Tis the Season….

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:24:26 +0000

At PeakLogix our office hours are 8am-5pm. Most days, employees are in the office working well before 8 and long after 5. In this company, everyone takes their job seriously and all work hard. The staff all get along well and we enjoy opportunities for the celebration of weddings, babies, and holidays as well as support each other in times of need and sadness. Perhaps more importantly, we look beyond the walls of our cozy office inMidlothian,VAand seek to help others in need.

During the month of December, we collected jars of peanut butter for a local elementary school program “Backpacks of Love, Inc.”. The goal was to send a jar of peanut butter home with those identified children in need who would benefit from an additional food source during the school break. In addition to our employees donating enough jars of peanut butter so that every child went home for the holiday break with one, PeakLogix also made a large donation to “Backpacks of Love” in honor of our clients and vendors to help supply food to these identified children throughout the rest of the year. A holiday card was mailed out to our valued clients and vendors letting them know this had been done.

In addition to participating in the “Backpacks of Love, Inc” peanut butter drive, PeakLogix employees also donated canned goods and other non-perishable items for a local single mother raising two daughters. Although this mom is a hard worker and does the best she can, having extra groceries will make a genuine difference to her expenses. A dozen grocery bags were delivered to this family that were filled up and overflowing, along with a gift card and cash!! Our recipient was overwhelmed and very appreciative of the generosity.

I am proud to work for a company who shows compassion for those less fortunate. It is often difficult to find the proper balance between work/home/others. I believe that the folks at PeakLogix do a fine job of this.

Pam Stiles

Client Services
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1500 F: 804.794.6515
www.PeakLogix.com

Year in Review

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:02:27 +0000

As I celebrate my one year anniversary as PeakLogix’ Creative Director I find myself scratching my head feeling like it is hard to believe it has been a year already!

There are a few key indicators that can’t be overlooked. My email inbox is bombed daily, my projects list has more than doubled in size and gone are the days of coming into the office and having no voice mail to fetch!

As I try my best to stay organized and keep my tasks prioritized, I am grateful for all of my awesome colleagues who have been so essential to getting me to this point. My goal was to do my best to try and hit the ground running to make an impact as quickly as possible so that I could earn my keep around here at PeakLogix.

Being new to the industry a year ago, I still have much to learn. However, I feel like I am learning from the best people possible. I have never worked with a better group of people before.

I had no idea a year ago just how valuable my decision was when I accepted this position. Not only has this been a great decision for my career, I have made some of the best friendships and have had the privilege to learn from some of the smartest people I have ever known. PeakLogix is a small, lean company and I am often times amazed at what we are able to accomplish. It just proves to me that Jim Collins knew what he was talking about in Good to Great when he said “..to build a successful organization and team you must get the right people on the bus, and put them in the right seats”.

I have witnessed PeakLogix operate like a well-oiled machine and excel at sophisticated projects that you would have thought a much larger organization was managing. The PeakLogix team has a refreshing “can-do” attitude coupled with the visionary leadership of Bob and Sandy Giberson to create an environment that I am still just as excited to be a part of as I was a year ago when I was hired. This place makes me what to do great things!

Dawn Mooney
Creative Director
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1506 F: 804.794.6515
www.PeakLogix.com

PeakLogix Recognized as a MHEDA MVP!

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 18:04:48 +0000

The Material Handling Equipment Distributors (MHEDA) Association has unveiled the 2011 MVP (Most Valuable Partner) program recipients for their new award program exclusively for distributors. The MHEDA MVP Program enables member companies to differentiate themselves from the 3,000 + distributors nationwide by providing a tangible method of demonstrating their company’s commitment to business excellence, professionalism and good stewardship to their employees, suppliers and customers. PeakLogix is included in the short list of fifteen distributor member companies who have attained the MVP status by demonstrating their industry commitment through the following areas: customer relations, industry relations, peer-to-peer networking, education, and best practices.

Looking for Material Handling Solutions? Go for the Gold!

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:48:12 +0000

MHEDA - The Gold Standard

MHEDA Member Companies Represent the Gold Standard of the Material Handling World.

If you want to do business with the most capable and respected companies offering material handling equipment and services, look to a MHEDA member. MHEDA is the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association, a trade organization that helps drive the proficiency of its member companies located across North America. MHEDA members have access to the best training programs targeting all employees, best practice benchmarking and management development tools.

MHEDA Members Are:

Material Handling solutions providers
Dedicated to continuous learning
Serious about industry best practices
Responsive to customer needs
Respected industry professionals

Visit www.mheda.org to learn more about MHEDA today!

STEVE JOBS: 2.24.55 – 10.5.11

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 18:08:49 +0000

Steve Jobs is quite likely the Thomas Edison of our time. Similar to the way the light bulb changed the way we looked at things so have the iconic products in technology, entertainment and design that Steve Jobs imagined and produced. More than one pundit, praising Jobs’ ability to transform entire industries with his inventions, called him a modern day Leonardo DaVinci.

During a Stanford University commencement speech in 2005, Steve Jobs urges us (the new young executives) to pursue our dreams and see the opportunities in life’s setbacks – including death. He expresses elegantly his philosophy of death:

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now, the new is you. But someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but its quite true. Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

The Silicone Valley legend began in 1976 when Jobs and Wozniak built their first commercial product, the Apple 1, in Jobs’ parents’ garage. The Apple II computer was launched the following year and revolutionized personal computing. This summer Apple listed more cash reserves than the U.S. Treasury and even briefly surpassed Exxon Mobil as the world’s most valuable company.

The world has lost one of the greatest visionaries in history. Steve Jobs will serve as a legend of inspiration to all of us that seek innovation, perfection and success.

How to Apply Automation to Your Distribution Center

admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:44:06 +0000

Most small to moderate operations have what we call conventional warehouse operations. They have applied limited automation and rely heavily on manual processes and manual labor to get product in and through the center and the customer orders out the door. So, it’s not uncommon for the owner or senior management to seek out how automation can be employed in their distribution center to improve efficiency, cut labor costs and reduce errors. But there isn’t a silver bullet. There isn’t a one size fits all solution to improving your distribution center with automation. Automation is a means to the end. Because of the capital expense you have to find the practical application that has a return on investment (ROI).
This article discusses a successful methodology for identifying where automation can be practically applied. Then, we give examples of how other multichannel companies we have worked with in our operations & fulfillment consulting practice gained an ROI through automation.
Warehouse Assessment
It all starts with an objective analysis of your operation and its pain points and costs. Be methodological in defining the opportunities and the potential solutions. The most synergistic and effective solutions we provide take into account the following:
Process and work flow improvement – review of the fulfillment process and workflow identifies “bottlenecks”.
Reduction in number of steps to accomplish a task.
Reduction in number of touches of a product – every touch adds labor cost
Move as much product at one time as possible. Maximizing the product per trip will reduce the total trips and time required. Applications can be found in picking, put away, replenishment, etc. warehouse functions.
Minimize layout congestion and interference with smooth flow. Avoid unnecessary congestion or overcrowding in the warehouse. The time lost due to overcrowding or congestion is significant.
Understand your productivity and costs for department operations and costs per order, unit, line and package shipped.
More effective use of warehouse and order management systems. Most companies don’t maximize their OMS or WMS systems use.
Apply practical automation which has an ROI.
Most often it is a combination of potential solutions that have the best chance of overall improvement for your business. Here is an example. In businesses with sales of less than $100 million in sales, in our last 50 assignments, to improve productivity, lower warehouse costs, only about 20% of those required automation solutions of any major capital expense. Don’t think automation first, you may end up with too automated a solution. Think best overall solution. However, as your business volume increases, there may be sufficient volume to make capital investment and ROI.
Picking and packing have the highest labor expenses. Together they probably exceed 50% of your labor costs. What changes can be made to decrease this labor expense?
Get all benefits you can before you automate
Make sure you have gotten all the savings you can from current layout and design. Get the most out of your current environment before you automate. Don’t try to overlay automation on a poorly functioning set of processes and systems.
Staff involvement
Involve your warehouse staff in decision making relating to facility layout or operations planning. Those people closest to the process usually understand it best. Certainly they can identify problems and we are always pleasantly surprised at solutions they can come up with. It’s a good starting point for potential options to consider.
Maintain flexibility in the operation and layout
Planning for unknown future changes to the business or fulfillment model is a necessity to avoid unnecessary costs to make unplanned changes to the facility and operation. Product assortments and businesses often change quickly. Don’t develop a layout or process that is inflexible or not scalable.
Analyze the cost benefit
Provide for the level of automation that can be cost-justified based on your particular operation and cost structure. Look for 18 month payback as a guideline. Savings come from labor reduction, ability to track inventory through the center, reduction in errors and throughput of customer orders.
Automation options and examples
You can’t just draw up a table of options and list where automation can be applied to solve problems. We describe in general the type of automation and give an example of its application. To start, our two best picks for most moderate sized businesses are:
• Bar code and scan technology throughout the operation
• Voice directed technology
Bar code scan and RF technology
In general this is the single most important technology that operations can implement DC. Consider applications to reduce labor and improve efficiency in as many areas of the fulfillment process as possible. Applications include: inbound receiving pallets or cartons; put away and replenishment verification; pick verification, pack verification, shipping and manifesting systems, cycle counting, returns processing, etc. This technology will be the basis for all more highly automated solutions involving sorters, diverters and voice recognition applications. Track product movement and location through DC. Use in time clock systems and operation (task) time recording.
Voice directed technology
Converts computer data to voice instructions and voice instructions to computer data. Usually consists of a headset and microphone and can be used for a variety of warehouse functions where instructions are required and confirmation of completed tasks is an objective. Bar code scanning and RF technology has to be installed. Application: reduce picking costs, more effective use of multilingual work force, reduce errors, increase work pace in picking, etc.
Automated picking
There are several fundamental concepts to be considered as you consider picking automation. They are:
1) To end up the best design and ROI, you need to balance the costs of space/equipment; replenishment frequency; product location and slotting and picker productivity; etc.
2) Minimize the walk times (distances) and produce high accuracy levels from the pick process. Some of our client’s have measured picker average walking distance and found they walk 8 to 11 miles per day; 70% of the picker’s time may be in travel time.
With these fundamentals in mind here are some automated picking concepts to consider in total with other fulfillment layout and process changes.
Pick and Pass. Order picking process where the order is passed from location to location using carts or conveyors. The picker stays relatively stationary with the order moving to the pickers and on to the packers. Application: Larger centers may use this to zone pick customer areas and move the carton between zones with conveyors. There has to be an organized, quick way for the pickers to identify on the order their items to fulfill the order as the carton is moving past them. The conveyors can run in long distances through the DC.
Pick to Light. Lights and LED displays are used to direct the picking process by indicating which product is to be picked and the quantity to pick. Pick to light systems can be used with a variety of product shelving and rack storage media. Picker is stationary or moves short distance. Application: high volume and limited number of SKUs.
Put to Light. Similar to a pick to light process however in this process, the item is sorted and packed or “put” into a shipping carton for shipment directed by lights and LED’s. Application: High volume, limited number of SKUs. Printed collateral picked into carton riding on conveyors.
Wave Picking. All items regardless of locations or zones are picked simultaneously and directed to one specific location where they are sorted and combined into individual orders.
Packing
There are less automated options to improve the packing process. Earlier we mentioned pack verification to cut errors (bar code scan and RF section). Conveyors can be used to bring customer orders to pack stations and move product to shipping and manifesting or sort into carriers or tucks. Box erectors, automated sealers, envelop inserters, etc. are low tech solutions to be considered.
Carousel
Horizontal or vertical automated material handling storage and delivery system where the product is delivered to a fixed location. Typically, multiple units are employed to eliminate picker “dwell” time. Application: picking small item split case items, repair parts and kits; a customer reports productivity rates exceeding 400 lines per hour while picking flower bulbs and seed packets in season.
Flow Rack
Racking type that consists of slanted roller sections within a frame that permits stocking from the rear of the rack and product placement near the front of the rack for easy picking. Provides relatively high density pick facings with corresponding storage behind the pick carton. Application: high volume, fast selling products. Conveyors to move customer orders (cartons) to pick the remainder of slower selling orders.
In-Line Scale and Scanner
Weighing scale and scanners positioned as part of shipping conveyors to allow manifest information to be gathered while product continues to move to carrier truck without manual bar code scanning by operator. Application: higher volume required to justify.
Mezzanine and automation
Structure with a warehouse designed to add additional levels for operations. It can be free standing or rack/shelving supported. Makes good use of unused cubic space above existing operations. Need to consider movement of product up to the raised mezzanine and down to be sure of best use. Expensive to add. Application: increase capacity of DC for product storage, packing materials and specialized operations as well as pick modules.
Conveyors
Conveyors are used for horizontal transport of product. Application: Whenever possible, the use of a simple transfer conveyor system can improve operating efficiencies by reducing handlings and walk time. Make sure the cost of the equipment is justified. Conveyor selection is based on the size and weight of the product and the throughput volume. Accumulation has to be planned for in any conveyor design. Here are a few types of conveyors to consider:
Spiral Conveyor – conveyor designed to move product from one level (like a mezzanine) to another in a small footprint by using a tight spiral configuration. Consider the grade (drop in height) and breakability of product (if the product falls off). Application: Retailer used mezzanine and spiral conveyor to house their fulfillment in a larger retail DC.
Flex Conveyor – portable conveyor that can be expanded, contracted, or curved as needed. Application: This can be used by many operations (even the smallest) at a reasonable investment primarily to move cartons inbound from dock to receiving and outbound for truck loading.
Sortation
There are many different types of sorters cross belt, pop up, push sorter, sliding shoe sorters, etc. to name a few. Don’t get hung up on where each is used. Remember they are a means to the ends – the benefits you plan to reap. However, several types are worth calling out:
Shipping Sorter – conveyor system that diverts and sorts completed shipping cartons by shipping carrier and/or shipping class of service.
Tilt Tray Sorter – conveyor sorting system utilizing moving trays that tilt to divert product or cartons to designated locations. Used for product sorting (unit sorters) and carton sorting (shipping sorters). Application: only the very largest DCs because of investment required.
Unit Sorter – automated process using conveyors and bar code scanning to divert individual units of product to a packing station to be packed and sent to shipping.
The problem you are designing to solve will dictate the sorters and diverters that can best solve the issues.
Consultants Versus Systems Integrators
As you assess your operation, consider hiring a consultant to objectively evaluate your best options and savings. Systems integrators will often “give free consulting” in exchange for the automation contracts if the deal proceeds. Be sure the systems integrator has the breadth of experience and the interest in identifying all the options for your DC. Many solutions will involve changes in layout, process and information systems which may not have any sales potential for them. Objectively arriving at the right solution for your business is key.
Gain The Intended Results
So, you’ve done your homework and have a plan of action to improve your DC’s productivity. Most of the time application of automation are major projects. Who will project manage the implementation? Do you have the buy in of your supervisors to implement the solution and keep the day to day operations running? What is realistic given their job daily responsibilities and experience? Be sure you have worked through the training requirements and process as well as providing the time to work up the proficiency and speed. In many cases it will mean a break in period where productivity is slower before it reaches its intended levels. Key point: How much on-site coverage will the solution providers and their suppliers have during “Go Live” and is it sufficient? Have a contingency plan. Don’t abandon your current solution until your new solution is operational. Have you included a post implementation audit in your implementation process to identify things still requiring solutions after a reasonable period following “Go Live”? These are all essential issues to address to gain the benefits and ROI.
Summary
Before you start looking at automation solutions, identify where your distribution can gain the most benefit through an objective, independent warehouse assessment. Remember, there generally is more total benefits in the synergy of process improvement, work flow improvement, improved use of your order management and warehouse management system more effectively than in automation alone.

This article was originally posted by F. Curtis Barry & Company

Do you know where to find your solutions?

admin — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 20:08:40 +0000

Last December, when we had no more space to put away our pots and pans or cups and glasses in the kitchen, it became blindingly obvious that our growing family had stretched the capacity of our home. We decided to relocate to a new house in a neighboring county with a nice big kitchen -twice the size of the old kitchen!

It wasn’t until we moved into the new house and started to put things away when we realized that although the new kitchen is much bigger, it really only had 1 more cabinet then our old kitchen. Once again we find ourselves performing the exercise of cramming things into cabinets in a disorganized manner, never being able to find anything when you need it and having to remove 10 things you don’t need to get to the 1 thing that you do….I am sure some of you can relate out there!

Finally, I just couldn’t live like that anymore! The systems engineer in me took over and began to create a layout of my new dream kitchen. All new cabinets, an island in the middle, pull out drawers everywhere, each crevice of space utilized to the max – the result of which would include a huge investment.

Pause to think about this.

One day we stopped by our local, ubiquitous department store and found a butcher block island with 1 drawer, 1 cabinet, and a couple of shelves; not a huge investment. We decided to go ahead and buy the butcher block in the meantime. All of a sudden, everything has a place, and the kitchen looks great!

The important thing to remember is that there is always a huge, complicated, and expensive solution to any problem you may have. It is easy to get wrapped up in getting your solutions implemented quickly. However, sometimes the perfect solution that really fits your needs, at a much more favorable cost, is out there if you take the time and know where to look.

Chris Sheehan
Systems Engineer
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1509 F: 804.794.6515
www.PeakLogix.com

Skipping Steps

admin — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 18:11:44 +0000

It is interesting for me to ponder the differences between my professional self and personal self. While I am out in the field conducting service at various job sites, I have a stellar track record for following proper procedures. Procedures that have been put into place to ensure safety criteria are being met, etc. It is important to realize just how much your environment can potentially modify a situation and possibly even cause a lapse in judgment.

Here is a personal example that might cause some of you to chuckle:

A few months ago, I gave a friend of mine a hard time about neglecting to call Mrs. Utility prior to beginning an outdoor project. Mrs. Utility of Virginia is a free service that is offered to assist homeowners (and others) to avoid damaging underground utility lines on their property. It is a great service that is generally referred to at least 3 working days prior to beginning any digging project.

Recently I am eager to finish a sidewalk/edging project – just a small project, no need to call anyone right? WRONG! Upon digging deeper and deeper into a frustrating “root” problem – edging should always be perfectly level right? – I pulled out the reciprocating saw. Rounds one and two went to the root but this is a five round bout. Finally, after replacing a few blades – I didn’t think too much of that little “root” killing my blades – I dug on and finally broke through the root.

As I began pulling that “root” out, I remember feeling a sense of victory. Then it hit me, “what is that hand full of plastic and metal shavings along with the root?” – Oh No! I didn’t just cut an underground power cable once, but twice. Now, you and I both know that if I had needed to find that particular cable for any other wholesome reason, I probably never would have been able to, but that’s another story.

This is where the important lesson comes into play. Since I didn’t heed my own advice and follow the proper procedures on my project (i.e, calling Mrs. Utility), the cost of my project has skyrocketed and to make matters worse, my friend is now heckling me while my wife gloats on in her “I told you to call” moment.

It is important to remember that in a pinch, it might be easy to justify skipping a couple of steps, procedures or manufactures guidelines. As my story has illustrated, we are usually much better off in the long run if we follow the proper procedures. It is important to understand that policies, procedures and safety guidelines are in place to ensure that your operations are profitable – with equipment running optimally and your employees safe….making it home in one piece so they can return ready to work the next day. Ultimately, following the proper procedures will save you time and money in the long run.

John Garrett
Service Manager
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1512 F: 804.794.6515
24/7 Service Hotline 866.850.8559
www.PeakLogix.com

The Right Buttons

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:22:32 +0000

Several weeks ago I was invited to join one of our clients at their annual general managers meeting down in Florida. The keynote address was given by Jim Craig, the goalie from the 1980 U S Hockey team that beat the Russians and won the gold medal – the “Miracle on Ice”.

Jim Craig’s message to the attendees related how a group of “no name” college kids from all over the country were able to come together and become a TEAM. A team that was able to beat the best hockey team on the planet.

The general managers in attendance heard from Jim about how his coach (Herb Brooks) discovered what made each team member tick to enable him to then successfully push “the right buttons” for each player to come together as a team and play their very best. The message was inspiring and made all of the general managers motivated to try and do the same with each of their teams.

According to Jim, the critical piece necessary to ensure the victory is communicating the vision, setting the goal and motivating each individual to come together as a team to achieve it….sounds simple but in reality it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication.

If each general manager is willing to put forth the effort and dedication necessary to discover and engage “the right buttons” to lead and motivate their team while communicating the vision, they will successfully meet their goals as a company.

Robert Giberson

Principal
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1504

C: 804.337.2045

F: 804.794.6515
www.PeakLogix.com

Variety – The Spice of Life

admin — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 16:26:53 +0000

As has become tradition, the family and I loaded up and headed north to visit friends and family back home in Allentown, Pennsylvania for the July 4^th weekend. During the visit, several folks asked how my career with PeakLogix is going and what types of projects I have been working on recently. As I answered, it struck me just how broad the customer base is that we work with on a daily basis. Granted projects will always vary in size and scope, as would be expected. But, the size of the various companies PeakLogix serves truly covers a vast spectrum as well.

As I continued to think through this more I realized that serving such a broad variety of companies is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding aspects of working at PeakLogix.

One day we have the opportunity to work on a large scale automation project for a well known national company, ultimately helping them service regions of people. Then the next day, we find ourselves in a small Mom-n-Pop shop helping them to find a little extra space through better storage or eliminate a nuisance safety issue.

There’s so much variety in the places we see and the people we have the privilege of meeting, it easily keeps things exciting for me. Exciting sure does make the days go by quickly – I guess that old adage really is true – time flies when you’re having fun!

Mike Holler
Director of Operations
PeakLogix
14409 Justice Rd
Midlothian, VA 23113
P: 804.302.1515 F: 804.794.6515

www.PeakLogix.com