The world's best loved candle and largest manufacturer of scented
candles extends its state of the art picking system to increase
distribution capacity following the move to the new European
Headquarters in Avonmouth.
Yankee Candle(r) Europe relocated its new premises in June 2012 to
accommodate its plan for future growth of the business. The increased
warehouse facilities enables higher levels of stock to be held onsite,
increased volume of orders to be dispatched for retail outlets, export
customers and a growing online business. The move also enables the
company to avoid the additional cost of off-site storage.
Having installed the original highly customised 'flexible zone'
pick-to-light system in the previous building, to improve picking
efficiency and reduce picking errors, SSI Schaefer were contracted back
to extend the system to accommodate the new warehouse and increased
distribution at the new site.
In just one month, SSI Schaefer dismantled the existing zone picking
system made up of carton live storage, pick-by-light picking and
conveyor-based carton sortation, transported it to the new DC and
reinstalled it in conjunction with a complete reconfiguration and
extension. At 175,000 square feet, this new DC is almost three times the
size of the original facility and the addition extra pallet positions
has significantly increased storage capacity.
There are now more picking locations in the carton live storage, an
additional full case 'pick to belt conveyor', additional 'sort-to-route'
sortation lanes for completed orders and separate shipping carton feeds
from two zone picking areas. The whole system has also been given a
complete software overhaul including additional interfaces to contract
carriers' systems.
Bruce Mitchell, Operations Manager, Yankee Candle(r) Europe, said: "SSI
Schaefer ensured the movement of the picking system to our new DC in
Avonmouth was accomplished without a hitch.
"The additional full case picking functionality provided by the extended
system has considerably speeded up our operation, enabling us to more
tightly control our picking and wave management. We now have a system
which is future-proof and flexible enough to accommodate further
expansion when needed."
The extended automated system which includes additional sortation
capability and a new automated full case picking area has and will
enable Yankee Candle(r) Europe to continue increasing its throughput
efficiency of the picking operation and accommodate with ease, future
requirements of its growing internet business.