Storage/Staging: AS/RS tackles peaks without more staff

Utah is one of 18 states that control alcoholic beverages sales at either the wholesale or retail level. The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (DABC) saw a growing consumer demand amid an increasing population and growing tourism. When DABC expanded its facility to handle overstock for seasonal peaks, a new automated system increased capacity while virtually eliminating overcrowding, product damage, lost inventory and aisle congestion.

The new fully automated facility is capable of handling an additional 300,000 to 350,000 cases per month without adding workers and without impeding current operations. This new piece of the operation specifically handles overstock used to replenish the product being picked for outgoing orders and covers the DABC during peak season without clogging aisles and creating inventory headaches. The new rack-supported building contains 6,160 pallet locations in five aisles of a unit-load, automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), each more than 100 feet in height.

Product is received on shipping pallets by the truck load. Shipping pallets are exchanged with plastic, captive pallets. Product is scanned into the host system with handheld RF scanners and diverted to the picking area or to the new overstock area. The overstock area holds product that is not immediately needed to fill orders and will be used to replenish inventory as needed. About 650 feet of transportation conveyor, the supplier’s control system and warehouse management system communicate with the existing host system.

Daifuku Webb
248-553-1000
daifukuwebb.com