BACKGROUND
A large multi-title cataloger and Ecometry user, started with a single title over 40 years ago has grown to be one of the leading catalog companies in America. They consider each of their titles a strong consumer brand, and expects to grow these brands through continuous focus on meeting and exceeding customers' expectations.

CHALLENGE
The company was growing at an amazing rate. They more than doubled the number of catalogs they were offering and distributing product for. While this growth was a great ‘problem' to have, they needed a way to manage the growth and continue to provide efficient and timely service to their customers. They decided to expand to a larger facility. While the larger operation would alleviate the capacity issues to some degree, they needed a robust strategy to manage the processing of orders. Up until this time, they had added labor to handle the increased demand, and that always met their needs. However, they realized that more people would not solve the problem, but only add to the number of times that associates handled the product. They needed to automate; which is when they engaged The Beacon Group to help.

SOLUTION
Beacon Systems examined the problem and offered them a solution that not only met their needs, but delivered an exceptional return on investment. Beacon proposed two sortation systems at the central fulfillment center that would eliminate the handling of orders multiple times.

In addition to the sortation, The Beacon Group procured a weigh-in-motion manifest system that fed completed orders to a narrow belt conveyor sorter prior to fluid loading of trailers at one of five shipping doors. The control system included real time ship confirmation and manifesting for orders shipped via Parcel Direct and other carriers.

The next step was implementing a new take-away system from order picking to an expanded packing operation. This project was followed by a second weigh-in-motion project and another conveyor sorter for bulk mail and small parcel sortation. All systems were linked to the Ecometry Enterprise Management System to provide real time order management information. The combination of these technologies created an environment that was more efficient, less labor Intensive and more accurate.

RESULTS
The system allowed them to handle double the volume with less than half the people. The carton sorter produced 35 cases per minute and the bulk sorter produced 45 parcels per minute. The capital investment was paid for in less than 1 year.

RETURN TO CASE STUDY PAGE