Logistics Management Supply Chain Management Review

From the May 2013 Issue

Army/Air Force Exchange: Reporting for duty

With an upgraded conveyor system and new picking technologies, the Exchange’s Waco distribution center supports our nation’s service men and women.

Exchange: Keeping up with peak demand

Making the case for WMS

Supply Chain Software Survey: Off the fence and into the future

Light-directed activities: Order fulfillment at the speed you need

Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) help Del Monte Foods be best in class

Del Monte Foods’ new Topeka DC brings laser-guided AGVs from manufacturing into distribution. The result is a best-in-class materials handling system that minimizes costs with room to expand in the future.

Del Monte relies on more than 30 fork-equipped AGVs for put away and pallet picking in the distribution center. Pictured: Keith Arntson, vice president of distribution operations for Del Monte Foods.

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The robots are coming

Automotive: Make lineside delivery count

Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky: Production that’s world class

Let’s remember Mac Barrett, father of the AGV

By Bob Trebilcock, Executive Editor

October 18, 2010

Automatic guided vehicles, or AGVs, have been a staple of materials handling in a manufacturing environment for decades. It’s not uncommon to find a fleet of 20 or more vehicles delivering product to the assembly line in a large automotive plant.

But, AGVs in a distribution center? Not so much. In DCs, they have largely been relegated to moving product from the plant to an adjoining DC. That may be about to change, if the 420,000-square-foot distribution center opened by Del Monte Foods in Topeka, Kan., last October is any indication.

There, Del Monte has put to work a fleet of 39 laser-guided AGVs (Elettric80, us.elettric80.com).

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About the Author

Bob Trebilcock
Executive Editor

Bob Trebilcock, executive editor, has covered materials handling, technology and supply chain topics for Modern Materials Handling since 1984. A graduate of Bowling Green State University, Trebilcock lives in Keene, NH. He can be reached at 603-357-0484 and .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)