The Warehousing Education and Research Council's (WERC) Facility Certification Program ended 2012 on a high note by certifying its 29th and 30th facilities: Ingersoll Rand/Trane (IRT) distribution centers located in Southaven, Miss., and Memphis, Tenn.

The two operations are very different, said IRT Multi-Site Leader David Phillips in a statement. The Southaven DC is a "traditional" warehouse, with efficient manual processes, while the brand-new Memphis facility has a three-story AS/RS, voice-directed picking, automatic sortation and conveyor systems, and very-narrow-aisle wire-guided material handling equipment, he said. IRT plans to implement a standard operating procedure based on the WERC standards in all of its warehouses and DCs.

WERC's Facility Certification is a voluntary program that requires applicants to undergo an independent audit of 114 processes in eight core areas of warehouse operations. Only facilities that achieve a minimum score are certified and recognized by WERC. Additional information about the program can be found on the association's website or by contacting Chad Pilbeam at (630) 320-5808.