The Duravant family of operating companies serve the food processing, packaging and material handling segments.
Webstaurant Store Enhances Accuracy and Efficiency with FMH Conveyors
Case Study: Webstaurant Store Enhances Accuracy and Efficiency with FMH Conveyors' LITESORT Automated Sortation System
The Challenge
Webstaurant Store, a prominent e-commerce player specializing in restaurant equipment and supplies, faced a complex challenge in their distribution center near Savannah, Georgia. Sorting similar-looking cases of various products for manual palletizing was an error-prone and inefficient task.
The existing manual sorting method suffered from:
Accuracy Issues: Ensuring the right quantity of each SKU was accurately sorted for manual palletizing was incredibly difficult, leading to frequent errors and customer dissatisfaction.
Inefficiency: Manual sorting was time-consuming and labor-intensive, causing bottlenecks, especially during peak seasons.
Space Constraints: The floor-loaded containers occupied valuable dock space during the sorting process, limiting the efficient utilization of the warehouse.
The Solution
To overcome these challenges, Webstaurant Store collaborated with FMH Conveyors and implemented their state-of-the-art LITESORT automated sortation system.
The system offered the following key features:
BestFlex Conveyor: Cases were unloaded from the containers using a BestFlex conveyor, efficiently carrying them to the LITESORT system.
Vision Systems: LITESORT utilized an advanced vision system with the ability to scan up to five sides accurately to automatically determine sort location.
Lane Diverters: Each SKU was meticulously sorted into different lanes for manual palletizing, with the system tracking the number of cases of each SKU and automatically diverting them to a new lane once the pallet quantity was reached.
Flexibility: The system was highly adaptable to Webstaurant Store's unique needs, offering a tailored solution to their requirements.
The Implementation
The implementation of the LITESORT system followed a strategic approach:
Assessment and Planning: FMH Conveyors collaborated closely with Webstaurant Store to understand their operational needs and design a customized solution.
Installation and Integration: The system seamlessly integrated into Webstaurant Store's existing infrastructure, including the BestFlex conveyor, vision systems, lane diverters, and software interfaces.
Training and Adoption: Webstaurant Store's team underwent comprehensive training to effectively operate and manage the new system, ensuring a smooth transition.
Testing and Optimization: Rigorous testing and fine-tuning were conducted to optimize the system's performance and achieve the desired accuracy levels.
The Results
The impact of the LITESORT automated sortation system at Webstaurant Store has been transformative:
Accuracy: Sorting accuracy soared to an impressive 99%, a remarkable improvement from their previous undocumented accuracy rates, leading to a significant reduction in shipping errors and customer complaints.
Efficiency: The automated system streamlined operations, reducing the need for manual labor and effectively eliminating bottlenecks. Each container sorted now takes approximately 1.5 hours less than before, substantially increasing throughput.
Flexibility: Webstaurant Store praised the flexibility of the system and FMH Conveyors' willingness to adapt to their unique needs, creating a tailored solution that perfectly suited their requirements.
A Word from Webstaurant Store
Will Byce, Project Manager at Webstaurant Store, shared his thoughts on the project: "Our goal in purchasing this receiving sorter was to increase the speed of how fast we can unload containers but increase accuracy per pallet and per item." He further emphasized the flexibility of the system, stating: "One word: flexible. Literally the flexibility of this system and the way FMH Conveyors was flexible with us and willing to meet us in the middle."
Outlook
Webstaurant Store's investment in FMH Conveyors' LITESORT automated sortation system has not only revolutionized sorting accuracy and efficiency but has also positioned them for future growth and excellence in the e-commerce industry. This success story underscores the potential of automation to optimize operations, enhance accuracy, and drive customer satisfaction.
As the Webstaurant Store continues to expand, their partnership with FMH Conveyors exemplifies the benefits of innovative solutions tailored to meet the evolving demands of the modern supply chain.