An automatic sorting system has enabled the Spanish children’s clothing distributor Millamed to radically improve the order fulfillment process at its distribution center in Malaga. The volume that Millamed previously handled over an entire week is now processed in a single working day. The features of the system include:
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INCREASED PRODUCTIVITY – the new system handles in one day the orders previously fulfilled over an entire week
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CONSULTING AND DBI METHOD (Design Build Integrate) – analysis of operational data, precise description of existing processes, and the selection of appropriate technical solutions resulted in a solution that meets both today’s requirements and Millamed’s business goals for the next few years
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AUTOMATION – the introduction of process automation allowed for a stable increase in process efficiency and improved product loading and storage
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RELIABLE PROCESS CONTROL – modern software and improved goods flow have increased the reliability of inventory information and enabled the automatic generation of necessary reports.
Challenge
Sales of Charanga brand clothing were growing by 30% year on year. To cope with such sales growth, moving to a new 12,000 sqm Millamed distribution center and making minor modifications to the order fulfillment process were no longer sufficient. A thorough analysis of the existing process and the preparation of a completely new solution were necessary.
Orders for 168 Millamed stores located in Spain, Portugal, the Middle East, and South America were being picked manually. The company was able to handle two full order picking cycles per week. Additional pressure on distribution came from orders for Factory Outlets, where last year’s collections were sold. Millamed needed a completely new operating model; a model that would guarantee an improvement in the distribution center’s response time to store orders, as well as a significant reduction in errors, improved process control, and quick access to data.
The solution proved to be a sorting system – not only for today’s business needs but also for the coming years, giving Millamed the ability to efficiently manage projected sales in the years ahead. The implemented solution enables the handling of two full Picking Waves for Charanga brand stores and a single wave of orders for Factory Outlets – all within one day!
System
The implemented system consists of a 43-meter sorting device mounted on a steel frame at a height of 3.5 m above floor level. Around the main frame of the sorter, based on a carousel concept, move 118 metal trays – divided into two equal, movable parts that open over the target drop point exactly like bomb bay doors – hence the name for the entire device: a “bomb bay” sorter. Below the circulating trays are 100 drop points (so-called “drop stations“).
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2/2010.