Year in review: 2018 System Reports

When a company appears on the cover of Modern, it is to recognize their achievement in putting equipment to work to boost productivity, customer service and company growth. But each story is also an achievement for the industry, whose innovation in all corners of the market helped to make the cover story possible.

Across manufacturing, warehousing and distribution applications, the companies and solutions we showcased were sometimes simple, sometimes incredibly sophisticated. Even those hardware and software elements that seem familiar, however, are getting smarter and more connected all the time, buzzing with the promise of the Industrial Internet of Things.

These companies share common service level objectives, but the diversity of their paths to success serves as a reminder that each organization is unique. In several instances, it also illustrates how imagination informs innovation.

2018 System Reports
Preferred Freezer’s new take on automation
PFS built one of the largest and most automated AS/RS freezers in the world in Washington state. Next up is a new design for automation.

Trinchero Family Estates: Pallet handling in the vineyard
The second-largest family-owned wine company in the world turns to automated pallet handling and storage for its winemaking and distribution operations.

Next-gen supply chain at DHL
Here’s how one of the world’s largest 3PLs is looking to tomorrow’s innovative technologies, including heads-up display and robotics, to transform its operations today.

Warehouse System Report: A.B. Beverage racks up productivity
A.B. Beverage improved throughput and eliminated a third shift through better warehouse design and a new rack system.

S.narendrakumar & Co. automates its operations
With two automated storage and retrieval systems, the manufacturer of India’s best-selling brand of spices has made the leap from manual to automated processes.

Goya Foods’ secret ingredient: Lift trucks
The leader in Hispanic food and beverage products puts a variety of lift trucks and racks to work in its distribution centers, including a special Goya spec truck.

Arvato SCM Solutions: Fashion logistics
At its Hannover, Germany, facility, e-commerce logistics provider Arvato SCM Solutions is using pouch sortation technology to speed orders to market and dramatically reduce its returns processing time for a fashion leader.

Office supplies logistics at Dimerc Office
Chile’s largest B2B distributor of office supplies added a three-level pick module and a high-speed shipping sorter to its distribution center. The result was a 30% increase in productivity.

NextGen Supply Chain at DHL
Here’s how one of the world’s largest 3PLs is looking to tomorrow’s innovative technologies, including heads-up display and robotics, to transform its operations today.

System Report: Luxottica keeps it simple
Simplification and consolidation drove the design of a new 1.1-million-square-foot logistics campus in Georgia, including a 713,000-square-foot distribution center.

Resilience and innovation at Gap Inc.
Just months before the start of the 2016 holiday season, one of Gap Inc.’s distribution centers was destroyed by fire. Here’s the story of how resilience and innovation saved the day.

Educational Development Corp. writes a new chapter in distribution
When business surged as a result of social media and a new distribution method, children’s book distributor Educational Development Corp. designed a new DC, bringing automation to the company’s processes. The result has been considerably more storage and a major improvement in productivity.