Automation

Packaging operations face a number of challenges. For those who haven’t yet embraced the benefits of an On Demand Packaging® system, it is a challenge to produce shippable, right-sized boxes that protect contents, but also reduce shipping and handling costs as the package is delivered to the customer.

In many organizations, including those with DC operations, it is common to initially evaluate a capital project in terms of the payback period. A recent Peerless Research Group poll of DC executives revealed that 27% of respondents expected a ROI in 6-to-12 months while 36% anticipated a 12-to-24 month payback.

While multi-channel distribution is thought of as a retail phenomenon, distributors and manufacturers are also under pressure to meet the challenges of multi-channel distribution.

The handbag and accessories maker’s new DC was designed to handle store replenishment, wholesale distribution and direct-to-consumer sales under one roof.

Vera Bradley’s expanded distribution center was designed to manage the company’s traditional wholesale and retail replenishment sales channels while accommodating the growth of its Internet fulfillment. The facility brings together conveyor and sortation technology along with both pick-to-light and put-to-light technologies integrated by FORTE Industries.

As part of Value Innovation 2017, Daifuku endeavors to evolve from a manufacturer of material handling systems to a top-class Value Innovator that provides the best solutions for customers, backed by the expertise and technologies it has accumulated as a comprehensive manufacturer and integrator of material handling systems.

Daifuku Webb Holding Company (Daifuku Webb), a subsidiary of Daifuku Co., Ltd., and Wynright Corporation (Wynright) announced that they have reached a definitive agreement for Daifuku Webb to acquire privately-owned Wynright. Under the agreement, Wynright will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daifuku Webb.

While a few companies sit on the ‘bleeding edge’ and lead the way for adopting new technology, the majority are inclined to take a wait-and-see position and only embrace new solutions once applications have proven successful.

DataMan® logistics barcode readers are the next generation of barcode readers for postal, parcel and package sorting operations and are rapidly replacing laser scanner and line scan systems around the world.

The DataMan® product line from Cognex offers advanced barcode readers that combine the benefits of image-based readers with the ease of use and cost of laser scanners for your postal, parcel and package sorting operations.

Reading more than one barcode at a time is a challenging application for many manufacturing and material handling engineers. In these applications there is a need to read multiple codes of the same symbology as well as multiple codes of mixed symbologies within one field of view (FOV). Even more difficult is reading one or more codes on multiple sides of a product to verify that the codes match or to output both sides’ read results as one piece of...

The DataMan® product line from Cognex offers advanced barcode readers that combine the benefits of image-based readers with the ease of use and cost of laser scanners for your postal, parcel and package sorting operations.

FORTE's Warehouse Simulation creates "real" scenarios - from actual operational data and MHE parameters including conveyor systems, system data flows, WCS integration, etc.

Few industries have been as disrupted by the e-commerce revolution as retail. Online and brick-and-mortar retailers alike continue to invent creative new ways to break through the noise and capture a share of the market. That in turn has sparked the creation of order fulfillment solutions to support the new business models.

An acquisition and new customer shipping requirements provided a fresh opportunity to develop a world-class distribution center that would deliver the flawless performance needed to support their radiant growth for years. With the help of FORTE, Beiersdorf consolidated three distribution centers into a single highly automated facility, enabling them to improve picking and shipping accuracy while doubling capacity and reducing operating costs 15%.

Together, the IDEXX and FORTE teams designed a new automated material handling system with two separate packing areas: one for single-zone orders and the remaining stations for multiple-zone orders.

FORTE provided a Distribution Assessment to identify improvements with processes, software utilization, inventory turns, material handling system capacity and space utilization.

FORTE designed and implemented a new 500,000 sq. ft. automated distribution center in Calera, Alabama with pick-to-light technology.

FORTE designed and built a new, automated 450,000 sq. ft. distribution center in Cincinnati, Ohio. A WMS needs analysis was performed, including vendor evaluation, selection and implementation.