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ANN TAYLOR DOUBLES VOLUME At National Distribution Center Most people would need to clone themselves in order to double their work output. Ann Taylor more than doubled the product volume it moves through their national distribution center in Louisville, KY with the addition of a smarter, better-designed material handling system.  After operating the revamped distribution system for just over two years, Ann Taylor reports greater accuracy, improved efficiency and quicker delivery from this new system. More importantly, the volume of product handled peaked at over 350,000 units per day - more than double their previous capability.Part of the success in revamping their distribution facility is due to a 15,000 square-foot structural mezzanine from Schmidt. The 15 foot high mezzanine allowed Ann Taylor to better utilize the cubic design of the building while improving product flow and operations, including the shade determination process. It also provided them with more usable floor space beneath the structure. After it's unloaded from the truck, all product runs through an initial shade determination process based on information in its SKU. In the apparel industry, the SKU often needs to be complemented with a product's style, size and color. After this initial step, some product is cross-docked directly to shipping.  Other material is placed on a conveyor and transported up to the mezzanine level for a second step of shade determination. It's imperative that an Ann Taylor store doesn't receive the same style and size of a shaded garment without accurate shade assignment. This is especially true on items that are coordinated together. Each carton's unique bar code contains specific history including purchase order number, color, style, SKU and quantity.
A cross-belt sorter installed on the mezzanine reads a box's barcode and then determines which of 40 chutes the box should go down. At the bottom of each chute, the product is then palletized manually for put-away and shipping, either by way of a unit sort process or full case. This new system means that product is touched as few times as necessary. Ann Taylor had previously been using a rack support system in the space where the Schmidt mezzanine is now stationed. The old structure required a greater number of columns in a tighter pattern. This created a virtual forest of uprights that often posed as obstructions to flow. The new Schmidt mezzanine, on the other hand, can support much wider spans and allow for better utilization.  This revamped material handling process for Ann Taylor's national distribution center was designed through the rigorous and cooperative efforts of Ann Taylor, Kurt Salmon Associates (KSA) and Key Handling Systems. Key Handling implemented the solution, working with critical team members at Ann Taylor and KSA as well as Schmidt to install the mezzanine. Key Handling selected Schmidt based on a long-standing working relationship and the company's commitment to excellence.Based on the success of this project, Key Handling has been awarded the next step in revamping the total capacity of this distribution center. This will entail updating the shipping systems, including greater on-the-fly print and apply capacity. The new system will be supported by two Schmidt structures and mezzanines. |
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