodate their customer’s needs led them to seek a more automated solution for their warehousing operation.

Salson determined that their most pressing requirements were to increase accuracy and provide not only greater throughput but to be able to accommodate various carton identifiers, while still employing a common software system solution. The Material Handling system solution provided by Century Conveyor provided for an accurate read and receipt of inbound merchandise leading to a cross-dock sortation application, allowing hand palletization as well as direct truck fluid loading.

Challenge

Prior to the automated system, Salson had employed a rather manual process, with very limited conveyor automation. Upon receipt, labels were manually applied. Scanning and sortation were performed manually. All products were then hand palletized prior to disposition. Despite the reliance on manual operations, and multiple shifts, Salson was able to achieve daily volumes of up to 20,000 cartons per day.

Goals

Increase throughput
Increase accuracy
Grow business

System Specifications

5-lane receiving area
Hytrol Prosort 400 Sortation conveyor
Hytrol EZLogic gapping

Integration

The Century team solution provided for all aspects for turn-key development, including such key functions as the warehouse control system, material handling hardware, physical implementation, controls, software, and the engineering and project management disciplines necessary to ensure a timely and correct final commissioning, startup and turnover.

Some of the features of this system include traversing trailer unloaders, allowing five traversing unload conveyors the ability to service multiple inbound dock doors, Receiving scan tunnels, on each pair of receiving lines that allow for the capture of all carton received merchandise, ( can scan all sides of carton except bottom) along with no read divert for correction, right at scan location. 16 cartons per minute rate at each receiving location. Upon receipt, cartons accumulate and are queued up on indexing slug belts prior to a merge point. Five accumulation lanes feeding a merge, provide for an outbound rate of 95 per minute.

Merge releases to a bi-directional slat sorter where cartons are read. Thru the WMS/WCS communication, 95 cartons per minute run through the bidirectional sorter which has 23 left hand palletizing divert lanes and 12 right-hand fluid load truck fill lanes, along with another 10 hand palletizing lanes. Palletizing lanes having provisions for hand scanning with label generation for manifesting.

The Result

The solution Century provided for all aspects of turn-key development, including such key functions as the warehouse control system, material handling hardware, physical implementation, controls, software, and the engineering and project management disciplines necessary to ensure a timely and correct final commissioning, startup and turnover.

SalSon Logistics no longer has to rely on their labor force to sort, scan, and deliver products. Now with an automated system, the company is about to process 100,000 cartons compared to the 20,000 their labor force alone could do. This innovation and others in the system offered savings in labor, speed and accuracy.

3pl

Barnes & Noble

barnes and noble case study header image

Background

Barnes & Noble, a Fortune 500 company, is the world’s largest bookseller. In addition to extensive eCommerce sales, they operate at the time of writing they operated approximately 800 stores in 50 states. The logistics of timely store replenishment and rapid, accurate fulfillment of Internet orders presents an enormous challenge at this level of business.

Century Conveyor Systems, Inc., a New Jersey-based automation systems integrator, was awarded the contract for integration and supply of the carton and tote materials handling system. The design team, now joined by Century Conveyor Systems, Inc., finalized the operational details and implementation plan for the new system. At the same time, the construction of the 1.2 million square foot facility was underway and on target for a December 2004 completion.

The Solution

The distribution center houses over 1 million book titles in quantities ranging from multiple trailer loads of popular titles to one or two volumes of very obscure books. Accordingly, inventory storage media varies from high-rise, narrow aisle pallet rack to flow rack and finally to acres of multi-level shelving.

Virtually all aspects of the distribution process are automated. Tracking labels are generated and automatically applied to cartons at receiving. Multiple sortation systems deliver inventory to storage and picking locations. Batch picking is directed by RF interface and routed through zones by scanner directed diverters. Book orders are simultaneously assembled from each picking batch by tilt tray sorters.

Over 13 miles of Hytrol conveyor carries cartons and totes through all of the distribution processes, from receiving to shipping. The entire system is monitored from a central control room equipped with displays that indicate the status of all areas of operation.

Receiving

For receipts of less than pallet load quantities, inbound cartons are conveyed to a mezzanine above the receiving dock where they are scanned and matched to a database of purchases. A 380-foot long Hytrol Prosort shoe sorter directs cartons to a series of receipt processing and audit stations. After processing, cartons are reintroduced into the receiving sorter for routing to pick locations, cross-dock, or active order fulfillment. Sortation is performed at rates up to 140 cartons per minute.

Inventory Replenishment

Forward pick locations and shelving mezzanines are supplied by a series of conveyors and sorters that deliver replenishment inventory. Cartons arriving from either bulk storage or the receiving subsystem are sorted to the three levels, and then by specific zone within each module for put-away to dynamic primary pick locations.

Picking

Each of the eight picking modules in the system is three levels high. Order selectors are given location and quantity instructions through scanner equipped radio frequency devices. Within each level, a series of scanners and diverters automatically direct cartons to only those zones where picks are required. Orders that can be completed within a single 3-tier pick module are conveyed directly to carton sealing and labeling stations. Batch picked cartons and totes containing books needed to fill multiple orders are conveyed to the packing sorter.

Order Consolidation

The packing sortation system is a tilt tray design. Individual books are placed on belts at induction stations and are sorted to chutes that each represents a single order. Indicator lights at the discharge of the chutes direct packers to remove the chute contents for packing as orders are completed. Chutes are reassigned to new orders as subsequent batches or waves arrive at the tilt tray induct stations.

Packing

Open cartons, containing completed orders, are conveyed to a series of taping and print & apply stations. Cartons are sealed, weighed, and labeled before they are automatically inducted into the shipping system. Single book orders, selected by batch into totes, are sorted to specially equipped packaging stations for quality inspection, packaging, and labeling before being sent to manifesting and shipping lines.

Shipping

The shipping sorter is a single loop tilt tray design, capable of sorting up to 170 cartons per. minute to shipping doors and small package Gaylord positions. Shipping door positions are equipped with flexible, extendible conveyors for truck loading.

The Result

“Barnes & Noble had previous experience with Hytrol and Century Conveyor Systems, Inc. and we knew Hytrol produced a quality and reliable conveyor. This previous experience was always very positive. Century and Hytrol stood behind their products and services and had become good partners through the years.”

“We had visited the Hytrol plant several years before when we were just starting the project. Meeting the Hytrol team that was going to be working with us on the system gave us a good comfort level.”

“Hytrol and Century made good on all their promises. The product was delivered when we needed it and it all worked out very well timewise. There have been so many advantages to the new system in place. The accuracy, the speed, and the throughput Hytrol affords us has improved our services to our customers. We are very happy with Hytrol.”

-William Duffy, ( Former) Executive Vice President of Distribution and Logistics, Barnes & Noble

Online Shopping

AmerisourceBergen

Background

New picking technology combines with integrated conveyor system to help AmeriSource distribution center reach new levels of productivity and order accuracy.

When you’re in the business that AmeriSource Corporation is in, you have to be fast, efficient, and accurate.

This Malvern, Pennsylvania-based company is one of the country’s largest wholesale distributors of pharmaceuticals and related healthcare products and services.

From a network that includes 19 distribution centers around the country, AmeriSource ships these critical products to hospitals, healthcare facilities, and retail outlets that range from independent drug stores to the big mass merchandisers.

One of these centers-the regional D.C. in Thorofare, N.J., near Philadelphia-recently underwent a major expansion and upgrade to ensure the needed productivity and accuracy

Challenge

The new distribution center actually is a 156,000 square-foot expansion to an existing warehouse. That original facility, now used as a replenishment and full-case storage area, was a largely manual operation. But with AmeriSource’s business growing steadily, it had been struggling to keep pace with order demand.

In creating the new distribution center, management wanted to automate a large portion of the picking process and at the same time streamline order flow. Those objectives were accomplished through the combination of advanced computer controls, automated picking equipment, and a network of Hytrol conveyors that feature the EZ Logic accumulation system.

Facts

Location: Thorofare, NJ
Facility: Distribution center
Solution: Hytrol liver roller and accumulating conveyor
Product handled: Pharmaceuticals and health care products

Figures

156,000 sqf
168 employees
3,000 totes a day
2,300 cases a day

Automation Integration

The order-fulfillment process begins in the order origination area where operators scan the packing slips and select one of three types of totes depending on order size. Each tote carries a permanent bar-coded license plate that will direct it throughout the order-fulfillment process.

The totes are inducted into the system on a powered conveyor where a shipping label is generated. After scanning, the totes travel on a belt conveyor to a deflector arm that moves them to one of three accumulation conveyer lines (Model 190-SPEZ). These units have the EZ Logic feature, which senses product presence and controls the accumulation and release of product from zone to zone. The three lines provide the ability to segregate the totes by order size, manual or machine pick, replenishment priority, and so forth.

The totes then merge onto another accumulation conveyor prior to being sent to one of two picking areas in the main building. Totes containing orders to be picked manually travel on a powered takeaway unit for entry into the manual pick area. Totes with orders for machine-pick are diverted to the left by a pneumatic pusher and travel onto an accumulating conveyor to the “A-Frame” automated picker.

The manual picking area consists of a loop of powered conveyor that directs the totes to the right picking zones. Each of the eight zones consists of a series of flow rack and shelving units housing a variety of SKUs.

Once the manual picking is completed, the totes move onto an accumulation conveyer and head toward the machine picking area. A scanner identifies which orders are complete and which need further picking in the A-Frame. Completed orders are diverted by pneumatic pusher toward the weighing and strapping machines. The remaining totes travel straight ahead onto an accumulation conveyor where they enter a queue triggering the selection process in the A-Frame.

All completed orders pass through automated weighing and strapping stations. Once the totes are secured, they move on an elevated belt conveyor en route to the shipping sortation area.

The shipping system consists of a re-circulating loop of elevated power conveyors and a series of nine powered and gravity dispatch lines. The main live roller unit has nine high-speed diverts that direct the orders down the shipping lines. One important feature of the shipping area is the full-line sensing photo-cell. If a dispatch line becomes too full, the photo-cell automatically senses this and directs the order to the recirculation conveyor until the congestion eases up.

In addition to the two main picking areas, the AmeriSource facility includes a replenishment and full-case line picking section in the adjacent original warehouse. A powered roller conveyor brings these items through an opening in the wall and on to either the replenishment areas or to shipping. These cases accumulate in the shipping section where they can be merged with the tote orders.

The operation is not only streamlined and accurate, it’s also clean. An overhead trash takeaway conveyor from Hytrol (TH model) runs through the picking and replenishment areas efficiently removing corrugated and packing material from the work areas.

Outcome

Thanks to the advanced picking technology and the smooth-running conveyor operations, the Thorofare distribution center has been able to keep on top of the steadily growing order volume ever since it went into operation in late 1997. This high growth pattern is not expected to change anytime soon. But as systems manager Bob Fillman points out, that should not pose any problems.

“This operation could easily handle double the current volume,” he says. “We have the system and controls in place. It would mostly be a matter of adding some additional people.”

In addition to being well positioned for the future-and performing at that 99.9 percent order-accuracy level right now-AmeriSource has enjoyed another benefit. Payback on the new distribution center has been realized in a short 15 months.

Healthcare

F Schumacher & Co.

recycle ink warehouse success story warehouse layout image

Low Maintenance, Reduced Manual Lifting
Utilization of work stations and multiple conveyor systems produce a system of operation ergonomically safer and more cost-efficient.

Three and a half years ago, F. Schumacher & Co., a distributor of renowned Waverly fabrics, Schumacher fabrics and wallcovering, and manufacturer of high-quality home fashion decorating accessories decided to upgrade and automate their production operations. Mr. Bud Randall, Corporate Facilities Manager responsible for overseeing this entire project from concept to completion, contacted Century Conveyor, Inc., a Hytrol sales & service center based in South Plainfield, New Jersey.

Based on past projects Century had completed, F. Schumacher & Co., was very confident that Century Conveyor Service, Inc. working with Mr. Randall could provide them with assistance in the design and layout of a conveyor system which would be cost-effective and efficient. Schumacher & Co. elected to construct a new 526,000 sq. ft. distribution facility in Richburg, South Carolina. The objective was the consolidation and relocation of their distribution operations for several of their facilities located in various parts of the country.

A primary concern of F. Schumacher & Co. was the automation of the material handling portion of their product line. This included handling of fabrics, wallcoverings, bedspreads, curtains, and pillows. Before the installation of the system, the majority of their production operations were handled manually, involving a great deal of lifting, and moving of products by carts.

Through the utilization of work stations and five individualized conveyor systems, Century and Hytrol greatly reduced the manual lifting requirements and produced a system of operation which was ergonomically safer and cost-efficient.

Integrating a variety of HYTROL conveyors, five independent systems were created:

SYSTEM 1 – Transporting of “ready to ship” cases from the home fashion production areas to a staging area for shipping
SYSTEM 2 – Three packing lines for conveying rolls of fabrics
SYSTEM 3 – Wallcovering packing line
SYSTEM 4 – Heavy freight line
SYSTEM 5 – Shipping line for sample books of fabric and wallcoverings

Since its installation, the system has run perfectly. F. Schumacher & Co. has been very pleased with the system’s reliability and low maintenance, and Mr. Randall highly recommends the use of Hytrol equipment.

Application Data

The nature of products here required the use of a variety of conveyors. In some cases, the live roller was used for general transportation of boxes. In other areas, belt conveyors were used for transporting unboxed items. These slider bed units are also quieter. Heavy-duty 20-CR and 2514-CRA were used for conveying and accumulating heavier loads. Finally, boxes waiting for shipment are moved by an ABA zero pressure unit or in some cases a gravity unit.

System #1 starts in the sample manufacturing area. It uses a Hytrol Model SP. Items packaged in the home fashion area or showroom samples, using a special container, travel via an incline and ABA to the shipping area. LRC curves are also used and, to avoid accumulation in these curves, a photo-eye senses when the conveyor is full and shuts the unit down.

System #2 consists of three packing lines for fabrics. Fabric orders are picked from static shelving, placed in a cart, and pushed to a cutting station. There, the fabric is cut according to the order and placed on a roller bed belt unit which takes it to the packing station. The packer can control or feed items as needed to that station. After packing, they are placed on another roller bed conveyor which takes them to a scale area. Roller bed conveyor was preferred here because of the potentially higher loads. Some of the RB conveyors used a TW type frame which was more eye-pleasing and had no protruding edges. At the end of the packing conveyor are a scale and an operator who weighs the roll. The operator pushes the roll off the scale onto a conveyor with a flipper. The roll is then moved on a 5 ft. wide cleated belt which takes it to a rack. This rack travels to UPS and is returned after emptied.

System #3 is the wallpaper line. Wallpaper is picked from storage rack and placed near the packers who put the rolls of paper in boxes. Boxes are then placed on the conveyor. There are two slider bed Hytrol TL units side by side with work stations on one side. These belt conveyors end at a wide 20-CR (chain roller). The chain roller has a plow mounted to it controlled by the scale operators. These operators move the plow the direction necessary to get work in process. The 20-CR was used to provide good traction for diverting the heavy boxes. After the 20-CR, boxes accumulate on an ABA zero pressure waiting for shipping.

System #4 is the heavy-duty line for boxes of fabric weighing up to 400 lbs. Again, rolls of fabric are brought to the packing stations next to the conveyor, a 20-CR, used to best convey heavy boxes. At the workstation table, boxes are loaded and sealed. When finished, a set of rollers extending from the table to the 20-CR can be lifted by a foot-operated pedal. Boxed are then pushed onto the 20-CR. When the rollers are lowered, the box travels to the scale and strapping area. A break belt is located before the scale. When the operator calls for it, the box transfers to the scale is weighed and then sent to the binder. The binder bands it in one direction transfers it at 90 degrees with a heavy-duty push-off, bands it in the other direction then conveys it to a gravity line for removal by a lift truck.

System #5 is used for processing sample books of fabric and paper. Samples are staged on a gravity conveyor, transferred to a short Hytrol 1.9-SP then to an ABA via a special pop up o-ring transfer. Samples not boxed travel through a shrink wrap machine before shipping.

Wholesale Distribution

Johnson & Johnson

Background

When the need to consolidate operations came up, Johnson & Johnson realized that efficiencies could be upgraded as well. The company recently consolidated one of its major product lines from the Dallas and New Jersey warehouses into one Distribution center. The facility distributes operating room equipment, orthopedic equipment, catheters, and other similar products.

The original system in this building consisted of mostly gravity conveyor used in picking orders. Growth and consolidation necessitated changes. The company wanted to be able to move completed goods through the system more quickly and automatically sort them by destination in the shipping area.

Facts

Location: New Jersey
Facility: Distribution center
Solution: Gravity, minimum and zero-pressure conveyor. TKF vertical lifts, QS 18 lane sorter.
Product handled: Operating room equipment

Figures

235,000 sqf
85 employees
1350-1400 cartons per day
1.5 year ROI
35-40% throughput increase

Automation Integration

Much of the conveyor system has been designed for split case picking. Items are picked from gravity rack and placed into boxes. The boxes are moved along the gravity conveyor which is mounted on the rack. They serpentine through the system until filled. If orders are filled before reaching the end, they can be placed on one of three TKF vertical lifts. These take the completed orders to an overhead line consisting of zero-pressure ABA conveyor. If boxes reach the end of the line, they move up an incline to the ABA, or, they can be pushed onto an international shipping line.

From the overhead line, boxes drop down to the QS-1 8-lane sorter. They are sorted here by destination. Two Accu-Sort scanners located on the decline read labels on the top or side. Boxes which are misread, are UPS, or destined for a full line go to one of two overflow lines. All lines after the sorter are ACC minimum pressure accumulating conveyors.

From this warehouse, items are shipped to the entire United States, and some foreign countries. Shipments are mostly by truck, but some go by UPS. UPS packing stations are located on the UPS/overflow lines. Boxes going to the sort lines are palletized by hand.

Outcome

When asked about Century’s involvement, Johnson & Johnson was most positive; “They’ve done a tremendous job in terms of meeting the schedule given the time frame that we had. The system is just great. It is very quiet, smooth, and it works very well and seems to be very consistent. The real challenge was giving us what we needed in the amount of space we needed. Jim Baxter from Century was able to do much of the layout and planning during his first visit. They were not able to encroach on the full case side of the system, and with the help of Jim and Ray Roberts, they were able to put in a good system in a small amount of space.”

The technicians have already informed us that they are pushing fewer boxes physically along the gravity conveyor because now the completed ones have been removed from the system. And then we’ve noticed that our throughput has increased by about 35 to 40 percent in terms of the number of boxes in an eight-hour period. Before this new conveyor system, we were able to move about nine hundred to a thousand boxes throughout the system just pushing them manually in eight hours. Now, we can move about 1350 almost 1400 boxes using the conveyor system.”

Consolidating the suture product line into one warehouse allows the company to use the system at its peak efficiency, with no increase in labor. Payback on this system will be about 1.5 years. Much of this cost reduction will come from the cut in inventory.

Healthcare

Simon & Schuster

Background

Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS Corporation, is one of the largest book publishers in the United States of America. Beginning as a “Mom and Pop” operation in 1924, the first book they published was a crossword puzzle book. Since then, they have published many bestsellers and even Pulitzer prize-winning titles, becoming a significant force in publishing today.

The Riverside, NJ Distribution Center is one of two DCs, and services all of North America and caters to an international arena as well.

Challenge

Due to the Internet and today’s fast-paced environment, Simon & Schuster is challenged to get it’s product out in the market quicker. With a volume surge in 2002-2003, they collaborated with Century Conveyor Service, Inc. of South Plainfield, NJ to develop a two-phase operation to meet this challenge. The two-phased upgrade met the goals of Simon & Schuster with absolutely minimal downtime.

Solution

The first phase, implemented in July of 2007, overhauled the shipping system. The shipping sorter was replaced and put in the air, which doubled the speed and tripled the dock spots to meet the demands of the market. The second phase, completed in June of 2008, gave the picking system a much needed upgrade, adding sortation to the split case picking system.

The two-phased upgrade meets the goals of Simon & Schuster. “We did not add any man power to the operation…and cut our cycle time in half…[and] we’ve increased our accuracy,” said Schaeffer. The need for dependability, as well as speed and accuracy, is also a crucial factor in this demanding operation. The conveyor runs at least 16 hours a day; much more during peak seasons.

“…It keeps working and it works very well for us, very dependably,”. It works dependably, it’s reasonably priced, mechanically it’s simple enough to maintain, and it gets the job done. It’s hard to explain, but in this world of operations, being able to depend on something – to depend on something that works well and flawlessly every day for a reasonable price is a big thing.”

Dave Schaeffer, Vice President of Distribution and Fulfillment

Retail

Worldpac/Advanced Auto Parts

Background

Everyone’s had an unhappy experience. The repair shop had promised your car would be ready on Tuesday. But the necessary part still hasn’t arrived yet. So now you’ll have to wait until the end of the week… .or maybe even longer.

WORLDPAC is doing everything it can to make this all-too-common scenario a thing of the past. This nationwide distributor of automotive parts for imported vehicles has streamlined its entire operation to ensure that the parts reach the repair shop when promised. WORLDPAC’s modern, 123,000 square-foot distribution center in Edison, N.J. is a key part of that effort.

WORLDPAC is a company on the move, having recently acquired the auto parts distributor Metrix. The company operates two distribution centers-one in Newark, Calif., the other in Edison, New Jersey. The Edison facility ships to 31 branch replenishment offices as well as to individual repair shops around the country. About 60 percent of the parts handled are sourced domestically; the remainder comes from overseas.

Challenge

Before installation of the new system, order-fulfillment was a largely manual operation, says Patrick J. Healy, the company’s director of distribution. “The people moved through the facility, not the order,” Healy recalls, adding that today it’s the other way around.

Facts

Location: Edison, NJ
Facility: Distribution center
Solution: Hytrol live roller, heavy-duty incline, and gravity conveyors

Figures

123,000 sqf
160 employees
36,000 auto part SKUs
1,000 orders per day

Automation Integration

There are two types of orders: those going to the branches and those going direct to repair shops. Picking for both types starts in the zones on the ground floor. Items are packed into totes and placed on one of two incline conveyors for transport up to the picking stations on the mezzanine. Computer-generated reflective tapes guide the consumer-direct totes through the picking process. The totes for the larger branch replenishment orders are color-coded.

The main conveyor line on the mezzanine is a horizontal live-roller unit (SPEZ model) with Hytrol’s unique EZ Logic accumulation feature. EZ Logic automatically senses product presence and effectively controls the accumulation and release of product through the four picking zones.

Pop-up transfers automatically move the totes onto gravity conveyors at the picking stations. After all, items have been picked at one station, the operator places the tote back on the powered conveyor for movement to the next station if further picking is required. The computer controls built into the system ensure that orders involving multiple totes stay together.

The completed orders move back out on the takeaway conveyor, travel around a curve segment, and then head down the incline to the shipment-preparation area. Branch replenishment orders go directly to a separate section of the distribution center. There, the operators build pallet loads, which will be delivered by company trucks.

The customer-direct orders are diverted onto a powered conveyor line that takes them through packing and manifesting. These orders are handled by express carriers for next-day delivery.

Outcome

The new operation boasts a simple and streamlined order-flow that all but eliminates manual handling and movement. The system integrates several of Hytrol’s most popular units: live roller, gravity, and heavy-duty incline. Healy and his staff worked closely with Century Conveyor, Inc. in the design and installation. Century Conveyor, also based in Edison, is a systems integrator and Hytrol distributor.

The new system is fast, flexible, and responsive. It’s been designed to swiftly handle different sizes of totes as well as corrugated boxes. Also, oversized parts like tailpipes can move unimpeded throughout the distribution center.

"The totes go through the system flawlessly. They go through quickly, too. A customer-direct order can be picked, checked, packaged, and manifested in as little as 20 minutes."

Patrick J. Healy

Director of Distribution

In addition to the speed and responsiveness, shipment accuracy has increased, too. Plus there’s one more benefit: The systems integrator is located only a few miles away. “If there’s a question or a problem,” says Healy, “I know that Century Conveyor can get here right away.”

In the end, the biggest beneficiaries of the streamlined Edison operation may be the end-consumers. Their cars are ready when promised-and they get on with their lives.

Automotive Retail

Century Conveyor Systems Inc. | 4301 S. Clinton Ave. South Plainfield, NJ

(908) 205-0625 | info@centuryconveyor.com

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