VOW
AUTOMATED DISTRIBUTION CENTRE
Logistex has completed a new distribution centre for VOW in Normanton, ahead of time and within budget. The project was delivered within a demanding timescale and was ready early allowing VOW to initiate their business tests and transfer of business ahead of schedule and under less time pressures.
The new system replaced VOW’s existing operation in the adjacent building allowing VOW to meet their growth projections. As well as providing a more efficient delivery process, the project gives a more predictable cost base and a less reliant on manpower to respond to daily requirements.
FEATURES
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Direct dispatch of suitable sized and packed goods
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Automatic carton erection and lidding
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Pick to despatch carton for reduced manning
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Automatic document insertion
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Sort to courier/collection service
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Completed ahead of time and in budget
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Linked to Manhattan SCALE
THE CLIENT'S BRIEF
VOW had the opportunity of relocating to an adjacent building as it became available which released the business to both growth and efficiency improvements.
VOW handle a wide range of order profiles from single items, through multi line orders up to large products such as printers, shredders and photocopiers. The solution therefore required a large degree of flexibility in term of how a customer order was handled and the pick/ despatch strategies deployed.
A wide range of carriers and couriers collect from the VOW site and therefore it was necessary for the system to label and mark each parcel in the carriers/couriers predefined specific standard.
A typical day which the site was expected to manage consisted of 14,000 order lines representing 61,000 items to be picked and a peak hour of 25,000 order lines representing 112,000 items. All being picked from a range of 15,000 active SKUs.
THE LOGISTEX SOLUTION
The Logistex solution starts from tote launch and the erection of cartons and takes the order through a series of picking arrangements configured to blend with the pick and replenishment profile of the item.
Totes are used for single item picking and are routed to a series of pack benches where the items are bagged and labelled ready for despatch.
Multi line orders are picked directly to the appropriately sized dispatch carton as it travels through the system, a dispatch manifest is automatically printed and added to the contents of the case prior to it being automatically lidded.
All cases and boxed items suitable for direct dispatch have an address label added, with the label being printed to the specification and layout of the appropriate carrier/courier, and are then automatically sorted to the appropriate despatch courier based on destination and service level.
ACHIEVEMENTS
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Client fully equipped to handle forecast growth
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Early handover to client
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Single and multi item orders
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LWS manages the pick operation and tote/carton flow