Doctors Foster and Smith
System Summary:
Doctors Foster and Smith is a leading provider of a wide variety of animal supplies and pet products for most all companion animals. Drs. Foster & Smith is the largest pet supply cataloger in the nation. DFS conducts its sales via phone and web orders, shipping from their distribution center in Rhinelander, Wisconsin.
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Business Challange:
- DFS had a number of products which could not travel on the existing conveyor system due to their large size.
- DFS wanted to incorporate a new area in the DC for Vaccine order fulfillment.
- The new system needed to be installed while DFS continued operating 6 days a week.
- ASAP had to get the new system operating before the busy season.
Solution:
- Add a new “Last Pick” area including multiple pick zones, a Vaccine pick area, recirculation loop, order consolidation area, and new pack area.
- The conveyor system is able to route totes to multiple pick zones to add items.
- The new system was connected to the existing system so that orders including vaccines or other “last pick” items could either be routed there from the main pick module or originate in the new area.
- The new system was connected to the existing outbound shipping sorter.
Results:
- The system was able to quickly meet design throughput upon startup.
- ASAP met the required schedule for completion before DFS’s busy season.
- DFS was able to continue operating undisturbed while the new system was installed, tested, and started up.
- The large products were seamlessly integrated into the existing system.
