Care-A-Lot Pet Supply has been providing pet supplies since 1989, through their catalog, on-line and retail stores in Virginia. The 50,000-square-foot distribution center in Virginia Beach has more than 2,800 products stored and ready to fill orders.

The problem: A labor intensive receiving and fulfillment process. The company needed to increase productivity and improve efficiency while receiving products from suppliers and filling customer orders. The supplier invested in a series of battery-powered carts that bring the computer to the product, instead of bringing the product to the computer.

“We ship and receive thousands of products every day and we needed to streamline the process. In the past, our employees had to take products from their locations, to the computer, and then to their next destination,” says Paul Camping, inventory and receiving manager, “this was cumbersome and inefficient.”

The battery-powered carts were tested in the distribution center by scanning in new products at the receiving docks. The carts were then moved to inventory pallets where products were pulled, scanned and prepared for shipping.

Man's best friend

Since introducing the carts, productivity has increased by 40%, and workers are more efficient because the carts have decreased time dedicated to product movement. Due to the mobility and wireless ability of the carts, employees have larger work areas, which adds to the work environment's utility.

Care-A-Lot Pet Supply also used the carts as label makers for pallets and general organization, saving time and footsteps.

The carts are equipped with a 750 watt inverter, 20 amp charger, and two 100 amp hour batteries. They also include a keyboard tray, LCD post holder, CPU holder, and additional shelves.

Newcastle Systems 781-621-8622 www.newcastlesys.com