Storage system maximizes space use, parts delivery
Drawers and dividers organize machinery parts in 20 ft. high towers, and enable easy identification and retrieval.; The company's efficient system incorporates conveyor-served packing stations and work stations.; Warehouse for fast-moving-parts-The first and third floors of the Service parts division building store the same types of parts, the only difference being that the parts on the first floor have turnaround times of under a year (65% of parts), while those on the third floor (not shown) have
By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 7/1/1998
How do you develop a state-of-the-art warehouse that meets customer needs consistently, and also maximizes assets?That was the challenge facing the service parts division of Cincinnati Milacron, which wanted to upgrade its operations in order to maintain high levels of customer service. The company makes plastics molding and extrusion machinery, metal cutting machine tools, and associated consumable products.
A capstone of the company's philosophy of customer service is efficient product delivery. To meet this objective, Cincinnati Milacron needed a specialized warehouse to serve its global market.
"When you manufacture sophisticated machinery, it's important to protect its performance for the customer. We support any machine we've ever manufactured-even back to 1884," explains Bill Paul, Service Parts Operations Manager (retired). "So with us, it's not only 'just-in-time;' it's 'just-in-case.'"
The company pursued the opportunity to upgrade to advanced systems within the confines of an available World War II era building. The company now fits its 55,000 parts into 28% less space. The new warehouse, which is adjacent to the manufacturing area, reduces square footage, improves efficiency, and enhances the company's ability to serve its customers.
An outside systems integrator (Bode-Finn) provided direction and guidance: Careful planning could convert the vintage facility into a state-of-the-art warehouse complete with an efficient new conveyor system, bar-coded inventory, an advanced on-line computer system, and more logical space utilization.
The first step of the journey was to examine existing practices. System engineer Charles Goldrick surveyed the location to determine the best ways to utilize space. Among other findings, he discovered that the company stored all items in 18 in. deep drawers, although 90 percent of the items could easily fit in drawers 12 in. deep.
At the consultant's suggestion, the company also reduced drawer height from 12 to 9 in. Adjustments of this type go a long way towards meeting the needs for efficient space utilization, when extended to the entire warehouse system, Goldrich notes.
"We designed the new warehouse with a CAD system, shared the results with the storage system provider," which then served as a single source for everything we needed.
The renovated warehouse operation has 20 ft. high storage "towers" as well as 10 ft. high standard shelving sections (Equipto) for parts inventory. The towers, consisting of shelving, dividers, and drawers, are accessed by a man-aboard order picker truck, which delivers items to an adjacent takeaway roller conveyor linking storage with shipping and receiving. For added safety, everything over six ft. high in the facility now has bin fronts.
Paul comments that the move, which required the transport of 80 semi-truck loads of parts, "was transparent to our customers," without any noticeable breaks in service. Cincinnati Milacron credits both the solid organization of suppliers and the dedication of its own service parts employees for making the move a success.
Gary Finney, service parts marketing manager, notes that while anyone can "go out and build a warehouse, not everyone can maximize assets while doing so." Cincinnati Milacron's new warehouse reduces square footage, improves efficiency, and enhances the company's ability to serve its customers.
According to Thomas Sunderman, successor to Bill Paul as service parts operations manager at the company's Cincinnati facility, the storage system accomplishes what we had hoped it would, and continues to enable the company to "meet its customer service goals consistently.''
System Snapshot
Cincinnati Milacron Service Parts Division
Cincinnati, Ohio
Square footage: 27,000 sq ft
1st floor only
Number of employees:
100 (including managers)
Service parts operations manager:
Bill Paul (retired)
Thomas Sunderman (current)
Hours of operation: 7:00-6:00
(7-day, 24-hour emergency service)
Storage system: Equipto
800-323-0801
Conveyors: Interlake 630-245-8800
Order picker trucks:
Hyster 217-443-7548; Caterpillar 713-365-1000
CAD System:
Bode-Finn 513-681-2200
Parts handled: Large components
and sub-assemblies for aerospace
defense programs
Dispensing equipment for packaging:
American Excelsier 817-640-1555
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