Medical equipment manufacturer Eschmann Equipment has opted for an integrated solution, which includes pallet racking, shelving and forklift trucks, having centralised its operations from four facilities into one larger building on the same industrial estate in Lancing.
The company asked three companies to tender for the contract to equip the empty shell and turn it into an efficient handling and storage facility. Andy Parrott, logistics manager at Eschmann, explains: “We chose Locators as it was the only company that was able to provide us with a truly integrated solution that combined storage and handling equipment.”
Locators submitted designs for installing a range of racking and shelving within the warehouse which could accommodate a variety of different size pallets and loadings. Timber decks were suggested in some areas of the racking to provide storage for smaller products.
Locators also installed mesh along the outer run of racking together with a sliding mesh door, to allow access for the counterbalance truck while giving a totally secure area to ensure Export (shipper status) is maintained. Rack end barriers were installed on either side of the drive-through bays to protect the racking.
As part of the contract, Locators specified a Toyota 5FBE10 counterbalance truck for loading and off-loading product and a 7FBRE14 reach truck for working within the warehouse. Automated handling systems manufacturer, Diamond Phoenix has helped create a new state-of-the-art automated facility for Imagistics, a former division of Pitney Bowes and leading supplier of fax and copier parts and supplies.
When Imagistics became a newly-formed NYSE company, the first challenge it faced was to build its own distribution capabilities. Third-party logistics company BAX Global, was hired to manage the day-to-day operations of the new facility, which is located at?
Diamond Phoenix was then selected to design and build a state-of-the-art automated distribution centre, primarily focused on piece picking to support repair parts and distribution to copier supplies. This included an integrated solution for the centre, based on a zone picking system.
With eight major zones, each of which have several zones within it, and combining operations such as Diamond Horizontal Carousels, DirectPick pick to light and radio frequency picking, the objective of the system was to maintain a high level of operational efficiency and provide a quick turnaround for customers.
Committed to providing solutions for its customers, Diamond Phoenix focused on technology to increase efficiency. The new system has resulted in numerous benefits for Imagistics, such as reduced conveyor investment through the efficient combination of automated pick to light and carousels, two to one labour savings in the pick-to-light area and 3 to one labour savings in the carousel area, and floor savings space of approximately 50% over traditional shelving.
