New Automated Beverage DC
Client:
Leading soft drink brand
Industry:
Food & Beverage
Solution:
Distribution Systems Integration
A market leading soft drink brand required combining beverage with snacks supported by one DC as part of their growth initiative.
Challenge
- Transportation and operational costs were being duplicated within multiple facilities for beverage and snack items ordered by stores and ecommerce orders
- The “will call” pilot program that was launched required that orders could be physically picked up at the location for last mile delivery (via DoorDash, etc.)
- Volume from legacy facility was consolidated into a new facility with a tight suburban footprint convenient for last mile
Solution
- New facility capable of 46,000 cases per day with room to expand
- Technologies included automated trailer unloader, automated depalletizing, automated rainbow mixed pallet build, case handling ASRS, ergonomic manual palletizing station, automated decanting, GTP case picking, digital order fulfillment
- Tight footprint accommodated with creative engineering design
- New facility capable of 46,000 cases per day with room to expand
- Technologies included automated trailer unloader, automated depalletizing, automated rainbow mixed pallet build, case handling ASRS, ergonomic manual palletizing station, automated decanting, GTP case picking, digital order fulfillment
- Tight footprint accommodated with creative engineering design
Results
- Labor requirements significantly lower than conventional the brand’s warehouse
- Automation allowed productivity to increase to the extent where 3 shifts were reduced to 2 shifts in the new facility
- Creative solutions allowed “will call” pilot program to bundle a small assortment of each picks to fulfill ecommerce orders within 2 hours
