Integrating the old with the new
By Staff -- Modern Materials Handling, 9/15/1999
Roman, Inc., a producer and distributor of over 15,000 religious and special occasion giftware items, was finding it hard to keep up with product demand. To consolidate operations, the company built a new 520,000 sq ft distribution facility in Addison, Ill to replace its 3 existing distribution facilities spread out over the Chicago area.Since the existing conveyor system had been performing well, the company wanted to integrate the new with the old in the new DC. This was accomplished, and in short order the new fully-integrated conveyor system was up and running.
Since the distribution center has a "walk-and-pick" system with all items in an order staying together throughout the order filling process, each picking area was equipped with ample accumulation conveyor capacity. The 2 mezzanines and the 3-tier picking areas all utilize gravity conveyors as well. Totes with picked orders travel along gravity pick lines and then to the next tier by live roller and belt conveyors. All finished orders are moved onto a powered conveyor loop, which connects with 26 gravity conveyor lines. After orders are checked, they head down one of the lines to be packed and shipped.
Dennis Zumbahlen, Roman's vice president of warehouse and distribution, is sold on the new integrated conveyor system. "We could not operate without it," he says. "Throughput now exceeds 2,000 orders a day, and that's a 25% increase over the combined throughput levels of the 3 previous facilities."
And, another plus, as Zumbahlen puts it: "It's great to have everyone under one roof."
Hytrol
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