Systems Integration Articles
Your company may be prepared for fires, floods, and labor strikes. But does it have a plan for dealing with material handling system breakdowns?
When a new line of business caused backups at Koch Entertainment's packing stations, an automated packaging system cleared the logjam. Now the music and film distributor is shipping a lot more orders in much less time.
In Simon & Schuster's fast-paced distribution operations, the warehouse management system may call the shots. But it's the warehouse control system that makes sure things get done.
Runaway growth over the past decade had put a strain on order fulfillment capabilities at The Swiss Colony's Madison, Wis., DC. But an automated system has transformed it into a well-oiled operation.
Lots of vendors will tell you their material handling equipment is ready to "plug and play." But the reality is, there will still be a need for systems integrators for a long time to come.
Though Latin America is still playing catch-up when it comes to supply chain technology, it will progress quickly over the next few years—if vendors can avoid some potential roadblocks.
It's no secret that our industry has an image problem. What kid goes off to college with career plans to work in a distribution center?
By investing in some new conveyors and a pop-up sorter, online grocer Peapod eliminated a notorious bottleneck in its DC operation and boosted capacity by 50 percent.
The employee hiring process can be a political minefield. And now we're confronted with a whole new issue—who's legal and who's not.

