They had been shipping orders from an outdated facility that had one forklift and one conveyor line. Orders had to be moved and tracked manually — an approach not very well suited to a fast-growing organization with customers across North America and around the world.

When management moved to address the situation these key factors were important considerations in the design process of a new order-flow system:

• Keep pace with current order volume while having plenty of expansion room for future demand.
• Reliability and ergonomic friendliness.
• Ability to respond to customer needs in a fast and accurate manner.

They achieved all of these goals with the opening of a new modern distribution center. The 141,000 square foot facility seamlessly integrates a variety of Hytrol conveyor equipment. It employs the latest scanning equipment and computer controls to ensure shipment accuracy and productivity while allowing workers to focus on their jobs without having to worry about the risk of injury from heavy lifting or excessive manual handling.

"The installation and operation has gone extremely well," says the Vice President of Logistics and Distribution. The facility is processing 1,800 cases a day, she adds, with the capability to handle more.