Apex Tool Group Addresses Labor Needs With Lucas

Apex Tool Group (ATG) is one of the leading global manufacturers of professional hand and power tools. The company’s half million square foot central distribution center in North Carolina serves multiple channels, including direct-to-consumer fulfillment, B2B distribution to retailers, as well as shipments to other ATG DCs throughout the world.

According to Chris Rufa, Senior Director, Global Distribution at ATG, “We can ship a single ratchet for warranty replacement or a full pallet of ratchets to a big box store DC.”

Like other DCs, ATG is operating in a tight labor market. “We offer competitive pay, but unemployment in the greater Raleigh area continues to be around three percent, which can make it hard to attract new talent.” To help alleviate labor challenges and more efficiently meet stringent quality demands of its customer base, in 2019 ATG implemented the Lucas solution.

The Lucas solution includes AI-based optimization that is embodied in Jennifer ™, the brain, voice, and orchestration engine of the solution. A cornerstone of the project was AI-based batching and path optimization. In addition, RF and pick-to-light technology was replaced with multi-modal picking using Lucas mobile applications.