Plumbing, HVAC and industrial product distributor First Supply utilized warehouse automation technology to dramatically bolster both capacity and picking speed at its new distribution hub, company officials said.
Warehouse robotics firm Exotec announced Tuesday that First Supply deployed its Skypod-powered automation solution to concentrate its products vertically and accelerate “robotics-supported” picking. The Wisconsin-based distributor, in turn, can now offer next-morning delivery at scale for orders placed by 5 p.m., officials said.
More than 14,000 SKUs are in First Supply’s Skypod system; the technology enabled a four-fold increase in storage capacity — without expanding its existing racking footprint — as well as a 10-fold jump in picking speeds compared to manual processes. The system also provides 30% additional capacity for “future hardware expansion.”
Exotec officials noted that the system helped First Supply quickly provide supplies last summer in the wake of severe flash flooding in southeastern Wisconsin.
“Having a significant percentage of each day’s order volume delivered via the ultra-fast and efficient Skypod system enables First Supply to meet peak season and peak daily demand,” First Supply Chief Logistics Officer Steve Baer said in a statement. “The system is productive, efficient, and will enable the facility to grow with minimal disruption over time.”
First Supply announced the opening of its new central distribution hub in West Salem, Wisconsin, last September.
