Getting organized is a huge part of efficiently managing a business, especially when it comes to distribution. Without organization, it becomes difficult to find the items you need to send out to customers. At ABCO Systems, we understand the importance of organization and safety in a distribution center and work hard to bring you the quality warehouse solutions you need. Used pallet racks are a productive way to save you money, space, and time while making your warehouse more efficient.

Save Money

Getting organized is great for business efficiency, but it also means investing in organization materials and solutions. The cost of new materials quickly adds up. Investing in high-quality used materials like our used pallet racks is the perfect way to save some money while getting the solutions you need to keep your business running smoothly.

Save Space

Pallet rack installation allows you to store items in a manner that saves you an immense out of warehouse space. Pallet racks are a vertical storage system where it is easy to locate specific items and remove them with a forklift. With these racks in place, you will be able to store even more product in your warehouse and reduce the footprint of your warehouse, saving you space and money.

Save Time

With the installation of pallet racks and an organizational system to store your products, you save time by being able to quickly locate items as opposed to trying to find them in a cluttered maze on the warehouse floor.

Ultimately, used pallet racks from ABCO Systems is a productive and safe way to get your distribution center organized. Call us to find out more about the cost savings and benefits of our used pallet rack selection.

The post Save Money, Space, and Time With Used Pallet Racks appeared first on ABCO Systems.

We have discussed in the past whether the prices for mezzanines justify their inclusion in your distribution center or warehouse. In this earlier article we break out some cost scenarios for mezzanines  and help you figure out whether the cost of a mezzanine is a good investment for your company. Let’s look at cost as only one part of the equation for mezzanines and delve into some additional ones as well.

Cost: If you are near one of the coasts or in a place where real estate cost if high, say you are looking at the price for mezzanines in New Jersey, it makes sense to put a mezzanine into your building because that will be less than gaining space by acquiring more real estate.

You pay for the mezzanine once, whereas your square footage is a monthly recurring cost. The true beauty of investing in a mezzanine is that you increase your usable space without increasing your monthly rent. And if you own your distribution center you get an increase of floor space without having the cost of building out.

Flexibility: Mezzanines can be used to support almost any application that you can think of in the warehouse. Not just for additional storage but as pick modules, or as office space or GOH storage, the use of mezzanines vary for your individual situation and your individual goals.

How you use your mezzanine will affect the end cost so be sure to factor that into your calculations. For instance flow rack with an integrated conveyor system will be more expensive than office space

However cost should not be your only consideration for how you use your mezzanines, you also need to think about your process and how you can get the best ROI.

Less disruption: Often we can install a mezzanine without interrupting the day to day operations of your distribution center or warehouse. This means that you are not losing any money or incurring downtime while you are increasing the productivity of your distribution center when you add a mezzanine. Compare that to moving your operations to gain space.

So while the price of mezzanines is an important consideration there are other benefits that you should consider as well. If you are thinking about adding a mezzanine or you are interested in seeing how we can help optimize the space that you have, give ABCO Systems a call and let’s talk.

The post Benefits Go Beyond Price for Mezzanines in a Warehouse appeared first on ABCO Systems.

On July the Fourth we celebrate the Unites States’ independence. However, in the material handling industry we often forget about how our dependence on one another is what really counts.

Dependence for some reason has some bad connotations, the phrase co-dependent is a watch word for relationships, but dependence should be celebrated.

We depend on our loyal customers because without them we would not be in business.

We depend on our great suppliers because without them we would have nothing to offer our customers.

We depend on our wonderful employees because without them we wouldn’t be able to service our customers.

So while dependence is not a bad thing, you want to ensure that the people and companies you depend on are, well, dependable. You want to be able to trust the people that you depend on.

You want to ensure that when you are told something will happen that it happens. When you are given a date to do something it is done.

Now material handling is not so cut and dry that everything always works out perfectly, but when you have trust you know that people will try their hardest to make sure that you get what you need. And when something isn’t done you trust that they will explain why it did not and try to make it right.

That is why we always strive to help our customers. To be more of a partner then just a vendor. We know that our relationship with our customers is what we need to value the most.

We always want to treat our suppliers fairly because that’s how we want to be treated. In the past we have written about how our suppliers have helped us out because we were able to maintain such a great relationships.

Our employees know that we want to be more than just a vendor to our customers. That’w why we try to act internally like we do externally.

If you want to deal with a material handling partner that is more than just a supplier, contact ABCO Systems and let’s talk.

The post Celebrating Independence in Material Handling appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Material Handling Integration requires experience and a high degree of application knowledge in order to select the right components. The sum of the distribution centers parts should always be more than its parts.

There are a multitude of questions that you have to ask yourself. How you integrate, where and how your product is stored, where you store it, how you store it and how you pick it all have an impact on the efficiency of your system. Whether you choose to store whole pallets, cases or pieces should be analyzed by someone who can recommend the best option. And how you pick those SKU’s all need to be looked at closely. In addition, you maybe able to discover efficiency by storing different SKU’s in different ways.

It is not only the way that you store and pick your products that influences how well you warehouse operates. How you move your products between the different modules in your warehouse has a big effect on your distribution center.

For instance, take the conveyors used. In one distribution center you can have case conveyor, pallet conveyor, chain conveyor and gravity conveyor all feeding different parts of your operation.

There might be three different categories of conveyor; one capable of handling a single piece, another to transport cases and a third capable of conveying a pallet. All the conveyors have different design criteria and specifications. The conveyors might need to be integrated with other operations that take place while the product is being conveyed such as weighing, scanning, labeling etc.

Material handling Integration can get very complicated very quickly. That is why you need to make sure that the company you chose for your material handling integration is experienced in all the aspects from design to installation.

Contact ABCO Systems today and see how we can help you with your distribution center project.

The post Successful Material handling Integration Depends on Experience appeared first on ABCO Systems.

In the market there seems to be some confusion about how you should use pallet rack supports and wire mesh.

For instance, many people use wire rack for pallet support. Often wire decking is not rated for supporting the weight of a pallet. The better solution here is pallet rack support.

Here is a quick breakdown of what each of these products add to your warehouse racking.

Pallet Supports: Pallet supports are an added stability for your pallets.

Why do I need added support for my pallet racks? Don’t the pallets bear the weight of my product?

Theoretically, however as we all know the uniform strength of pallets aren’t very uniform.

Also if you have pallets that don’t quite reach across the span or might require extra support, this is what you need.  There are a variety of pallet supports for different applications and come in galvanized to powder coated supports. In addition to style, they also support different weights and can vary in length.

Pallet support bars are usually designed to connect over the pallet rack step beam or sit inside the step of the beam to support the bottom of load and reinforce the system as a whole. They are generally used with selective style pallet racking

Pallet supports are affordable, but you can also purchase used pallet supports to save even more money.

Pallet supports will not prevent loose material from creating a hazard to people, products or machinery below the racks. For that you need…

Wire Decking: Wired decking’s main selling point is that it can be added to pallet rack so you can store split cases and open cases. An additional advantage is that it prevents the aforementioned loose articles from damaging anything below.

Like pallet supports, wire decking comes in a variety of styles to fit with your rack.

While wire decking does provide a measure of support and stability to your pallet rack, it is not sturdy enough to support pallets alone.

Wired decking has mostly replaced the old wooden or plywood decking formerly used in warehouse. In addition to being more durable, it also has safety advantages over wooden decking. In the event of a fire, wire decking allows water from sprinklers to penetrate a much greater area than solid wood.

Every warehouse is unique and has it’s own circumstances. You may need any combination of pallet supports, wire decking or both in different parts of your warehouse.

If you need help deciding what you need in your warehouse contact ABCO Systems. We can help with all of your distribution center and warehouse questions.

The post Pallet Rack Support or Wire Deck or Both? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

To a lot of people, June means the NBA finals.  As I watched the games I  thought about how a good material handling partner is like a successful playoff team.  Whether it is for a championship or a completed project, both want to win.  When you get down to it, a good team is a good team no matter whether it is in sports or material handling.

But how can you ensure that you partner with a “winning” material handling company? The ways in which the sports team and a material handling team win have similarities.  In basketball you count points in points from baskets.  In material handling you select a winner by counting points too.

Point 1 Good Groundwork:  There are hundreds of variables that come into play with making a team successful.  From personnel, to game plan, to strategy, to coaching, to owners; millions of little things affect the outcome.  It is the same thing when designing a warehouse.

So you must ensure that little things are taken care of when you interact with a company.  Is attention given to small things?  Do they keep small promises?  Be sure the initial groundwork is done right.

Point 2 Personnel:  To have a successful team in basketball and in material handling you need the right people.  You need to be sure that your partner has able people in key areas to have the “best” team.

Point 3 Teamwork:  Does everybody seem to know the plan inside and out and their role in the plan?  The point guard needs to know what everybody else is doing and how they relate to the overall plan..

Likewise, sales must know what engineering is doing and engineering has to be on the same page with project management. There needs to be real communication to guarantee everyone on the team works together.

Point 4 Leadership:  In sports you have coaches who lead, and players who lead, but everyone knows which way to pull the rope.  In material handling, it is the same thing.   The team you chose for your material handling requirements must have leadership that coaches the team to pull in the direction you need.

Point 5 Adaptable:  While material handling and basketball teams are built around a certain concept, they have to adapt to challenges.   If you have the same game plan for opponent or every project, you jeopardize your chance of success.

Your supply chain partner needs to be adaptable and have a team that can tackle new challenges or business requirements.

So there are your 5 points for picking a winning material handling partner.  Want more information on a great material handling tram contact ABCO Systems.

The post How a Good Material Handling Partner is like a Playoff Team appeared first on ABCO Systems.

I am starting to hear a theme from companies considering how to upgrade your warehouse needs recently.

“I really want to upgrade our distribution center, but we can’t shut everything down to rip out our current system to install a new system..  And we don’t have excess room where we can expand.

And we aren’t moving. Our DC manager loves the Thai place down the street.”

What I hear is a desire for a more efficient distribution center battling with lack of space.

The answer to how companies can get past this hurdle is found in the “the shell game”

As long as you have a detailed plan this version isn’t as much of a gamble.   If you need help with formulating your a great supply chain partner can help (here’s how to pick one).

But let’s say you just want something basic to start with, en route to your final plan. The following is a simple guide that works in many situations.

First, you need to create some space.  The easiest way to do this is to move all your back stock and “D” movers to offsite storage.

This is where a lot of your expense will come in.  There is the cost of the offsite storage and the cost of transportation back and forth.  Bear in mind your dc will be more inefficient at this time.

Moving the slow movers (and their racking) buys you room to install the new picking area or mezzanine,or more flow rack or whatever upgrade you want to make.

Finally, after installing your new components  you can remove old areas and and convert it to “D” mover storage.  Remember that “D movers” are usually best housed on static rack.

So there you have a basic plan for transitioning to an efficient warehouse. If you need more planning contact ABCO Systems and we can help you upgrade your warehouse.

The post Upgrade Your Warehouse While Continuing Operations appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Often when I think of the material handling industry I think it can easily be divided into two distinct camps. There are those who are looking to become your partner in material handling, and those who are just looking to be a supplier. It is easier and most likely cheaper to operate as a supplier then as a partner, but I think most customers are really looking to have a partner. Here is why.

Consultative Sale: When you work with a partner you have a person who is on your side trying to help you get the best solution for your need. And they will  ensure that you get the best solution, even if they achieve a better margin by giving you a less helpful solution.

A suppliers main goal is to sell you as much pallet rack, or whatever they sell, as possible. Regardless of whether this is the best solution for your warehouse.

Customer Service: A supplier sees customer service as a necessary evil, something they have to do because it is expected.

Contrast this to, a material handling partner is providing customer service because they are there to help your business be successful. They see customer service as part of the sale and a needed part of the relationship. If your business is more successful, a partner will count that as a win.

Shared Knowledge: A partner has every reason to want to educate their customer about how they can improve their warehouse, even if it doesn’t mean an increase in sales. As a customer, you will appreciate the knowledge share and be more likely to work with your partner in the future.

On the other hand, a supplier has no benefit in sharing knowledge outside of what they are trying to sell. All they want to share is the latest price sheet.

If you are tired of working with a material handling supplier give ABCO Systems a call . Let us see how we can help your business become more competitive.

The post Do You have a Material Handling Partner or Just a Supplier? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Pallet rack comes in many different varieties, some more common than others. Here is a quick guide to what need each type of pallet rack fulfills, and what kind of of pallet rack you will need. Be sure to refer to our article about 4 things to Know before buying Pallet rack as a companion piece to to this piece.

Selective Pallet Rack

Selective pallet rack is the most common type of pallet rack. Usually you find it a “tear-drop” style, which refers to the shape of the holes where mounting clips are positioned. This gives you the option of changing the height of the load beams for pallets of differing sizes fairly easily.

In addition, you could have structural pallet racks where the load beams are supported by bolts instead of clips. While not as fast to change as tear-drop they can support considerably more weight.

These pallet rack are common and the most inexpensive type.  An ordinary forklift can be used to store and retrieve in these types of rack.

Double Deep Pallet Rack

Double deep rack refers to a selective pallet rack placed two deep. A double deep rack system can increase storage space by as much as 60%. The type of selective rack used can be the tear-drop or the bolt on type of rack. Double deep rack is a great option for handling high throughput in your distribution center

While using this system will generate a great deal more storage space, it also requires the use of a double-deep reach forklift or a reach truck. These can be a bit more complicated to operate than a regular forklift. Reach trucks also require a counter balance which will add to the cost of your pallet handling equipment.

Drive-Through Pallet Rack

Drive through pallet rack allows for even greater storage capacity then double deep, up to 10+ racks deep. In this configuration the forklift drives through the rack and the pallets rest on rails that come out from the side of the racks. You can even enter the pallet rack though either side allowing greater flexibility in design and if needed you can pick pallets from both sides at once.

The advantage is that you can still use a regular forklift and you get great storage capacity. The downside is that this configuration only works if you have a great deal of like product.

Pallet Flow Rack

Like drive through pallet rack pallet, flow rack offers great storage density.

In this pallet rack, the pallets are loaded in the rear of the rack and then flow towards the front because the rear of the pallet is on an angle that causes the pallet to flow to the front. This gives you the benefit of first in, first out, or FIFO. This is very useful for products that can expire. You can also use a standard forklift for this type of pallet rack. Bear in mind that this rack is more expensive and offers about half the storage of a drive through rack.

While there are other types of pallet rack we haven’t’ mentioned in this post, these are four of the most common types.

If you need help deciding what type of rack you need for your operation, contact ABCO Systems. In addition to having any type of new rack you want, we also stock a great deal of used rack at great prices.

The post Choosing Your Pallet Rack appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Although it is easy  to decide on a new material handling system solely based on price, price is only one variable in choosing a partner to help you.  You want a distribution center or warehouse that will reflect your growing needs and demands.

While everyone wants to be have a competitive price, a major factor you will want to consider is what type of customer service do you get.

What happens when your new system causes your distribution center to not perform as promised? That’s where people really think about material handling service.  But there is not just service after the sell, but before the sell and during the sell.

During the sale: Does your material handling partner act like a salesperson or a consultant? Are they genuinely interested in helping you find the best solution or are they trying to sell you what they have on hand? Will they help you decide how best to build your system and what you really need for the best ROI?

After the sell: After you buy, does the company have a way to support you if there are any snags? Do they return your calls promptly and do they proactively work on a solution? Or do they disappear after the check clears?

If you are looking for a new partner how can you be sure?

Ask them if they will give you contact information from some of their customers. And then ask those customers probing questions. What was their experience, would they recommend your prospective partner?

Next, talk with your prospective supplier. Can they give you instances where something has gone wrong? How did they handle it? Is that how you would want them to handle your problem?

Hopefully from this you will be able to pick the best supplier for your material handling needs.

If you are looking for a new partner contact ABCO Systems. And if you want to see what our customers say, you can read their comments here.

The post The Most Important Factor in Choosing a Material Handling Partner appeared first on ABCO Systems.

I think everyone would like the opportunity to get an insight into their competitors and see exactly what they do vs. what you do.  Wouldn’t you love to pull back the curtain on your competition’s warehouse and logistics and see exactly why theirs is better?  What you can copy and what works?  How they handle their operations and what you can learn to really take it to them?

Well I can’t tell you exactly what your competition is doing, but I think I can make some educated guesses where they might be better than you.

Below are 5 reasons that might be worth thinking about.

They have a system, not components.  A material handling system designed to work with all components is more than the sum of its parts.  While buying piecemeal might be cheaper and encourage competition between your suppliers the lowest price is often not the best buy.  And if you buy from one supplier you have the benefit of only having to choke one neck.

They have a system designed to fit their business.  Your competitor knows their order profile and their product. They use this information to design their warehouse.  An e-commerce profile is different than a direct to store manufacturer, but often you can see the same system used in both (especially in manual solutions).  In other words, you can carry your clothes in a plastic grocery bag, but wouldn’t a suitcase work better?

They aren’t forced into decisions.  They don’t look around one day and realize that what they have is not working and that it hasn’t worked for a long time.  They have carefully thought through where they want to be in the next year, the next 5 years or the next 20 and they plan accordingly.

Their operation works with their employees not against.  We have all had “tools” that were supposed to make our lives easier don’t.  Of course, this happens in a warehouse environment too.  You want equipment that works with your employees.  You don’t want to buy a system or component employees have to work around to get their job done.

They use distribution as a way to have a competitive advantage.  Your competitor doesn’t see distribution as a necessary evil, but a way to provide his customers with better service.  He also knows that by thoughtfully making changes to his DC he can lower his cost for distribution and either pad the bottom line or pass the savings to the customer’s increasing loyalty.

Want to see if we can help you on your warehouse? Contact ABCO Systems today.

The post 5 Reasons Your Competitors Distribution Center is Better Than Yours appeared first on ABCO Systems.

The first reason to pay close attention to your conveyor system is to prevent downtime. We all know how much down time can hurt a busy warehouse or distribution center and always seems to come at the worst time.

For instance, when fulfilling a large order, when maintenance is short-staffed or during your peak season, downtime seems to rear it’s ugly head..

Nobody wants conveyor system problems two weeks before the holidays, right?

Another reason to keep an eye on your conveyor system is that periodic small repairs cost substantially less than replacing an entire system.

Luckily you can take some easy steps to  ensure your conveyor lasts as long as possible and you can head off larger problems.

Talk: The easiest way to make sure you have a well-maintained conveyor system is to talk to the people who are on the floor. They can usually tell when something is not working properly.

Make sure that your operators know to report conveyor issues promptly to maintenance or management.

Listen: While you need to listen to what your operators tell you, you should also listen to what your conveyor is telling you. If you are hearing odd or new noises from your conveyor, you need to investigate. This could mean that your lubrication should be examined, your belts are off or some other issue could be affecting your conveyor system.

Walk: While you are listening to your conveyor, walk the DC and see if you notice anything unusual with your conveyor systems.  Just like rack (link) you can often identify small problems before they become large ones.

Do you see loose wires? Are your photo eyes clean and operating correctly? Is there any debris under the conveyor that could be caused by a part going bad? For example, leaks or metal shavings?

If you hear or see any of the above and want an expert to take a look, contact ABCO Systems. We will do a free maintenance inspection on your conveyor system. In addition, we can lubricate your conveyor, examine the bearings and additional advanced conveyor maintenance which will save you money in the long run

The post Is Ignoring Conveyor Maintenance Costing You Money? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

As I look online for material handling equipment, I am struck by the number of businesses that sell new and used material handling equipment.  And then I think about the fact that no one seems to differentiate between the two except by one thing.

Price.

Price: Let’s get this out of the way. Used material handling equipment can be 30% less expensive than buying new. That is a huge savings when you are talking about the amount of material a lot of our customers have to buy.

While price may be one of the main reasons to buy used material handling equipment, there are some other considerations that you really need to take into account before you purchase.

Availability: This is a factor especially if you might need to add or replace parts of your system in the future.  For instance, does it matter if you get a great deal on some used pallet rack that is commonly found on the west coast if you can’t get it in New Jersey? If you think that you might need to expand with the same type, be sure that you use a brand that is widely available in your area.

Customization: You need to think about your specific use for the products. If your application will put a lot of wear on your system you might want to go with new.  This would also be the case if you need a custom size or modification.

However, If you have a fairly standard application though used might be the best way to go.

Need help deciding whether new or used equipment is the right pick for you? Feel free to contact ABCO Systems. We specialize in a great selection of new and used material handling equipment, with knowledgeable staff that wants to build a relationship with our customers, not just sales.

The post Deciding Between New or Used Material Handling Equipment appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Is it time for your warehouse to get new pallet rack?  Sometimes the need for new rack is expected, but sometimes it comes out of the blue.

No matter if it is expected or not whether you need new or used pallet rack contact ABCO Systems, we can help.

The post Time for New Pallet Rack? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

So you are ready for a new distribution center or warehouse? So what is the first step? Where do you start to make sure your project is a success? We have put together a quick walk through to what you need to do before talking to your prospective partners.

Goal: Why are you pursuing this project and what do you want to accomplish?  How will you consider this project a success?  Is this a reactive move or is this a calculated move to grow your business?

These goals will dictate how your system is built and what components will be used by your partner to design the system.

Data: You need to gather all the pertinent data about your current operation. Because of the vagaries of how SKU’s move it would be best to have at least a years worth of data.

What is the data that you need to know? You need to know SKU’s and their movement, your operational flow, throughput and size of the products. Do you have single pieces, cartons or cases?

Footprint:  What is the current footprint of your warehouse?  Will it change?  Are there areas that have to be kept clear for some other process?

You need to have the current layout of the operation and how it functions. You might also want to be ready to provide tours to prospective partners or shoot a video of the warehouse

Budget: How much do you have to spend on this project? This is the step that a lot of companies have a problem with. Their fear is, “Well if I tell them what I want to spend then they will just charge that for whatever system they want to sell me”

Let’s analyze that a bit. I assume that you are smart and you know what you are going to do your research and work with a reputable company.

You will also probably get bids from more than one provider. The prospective designers of your new warehouse know this and know that if they try to sell an undersized system for an over sized price they will immediately be out of the running, having wasted their time and yours.

The clear benefit to you is that you your prospective partner will know exactly what the last specification is for your project and you can come to a decision quicker, having a more successful project.

After you have thought about these questions and gotten all of your information together you will be ready to create an RFQ or start talking to prospective partners.

Want to work with a reputable partner that wants to build relationships, not just sales? Contact ABCO Systems and let’s talk about your project.

The post Must Know Info Before Building a New Warehouse appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Here at ABCO Systems we were recently contacted by our friends at the NJMC and informed that the requirements for permits are getting even more stringent.

But that’s ok, right?  Everyone loves dealing with government guidelines, and even when you make a mistake who is more forgiving than code enforcement branch of your local government?

The truth is that the permit facilitation and approval process continue to get more and more challenging. That’s not just for us who are performing permit facilitation in New Jersey, but across the country we are running into more stringent codes coupled with more stringent code officials.

Even if you aren’t in an area that the NJMC has jurisdiction over, all local code officials will follow a similar process.

When you chose a partner to work with you on your new warehouse or distribution center project you need someone who has the necessary acumen to navigate the permit facilitation process. Someone who can guide you through the process with as little headache as possible and ensure that your project goes smoothly.

So if you are contemplating a new distribution center or warehouse one of your first steps needs to be contacting a company that has experience with permit facilitation and who can save you time and money.

ABCO Systems works with you to ensure that all needed permits and applications are submitted on time and correctly. While other see permit facilitation as just something getting in the way of completing the project, we see it as one of the most necessary steps.  Permit Facilitation is part of the groundwork for a successful distribution center project.

As always we at ABCO Systems are here to help in whatever capacity we can.  Whether to  simply provide guidance, or service in terms of the permit facilitation, we are ready to take your call.

The post Proper Permit Facilitation Saves You Time and Money appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Knowing these important tips when preparing to purchase pallet rack can easily save you a great deal of time and money.

Layout:  It is important that you know the layout and size of your space. What does your warehouse look like?  How many feet of run will you have before each break?  A break could be a doorway, or aisle. or anything else that would interfere with your run.  Remember every time you start a new run you will have to begin with a new “Starter” rack.

Density: You need to know the density you will want.  Will you have single deep pallet rack or double deep rack?  If you want double do you have the forklifts to access the double deep?  If you want double deep and want to stick with conventional forklifts you might want to go with push back pallet rack or even drive in style pallet rack.

Size and Weight: It is very important to know the average weight and size of your products.  If you have large products you might need cantilever rack. Does your product vary in size greatly?  If so you may need to think about that in when designing your layout.

The beam capacity of pallet rack speaks to how heavy a weight it will support, but of course the beam capacity is in direct relation to how much the rack cost. So you want to chose pallet rack that will support the weight you need, but you don’t want to pay for weight support that you do not need either.

New or Used: Do you want new or used rack? Used Pallet rack can cost 30% less than new,, but you need to make sure you buy from a reliable dealer that has checked the pallet rack to make sure it is still viable. New pallet rack can be ordered in any combination so verifying stock is not nearly so important however with lead times up to 2 months out time frame is.

 Don’t forget that style matters if you plan to add more rack in the future. Read more here.

Need more help with choosing the right pallet rack for your company?  Contact ABCO Systems today and let us help ensure that you get the best pallet rack at the best price.

The post Know These 4 Things Before Buying Pallet Rack appeared first on ABCO Systems.

As we start a new year we reflect on events of the last year and the history of our business as a whole. While the material handling industry and our company continues to evolve, the ideas that keep customers keep coming back stay the same.

Beginning in the 1930’s, we were Weisberg Fixtures. Later the company changed to ABCO Equipment which Michael Weisberg owned and operated for over 30 years. In 2002 when Michael’s son Seth joined the business they formed ABCO Systems Inc.

However, throughout all the changes we wanted to keep the same ideals that helped us to grow.

Partnership and Respect

When most people think about material handling the first thing that comes to their mind is rack or conveyor, but the first thing that comes to our mind is the partnership.  The partnership that exists with our suppliers, our customers and our team.  Designing a warehouse or distribution center takes a great deal of cooperation. We believe if there is no true partnership then the result can be affected.

We wrote before that because we treated our stakeholders in the business with respect, they have returned that respect. Our relationship extends from a pure business relationship to a mutual desire to see each other succeed..

Truth

The truth is that people do business with people, first and foremost.  Although it is classified as a B2B transaction, it is people who really do the business.

The part that I left out of the above statement is that people do business with people they like.  There are hundreds of different options for where people can buy rack or used material handling or mezzanines, but the reason that customers choose and/or change suppliers is because of the people and the relationship.

Think about it, have you ever bought anything, even if you really needed it, from someone you truly disliked? Sometimes you get backed into the corner and have to buy.  But your next purchase will be from somebody, anybody else.

As you reflect on last year, ask yourself if were you happy with your partnerships in material handling. If not, make 2014 different and find a partner that you can work with that respects you and wants to see you succeed.

Happy New Year from ABCO Systems!

The post What Will Change for Your Material Handling in 2014? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

We all know that GOH is the best way to store your high fashion and other garments in the distribution center, but how about in transit? Well then we go with Vehicle GOH.

It is a fairly specialized application, but for some companies like, uniform rental and dry cleaners this is a well-known application.

However, now with Garments on Hanger increasing in popularity 3PL companies who need the utmost in care for their clients garments are exploring vehicle GOH.

Here are some of the advantages of Vehicle installed Garment on Hanger systems.

Fast:  One of the great things about vehicle GOH is that the installation is quick.  Depending on the layout, the installation of your garment on hanger system could be done as soon as a few hours. Almost all installations should take less than a day.

Cost Effective:  Question is it cheaper to have 2 vehicle transporting your SKU’s or one?  Vehicle GOH solutions are very cost effective for the number of clothing articles that can be carried. The structure that ABCO Systems installs in your vehicle can handle 50 lbs. per linear foot.

Modular:  No matter what type of vehicle you have panel truck or van we can fashion a modular mobile GOH system for you.  Each one we build is custom designed to your specifications and to meet your unique needs.

Removable: Each GOH system is quickly removable removed and you will barely notice it was ever there.  The self-drilling screws we use make a very stable platform for GOH, but if you ever need to transition the van back to original the result will be almost unnoticeable.

Easy to use:  You can load your mobile GOH in minutes, without the need to get in the vehicle.  You can simply push back the garments until the rack is full.  And it can be unloaded just as easily.

Interested in a quote to change your van or truck to incorporate GOH?  Contact ABCO systems now for your free quote!

The post Garment on Hanger Storage for Trucks and Vans appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Hi I am Travis Baker with ABCO Systems. I wanted to share some ways that you might be able to save money when purchasing pallet rack New Jersey..

Find a provider that sells a lot of Pallet Rack.  Just like in retail if a dealer is buying a large amount of products from a manufacturer they can usually secure a better deal.  So if possible try to deal with a high volume dealer.

How do you find a high volume dealer? Well I know one that supplies pallet rack in NJ and the Northeast.

However, if you are outside that area you can contact http://www.mhi.org which is the Material Handling Institute.  They can direct you to a member in your area.

2. Buy Used Pallet Rack.

Used pallet rack can be a great deal.  It is usually 30% less than new pallet rack and comes in just as many options.  Used rack has usually been sold from a company that has gone out of business or changed their rack configuration, business model or moved. However be sure that you buy your used rack from a conscientious dealer that has checked the rack and ensured that it is ready for reuse.

Also be sure to work with your dealer to ensure that the pallet rack will work with  your application.

3.  Sell your Equipment

If you have a material handling storage solution already in place you can sell elements of it that you will not use to a dealer, thereby offsetting the cost of the new pallet rack.  Even if you are not selling rack some dealers and integrators will buy a wide variety of material handling components.

I hope this helps you save money when you are buying your pallet rack.

If ABCO systems can help you with your pallet rack purchase please do not hesitate to give us a call at 201-507-0999 or visit us on the web here.

Thanks and have a great day!

The post How to Save Money on Pallet Rack New Jersey appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Whether it is distribution centers, the show floor, window displays or your stock room storage, in retail there never seems to be enough space.  Space is needed for all aspects of retail but at some point it just runs out.

Often this space constraint is felt most acutely in your stock room. Stores are built to maximize the selling floor where product can be displayed and moved.  Stock rooms are mostly an afterthought where product is stuffed.

But instead of the shelves in your stock room that came as a one size fits-all-solution, what if they were customized for you and your product?  Need G.O.H. storage?  Need a lot of flat-pack storage? Do you need a 83-17 % of both?  That where storage customization comes in.

Does this remind you of your stock room storage?

You can even get mobile storage that can provide flat and GOH storage. You can get exactly what you need in, in exactly the right ratio.

What are the benefits of maximizing your storage space? Well the most immediate is your storage capacity goes up. Sometimes stock room storage is completely full to the brim and product is packed to densely.  This can create, the inability to locate product.  If your floor associates can’t find the garments necessary to sell, you simply can’t sell them.

In addition a cramped, overstuffed stock room can ruin the appearance of merchandise and an associate with a steamer can only do so much. The proper storage is necessary for GOH and high-end merchandise.

ABCO Systems specializes in taking small spaces and maximizing them into the most cost effective and productive spaces possible with a combination of storage solutions.   Allow us to come into your Stock Rooms to take measurements and present you with solutions that will free up space, allow for more product and increase your productivity. Contact us at 201-507-0999 today!

The post Maximize your Stock Room Storage appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Bloomfield, NJ: Abco Systems is proud to announce that they are now the number one distributor for Interlake Mecalux in the North East United States. 

What does that mean if you are interested in purchasing new rack?  Since ABCO Systems buys in such large quantity from Interlake Mecalux it gives us a huge amount of buying power.

In addition, you get to do business with a company that prizes the relationship with our customers over everything. That means you deal with your local company and still get some of the best quality rack in the world.

If you are interested in new pallet rack contact us at 201.507.0999.

The post ABCO Systems Recognized by Interlake Mecalux appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Huntington Beach, CA:  TYR, a global swimming and triathlon brand, wanted to improve their distribution center.  To that end they brought in ABCO Systems who was referred to them by an existing customer.  TYR provided ABCO with a completed plan and schematic and ABCO went on site in Seal Beach, CA.

While performing a comprehensive site evaluation ABCO held meetings with management but also spoke with people on the ground.  After some research ABCO presented an alternate plan to TYR, which was ultimately approved.

Now working with a local permit facilitator ABCO will provide a full turn-key solution.  The solution includes engineering and material handling equipment including pallet rack, a pick module, GOH, and TGW’s new 24 volt conveyor.

The project is scheduled to be complete by October the 15^th.

The post ABCO Systems Helps TYR Improve their Distribution Center appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Bowling Brook, IL:  ABCO Systems closed a $900,000 deal for a new distribution center for AllSaints at a new site in Bowling Brook, IL.  AllSaints is a retail clothing store headquartered in London.

AllSaints involved ABCO Systems from the very beginning of this project. ABCO Systems began with a site search over a four state area to find the best location for AllSaints new distribution center based on tax incentives, freight advantages, and available carriers. The search culminated in finding the perfect building in the perfect state.

However, ABCO Systems job is not complete. Working within a very tight timeline, ABCO Systems will outfit the new building with all of the material handling components needed by AllSaints. ABCO is working with local general contractors to handle office modification and is providing a full turn-key solution starting with permit facilitation, full material handling equipment implementation and local code approval.

ABCO is installing all the material handling equipment including Garment on Hanger (G.O.H.), steel shelving, conveyor system and pallet rack in the 85,000 sq foot building.

All Saints needed this project because they had outgrown their 3PL provider and wanted to bring distribution in-house.

President of ABCO Systems, Seth Weisberg, said, “This project with AllSaints proves that ABCO Systems goes above and beyond for our customers. It is our level of customer service that separates us from our competitors.”

The post AllSaints Teams with ABCO to take Distribution in House appeared first on ABCO Systems.

At ABCO Systems we take enormous pride in the relationships that we have developed.  Not only the relationships with our customers, but also with our vendors.  Often it is our vendors that have helped us move to the next level.

When the economy tanked about 5 years ago, we found ourselves in a situation similar to many small business.  We had very little work and our capital was running out.  We were extremely luckily and landed a large project.  However, because we were running out of capital, it was difficult for us to pay for the products we needed to implement the project.

Because we have always valued our vendors, and treated them as partners in everything we do, they returned the favor to us.  We were extended, without really even asking, the credit we needed.  This was a tipping point for us.

This one project 5 years ago helped to propel us to into a different business.

While we were on the verge of failure, it was the relationship with our vendors that afforded us the opportunity to keep going.  We built some momentum, hit a few more nice projects and just continued to grow.  We put money into developing the business and 5 years later, we are a completely different company.  Everyday, I acknowledge how blessed we are.

It is those same vendors that continue to work with us today.  And it is those same vendors that come to me consistently and tell me the word about ABCO Systems is changing.  Our reputation is growing and I could not be happier.

Truly, we have changed over the last 5 years and we are a very different company.  While we once specialized in GOH (and it is still great to work on GOH projects now) ABCO Systems has evolved into a full service material handling equipment company with the capability to do nearly anything.  We are providing full turnkey solutions for nearly any type of end user requirement.

We provide solutions for conveyance, sortation, pallet storage, box storage and so much more.  We really are at a point where we can provide for all of our customers needs, and it is very exciting.

Not only that, but we have developed an even more extensive network and have solutions for your Real Estate needs, Fork Trucks, HVAC, Electrical work and more.

In the world we live in today, there is one thing that helps people stand out from the rest.  In one word: Partnership.

We realize that because we treated our vendors as partners they rewarded us and that enabled us to grow and thrive through the lean times.

We literally live by this standard.  We feel honored to be able to work with our partners, both customers and vendors, and we are making things work for everyone.

After all: it is not a lack of problems that makes someone successful, but rather how we address our problems that make us stand out from the rest.

If you are tired of dealing with other companies and want to find a true partner, please give us a call and let’s see if we can help each other.

The post Why True Partnership Drives Business Forward appeared first on ABCO Systems.

I want to talk about mezzanines and help you determine if the cost of a mezzanine, makes good financial sense for your warehouse or distribution center.

More than ever, storage and distribution are emerging as the next big way to make businesses more profitable.  Whether the products we sell are manufactured overseas or domestically, rarely are they sent from manufacturing directly to the customer’s door or a sales outlet. If we can effectively reduce the cost of storage and distribution we ultimately increase the profit on each item.

To clarify my point, if we are shipping 10,000 items a day and it is costing us $3.00 to ship each item, we have our fixed cost.  However, if we can reduce the cost to $2.00 each item, we are saving $10,000 per day.

Now bear in mind that mezzanines are costly to purchase and install.  Including the necessities of lighting and fire protection, a good number to use when estimating the cost of a mezzanine is $25 per square foot.  Depending on the style of mezzanine, this cost can go up or down a few points, but $25 per foot is a good starting point.

As costly as they are, they are not nearly as costly as the real estate they take up.  Typically, if we use a 5-year model, the cost of a mezzanine pays for itself quite easily.  If the life of a lease is more than 5 years, the cost of your mezzanine greatly helps to reduce the overall cost of doing business.

Let’s illustrate this with some basic numbers.

Say you have a warehouse that is 100,000 sq. ft. and the cost is $7.00 per square foot with CAM and insurance.  If we divide that by 12 it translates into a monthly cost of $58,333.

If we are to determine the validity of putting in a mezzanine, we need to find out if it is cheaper to purchase more space, or simply go up and use the cube you already pay for.

For the purpose of this illustration we will ignore some variables.  However if ABCO was doing this study for a customer we would also want to consider the productivity levels of keeping everything one level, and the cost of a move.  Also realize that increasing the size of your footprint means more walking time for employees which can increase cost.

In keeping with most building code around the country, we can install mezzanine in 1/3 of the existing space.  If we use our number from above, we are looking at building a 33k sq. ft. Mezzanine.  Using the number of $25 per square foot, we find ourselves with an overall cost of $825,000.  If we amortize that over the 60-month lease, it is a cost of $13,750 each month.

However, if we take the same cost vs. footage for the life of the lease and put it into a larger footprint; we have a cost of $19,250 per month.

The main variable here is the cost of the real estate.  Different areas of the country will vary greatly in how much cost you will see.  For example, if your DC is in middle America, and you are building from a clean slate, it makes sense to just use a larger footprint because the real estate is very reasonable.  Then again, if your business is growing, and you find yourself need more space, adding in the cost of a move it makes sense to simply build up.

If you are near one of the coasts, say you are looking at the cost for mezzanines in New Jersey or New York it makes sense to put a mezzanine floor into your building because the cost of real estate is so high.  You pay for the mezzanine once, whereas you pay for the square footage every month for the life of your lease.

And any typical lease increases in cost over time.  If your lease is greater than 5 years or you have an option to renew, it is absolutely a no-brainer.

In most cases, putting in a mezzanine makes sense financially.  There are always specific factors within any business that will determine the best way to proceed.

Working with the ABCO Group, we can help you to determine what your best solution will be. Interested in learning more?  Contact ABCO Systems today at 201.507.0999.

The post Can you Rationalize the Cost of a Mezzanine In Your Distribution Center? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

There is an interesting trend in the used pallet rack market.  Landlords with buildings to lease are throwing in a perceived bonus to get new tenants.  Not only do they get the space, but it comes with rack already installed.

What a deal, right!

Well it can be a deal or it could be a nightmare.  The only way to figure out the difference is with a lot of research and maybe some help from an expert.  Both parties, the landlord and the tenant, need to know exactly what they are getting and whether the deal is actually a deal.

Here is what you need to look for depending on what side of the transaction you find yourself.

Tenants

Current Capacity: You, as the renter, don’t know what the plan was by the original tenet that installed the rack.  Were they storing car parts or giant stuffed animals?  Even if you look at the old tenets product and believe it must have been heavier than yours how do you know they did not have a WMS (warehouse management system) that only allowed certain items on the shelf levels and kept the heavier items on the ground?

Even the placement of the shelf levels effect the load capacity of the uprights.  Without seismic and load calculations based on your product locations or having an experienced partner in the rack business evaluate the capacities of the system you may not realize the danger until it is to late.

Layout:  How did the previous tenant layout the rack.  Was it for single, double or triple-deep storage?  Does that work for your need?  Does that truly optimize the space you are moving into for your product?  If not this means that you will need to hire a company to relocate the rack so that it will work for your storage.

While this could be a good be a money saving tactic for the new renter you need the help of an experienced partner in the rack business, to look over the layout and let you know how much it will be to reconfigure the rack.

Landlords

You  have a building with rack in it, but that maybe a turnoff for some renters.  The rack may be for a very specialized layout or business and may not work for 95% of the market.  In this case the best idea for the landlord is to sell the used rack, and rent the building empty.

If you wanted you could even reduce the price of the rental due to the windfall they are receiving for selling the used rack.  Lower rent is always appealing to the market.

If you need help from either side if you are a landlord with a current rack set-up or a client looking to rent or have rented a building with used rack in place, contact ABCO Systems to get a free review of your current storage.  We buy used rack or can help you reconfigure the storage in a way that works for you.

The post What to Know Before Renting a Warehouse with Used Pallet Rack appeared first on ABCO Systems.

When it comes to buying used pallet rack, after you decide on sizes and quantities, the style is the next most important area to consider.

Over the years, I have learned that often the manufacturer of the used pallet rack does not play as large of a role as the style does.

Style matters more than the manufacturer because of availability. Certain styles are more common then others and the availability is based on location.

Based on the size of the pallet rack you are buying, shipping becomes a large factor in the purchasing of material thus keeping certain manufacturers and styles more common than others .

When buying used pallet rack in NY, NJ & PA areas, the most common types of used pallet rack are structural and teardrop style.  Teardrop style pallet rack is what you will see at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s home improvement stores.  Structural pallet rack really shows up only in warehouses.

Companies Like Frazier Inc., United Steel Product also known as Excel Storage Products, TriBoro Shelving and a few others, all have manufactured or still manufacture the teardrop style and/or the structural style pallet rack.  These companies are located in the NY, NJ & PA area and have offered these styles through their dealer networks over the years.  In other areas, you may find some brand specific styles are more common such as, Penco, Republic or Paltier.

The real question is what does this mean to you?  Depending on your plans, you can gauge what style would meet your needs at the best price.  If you are purchasing racks and do not believe you will be adding or changing your pallet rack storage system anytime in the foreseeable future, style should not matter.  Purchasing one of the less available styles of used pallet rack in your area will save you money because dealers will pay less for it and want to sell it as quickly as possible.

However the caveat is that if you decide to sell it down the road, you will not receive as much for it. If you plan on expanding and adding to the same system as you go, you will probably want to lean towards one of the more common styles in your area.  This make adding and changing as your company grows easier.  When you are ready to start shopping for your Used Pallet Rack, contact us at www.abcosystems.net and we can discuss what options will work for you.

The post Why is Style Important When Buying Used Pallet Rack? appeared first on ABCO Systems.

It is a human condition; many of us quite simply just don’t like change.  People fear the unknown and change is nothing, but one great big unknown.  But change is not always a bad thing.  While we are often resistant, one thing is always constant. 

Change is going to happen.

The question is: are we going to evolve with the times or are we going to stay in our comfort zone?

Over the last decade the evolution of distribution has taken a turn towards implementing technology and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s) in order to reduce costs.  It has been proven time and again that working smarter, not harder, not only saves in headaches, but it also saves time which translates into decreased costs.

I  literally grew up in the material handling industry.  I was always under the impression that we simply sold steel.  Sure, we sold steel with a purpose, and we helped our customers to find the best overall solutions for their Material Handling requirements, but I had never truly understood the value of a true Systems Integrator.

I thought that customer service was our greatest competitive edge so that is what we focused on at ABCO Systems.  Now, while keeping a focus on our high level of customer service, we are also evolving to assist our customers in highly evolved system integration.

This is how ABCO Systems is changing.  We have recently opened a new company called abco automation and now both companies operate under the umbrella of the ABCO Group.

abco automation is now taking all of the latest technologies from around the globe and bringing them to the US.  Product-to-person, pick to light, voice picking, high bay warehouses, you name it, ABCO Automation is there on the bleeding-edge of system integration.

abco automation exists for companies that are interested in taking a microscope to their operations and learning how an investment in the right technologies can substantially decrease the cost of orders shipped.

Of course, ABCO Systems still focuses on developing the best solutions based on your specific products.  We analyze your products, the amounts, the way they ship, the frequency of shipping and we help to design a Storage System for your Distribution Center that operates with a natural flow that reduces bottlenecks and produces opportunities for fast put away and pick to ship.

As the environment changes, so do we, or we get left behind.  We have made many changes over the last few years and we will continue to do so.

All of these changes are made with the goal of helping to provide greater service, prices and effectiveness to our customers.  What changes can you make that will help you be that much better for your customers?  Call us, we might be able to help.

The post The Changing Landscape of Distribution appeared first on ABCO Systems.

In these interesting economic times, it is those of us that think  “outside the box” that typically find the edge necessary to succeed.   Today, I ask that you think about increasing your capabilities, productivity and capacity by thinking “inside the box”.

There is nothing typical about a material handling system.  In my lifetime in this business I have never seen two buildings that operate the same.  The reason for this is simple: there are no two businesses that have the exact same requirements.

Depending on your needs, you might have a building with a Pallet Rack solution, or a Garment on Hanger (GOH) solution, or even Push Back or Flow Rack system.  Most likely, you have a combination of them all.  Even more likely, they all end up on some type of Conveyance system that ties it all together.

The ultimate goal of any of these solutions is to provide for the most efficient system to handle your goods.  The greater the efficiency, the lower the cost of moving the product and all this translates into increased profits.

That’s why you need a partner that can create a solution based on your specific needs.  The real key is to build solutions that incorporate all aspects of material handling while increasing efficiency and saving clients money.

Over the last few years we have seen an increased requirement for expanding while “inside the box” in order to keep fixed costs down and to create increased productivity.  For that reason our customers have really warmed towards Pick Modules. In fact, lots and lots of Pick Modules.

Pick Modules allow us to concentrate efforts into specific locations that allow for a cleaner operation.  Instead of spending money on more space, we are going up.  Instead of spending money on labor to climb ladders, we are creating multiple levels.  Instead of wasting time moving all across the facility, we are localizing product.

Ultimately, we are creating greater continuity and opening up space.

Our custom built Pick Modules are designed after consultations with our customers.  We design each one based on the specific products received, stored and shipped.  Each Module built can accommodate any aspect of Material Handling such as GOH, Pallet Rack, Steel Shelving and even Conveyance.  We bring it all into one place so that you can maximize your operation.

Want to learn more about how Abco Systems can help improve your business?  Contact Abco today for a free consultation.

The post Thinking Inside the Box in Your Distribution Center appeared first on ABCO Systems.

In the world of fashion material handling and GOH distribution we exist under one maxim.  Operate for Less.

Within fashion distribution, the lower the operating costs, the more profit each item will translate into.  For that reason, we have always tried to keep our own operating costs down.  After all, if we operate for less, our costs to our customers are lower.

However a trend has developed that I think is going to end up costing companies more in the long run.

In an attempt to maintain low costs in a distribution center, many distribution centers are allowing their material handling/storage equipment to deteriorate and not making any effort to replace or upgrade it.

It makes sense in a way.  Operating in this fashion there is no need to hire a full time employee, pay their training, wages, insurance, taxes etc., simply to maintain a GOH Rail System or check for damaged pallet rack frames.   Letting the system degrade is more cost effective in the short run than the cost of hiring a full time employee.

Conversely, if your material handling equipment is not maintained it can result in a loss of productivity, lost or damaged goods, down time, or worse yet, an injured employee.  A badly maintained system can result in a lack of productivity simply because it does not flow well.

A well maintained system offers benefits such as increased flow, added safety, peace of mind and increased moral.  Maintaining your material handling equipment also adds to the overall aesthetics of your facility.  In the end, a well maintained system saves money in many different ways.

So you have the two extremes of letting the system slowly degrade or hiring a person or people with experience to constantly review your system and make changes.  However, perhaps you can outsource that need to your material handling supplier.  It avoids having to hire someone to do it and you get the bonus experience of someone who sees a wide variety of systems checking your distribution center.

In addition if you choose a good system integrator they should also be able to give you advice on exactly what you need to do in order to maintain your system.

In conclusion there is a better and more cost effective way to maintain a GOH, really any distribution system.  If you don’t have a current material handling provider, contact Abco Systems to see what we might be able to do to appraise your system and see how we might be able to save you money.

The post The Best Way to Maintain Your Material Handling Equipment appeared first on ABCO Systems.

One quick question to see if you should read this article:  Do you compete on quality?  If not, Garment on Hanger Distribution or GOH distribution is definitely not for your company and you can stop reading now.

However, if your apparel’s quality is the main reason people buy from you, keep reading.  I ask because the only reason for using GOH or Garment on Hanger distribution is because you have fine apparel made of quality fabrics that sell for above average-retail.  For those items you need a way to keep your garments as pristine as possible.

Quality clothing articles must use GOH.

The story of GOH technology started when there was little choice about the storing and shipping of garments.  Natural fibers (cotton, silk etc) need to be stored and shipped using GOH in order to ensure there was no damage to the article.

However, with the advent of synthetic fibers and blends (polyester, etc) the need to use GOH diminished.  With the new fabrics you could get acceptable results storing garments in a box or flat pack.

Now with a resurgence of quality articles being made by manufacturers and carried by more retailers GOH distribution is essential.

We have talked about the reason for GOH, but what caused companies to steer away from this technology once the products (and market) didn’t demand it?

You guessed it.  Cost.

Space:  The cubic volume of storage needed for GOH can be much higher than flat packs.  Also space dedicated for GOH distribution can only be used for GOH.  It can’t go back and forth between say storing garments to storing towels or shoes or scented candles and back to GOH.

Time:  With a GOH distribution center there is more time needed to process orders.  The only automation that can be incorporated is the movement from Point A to Point B.  This increases the amount of time and labor that is needed vs. an automated solution (say an AS/RS) that you could use with articles in a flat pack.

With the combination of the above factors using GOH is the more expensive option.  From the loss of space you incur the opportunity cost of what you could have stored in a flat pack.  From the addition of time to pick you introduce more labor cost.

So the question is: So is the cost worth it?  The answer is YES if you store high quality women’s fashion, men’s suits and high-quality loungewear.

But you can’t just lose money on your GOH distribution or substantially raise your prices.  The key is to get as most efficiency as possible from your system.

If your brand is identified with “Quality”, then you need to speak to someone who can raise the efficiency of your GOH distribution.  Contact ABCO Systems about your Garments on Hanger Distribution and how we can help make it more efficient .

The post Why GOH is a Necessity for Better Garment Distribution appeared first on ABCO Systems.

At ABCO Systems Inc. we know the reality of our business and the environment in which we compete for your business.  While we may sell material handling equipment and turn-key distribution solutions, to a many in the industry we sell one thing.

Steel. 

While it comes in many different shapes and sizes, and has a very specific use for a very specific customer….ultimately, that’s what we sell.

That being said, we realize that we have a wide variety of competition and that our competitors are just as hungry as we are.  We also realize that in order for us to continue to grow and to be successful, we have to provide something more than our competition.

So while we may sell steel, what we give our customers is a commitment to them and their business.

We strive to provide you with something that is lacking in our industry; customer service.   At ABCO Systems we are looking at the big picture.  We are looking at the relationships that we form with our customers.  We realize that in order for our customers to succeed we need to provide them with great prices and great service.

Over the last 5 years we have more than tripled in size.  However we have, and always will, keep our focus on the customer.  We follow a business model that allows us to keep our costs down translating into savings for you.

We’ve increased our staff to accommodate the changing environment and needs of the industry. The additional employees, including our own staff engineer, have allowed us to be incredibly fluid with our everyday operations.  Based on our growth, we are still running lean, and returning the savings to our customers.

Our success over the last few years has converted growth into increased capabilities.  We are now providing true turn-key solutions for just about any requirements you might have.

If you have been with us for years, we thank you for all of your support.  If you are new to our organization, we appreciate the opportunity to show you why we are different.

Join ABCO on facebook or on twitter and get our thoughts on how we are making distribution different.

The post ABCO Systems for Material Handling Solutions appeared first on ABCO Systems.

Perfect Pick’s small footprint and superior fixed-aisle scalability offers a low cost entry point to automate picking operations. Perfect Pick’s scalability lies in its iBOT® technology. The system does not require conveyors or elevators like on typical shuttle systems. This means that if you want to increase speed or throughput, you only need to add more independent, wireless iBOTs.

In addition, because of the small footprint, Perfect Pick is a great option for brownfield projects or adding product-to-person technologies to handle the SKU’s that would benefit from being placed in a P2P system. abco automation has been preaching the gospel of mathematical analysis of distribution centers and drilling down into what technology serves each part of the Pareto Curve.

Another benefit, unlike many technologies on the market, is that the Perfect Pick is easy to understand and easy to explain, even to those outside of the world of material handling.

“This is an automated solution that clients are going to feel comfortable with and that they will understand quickly, said Jeff Hedges of OPEX. “Perfect Pick’s simple, uncomplicated design allows clients to quickly see how it will function in their distribution center”.

“OPEX Corporation is excited to add abco Automation as an integration partner representing Perfect Pick. Like OPEX, abco is a family-owned and operated company headquartered in New Jersey and in business for over 40 years. This rich history and depth of experience along with abco’s stated mission to apply the “best-of-breed” product-to-person technologies to warehouse and distribution center design makes the addition of Perfect Pick a natural fit,” says Hedges.

“We are really excited about the Opex relationship because it provides us with Perfect Pick, a very powerful tool that we can bring to our clients that need a high rate, piece picking order fulfillment solution. Combined with our data analysis capabilities and process engineering expertise, the Perfect Pick solution can be specifically engineered to fit our customers applications,” Jack Lehr, President of abco automation.

About OPEX Corporation
OPEX Material Handling is a division of OPEX Corporation, a recognized global technology leader in document imaging and high-speed mailroom automation. Since 1973, OPEX systems have provided performance enhancing workflow solutions and cost-effective results to thousands of organizations worldwide. OPEX equipment and technology has been efficiently and reliably handling everything from individual, single-piece items ranging in size from envelopes, documents and checks all the way through 60-pound payloads using our Perfect Pick™ system. Today, OPEX systems are installed in financial services, healthcare, government, non-profit, utility, service bureau, insurance, telecommunications, and university/educational marketplaces around the world. For more information, visit www.opex.com.

About abco automation

abco automation is an American firm that specializes in designing and implementing American-built, capital-efficient distribution systems. A straight-speaking, flexible, fun-to-work-with company, abco automation designs and installs the very best product-to-person (P2P^sm) picking systems at the most reasonable price.

abco automation specializes in identifying and applying the right technology for each speed products. All of abco automation’s designs require examination of the customer’s solution through the proven lens of the Pareto Curve. abco automation designs capital-efficient systems that do more, in less space, with fewer people. Visit www.abcoAUTOMATION.us for more information.

Media Contact: Travis A. Baker, Abco Automation: marketing@abcoautomation.us.

The post abco AUTOMATION is the Perfect Pick to Partner with Opex Corporation appeared first on Abco Automation.

This is more true in as complex a place as your distribution center.  Something that worked four years ago or as a temporary solution becomes ingrained in day-to-day process sapping time and energy.

Here are my recommendations to recognize your order fulfillment pain.

Fresh Look:  Have someone outside the company look at your distribution center with you.  A set of fresh eyes can give you perspective, and even better if it is someone outside the organization.   They can give a more honest opinion, without feeling the pressure of upsetting the apple cart.  Note:  If there are apple cart’s in your distribution center you should probably move them.

Talk to different levels:  Do you think the VP of Supply Chain and a warehouse manager might have a different perspective on problems in your distribution center?  Some details that are mere annoyances for one might be a nightmare for the other.  Looking at things from another’s viewpoint might help you recognize something that you have been glossing over.

Get on the Ground:  Don’t rely on reports from others.  They might not see a problem or even could have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are.  Talk to the associates there.  See what they are doing and ensure that you talk to associates and managers on different shifts and different sites and as mentioned previously talking to different levels helps immeasurably.

Use the Results:  If you don’t apply what you have learned you just wasted your time.  From all the research you should have a good idea of the problems and how you can start to address them.

Those are my thoughts on how to recognize distribution center pain.  If you have any thoughts or comments please let me know.  Want some help spotting pain in your distribution center?  Schedule a time to talk to abco automation today!

The post Spotting Pain in Your Distribution Center appeared first on Abco Automation.

Your business is made up of hundreds, thousands, millions of data points. When you look at your data you need to be able to see the overall and the minutiae.  As they say, the devil (and the dollar) is in the details.

When it comes to your distribution center and supply chain, everything gets bigger: the data points, the risk and the rewards.

It is easy to see the macro side of business, to see when it is good or bad; when things are moving off the shelves, when items are collecting dust. However, most of the time we only see things when they are patently obvious because we are too busy doing the day-to-day to really dig into the data.

That’s why consultants can be valuable to your business.   A pair of fresh eyes looking at your business, looking down deep to analyze your business practices and see what is going both right and wrong is of enormous value.

Consultants are valuable; the downside is that they know it. There is a huge dollar sign attached with the word “consultants”.

If only there were a better way.  Lucky for you, there is. 

The best material handling companies will analyze your distribution center and supply chain while giving you deep insight into your business.  For free.

You can see:

Different flows. For instance, if you are a pharmacy, you have a different flow in prescription vs. OTC to the end locations.  Those items go through different checks and are processed differently for accountability. How do those flows work together, how do they fit into your building as a whole?  What process or equipment is most appropriate to optimize their picking?

If you are a retail operation, you may be interested in omni-channel distribution (sometimes called multi-channel distribution) to manage distribution to direct-to-customer and brick-and-mortar retail stores from the same inventory. How does a flow differ when products go to an outlet vs. directly to a consumer’s home?

Peak. Do you know when your peak periods are? Exactly?  Not just the month, but the week, the day the shift the hour?  Mastering that information can be your ace in the hole when it comes to internal and external competition.

When you have a peak are you using the right technology for that peak? How does it differ from the next peak or the one before?

Of course, we have mentioned the Pareto Curve here, here and here, but we also know a couple of things that we don’t mention that when we do the deep dive into your data.  And all we need from you is some of your time and a sample of your data.

If you think your distribution center might benefit from another set of eyes looking at your data and seeing deep into the data, maybe you should contact abco automation.  After all, we do the math.

Take the first step towards a better distribution center and receiving recognition coming up with the great new idea for your company? Contact abco automation today and let’s get started.

The post Get Ahead in Distribution by Knowing Your Data appeared first on Abco Automation.

Hi I am Cory Flemings and welcome back to whiteboard insights this is part two of Omni-channel or multi-channel distribution. In part one we talked about the benefits of combining wholesale retail and direct market operations into one operation.

We talked about the money that can be saved by combining those operations under one roof and today we will talk about the different concerns or for the issues one must consider as you coach your company into combining these operations into a single place.

The first one I want to talk about it is that some companies have what is called ship-ready packaging and what ship ready packaging is, is a customized packa
ge that you have built around your product that you can just put a label on and send directly to the customer.

Why would you do that? Well some of the parcel shipping companies are not known for their white glove treatment of your products so some of these companies build this packaging around a product.

So the first consideration is do you want to do ship ready packaging for your products or if you already have ship ready packaging do you want to do ship ready versus incurring the cost of specific pack stations? That is because one of the things we’re going to talk about is to combine the warehouse you now have a common set of inventory in Omni-channel distribution that services all different channels so the same product needs to go to the wholesale Wal-Mart distribution center the same box or product needs to get shipped to retail store and the same box needs to get shipped to the customer.

And customers don’t necessarily want to get a brown chipboard box so, some companies incur the cost of a ship ready box or package that you can just put a label on, while others go to a pack- station.  This is difficult decision because it eliminates the benefits of multi-channel distribution because if you have a special customized box around this product it is now a different SKU, but the same product as a chipboard box and that illuminates the benefit of doing Omni channel distribution so one of the considerations is if you’re going to get rid of the ship ready packaging.

One benefit is that you get rid of that cost you save money there but now you have to have pack station where you have to take the product of the chipboard box and put it in a customer friendly box that has a branded logo and so forth.

So you need to include the cost of this pack station so this is a plus costs and this is a savings since one of the considerations.

The second one is what do you do with the value added services? A lot of customers like to send these products out as gifts do you want to have a value-added services service station where your people can custom gift wrap and write thank you or birthday cards?

The material handling consideration is now you have to have controls built-in that say this parcel must have value-added services when he gets to this point in the get diverted off to its own conveyor system in the state go to its own pack station and there is an additional cost which you want to consider.

And finally the big red elephant in the room that no one wants to acknowledge is what do you do with your order profile? The order profile is important and this is the biggest problem you have really how do you take one profile for direct market which is 8000 orders a day of 2 piece  orders and the other end of the spectrum you have 300, 250 piece orders because you still have 300 retail stores or retail and wholesale orders that are 250 or 600 lines or pieces. You just have two different ends of the spectrum how do you put those things together they have two completely different order profiles?

Unfortunately that is only done through some good and clever engineering and some data analysis. It’s possible?

Yes!, because abco automation has done a number of systems for clients that have both kinds of order profiles and a multichannel distribution center and because of the advent of modern day software and warehouse control systems and pre-cubing  and things like that that you can do with the software we now have this ability with one system to process an order that has two pieces for customer and the next box is a part of a 250 piece order for a store and the picker doesn’t know any different.

They don’t know if it’s for store or person or if it is going direct market and they don’t care. The same picker does the same process with the same inventory and that’s the key.

If you can figure out the same set of inventory for both the retail, wholesale, and direct market order you can become a hero and save your company a lot of money

To do that you just need to start down the path of dealing data analysis and at abco automation you know that we do the math so give us a call at 858-206-2615 and we can help you.

Thanks and have a great day

The post Multi-Channel Distribution, Part 2: Become a DC Hero appeared first on Abco Automation.

Transcript for Omni-Channel Distribution.

Hi I am Cory Flemings and welcome back to whiteboard insights.  All the market today is a buzz with this new term omni-channel distribution or multi-channel distribution.  I know for me it is embarrassing when people start talking about something and I don’t know what they are talking about.

So I wanted to talk very briefly what is omni-channel distribution , or multichannel distribution and why does it matter and how can you be a hero in your company if you figure out how to deal with this.

So what is it? Basically it is this; I am a company and I have a product line that I send out wholesale orders let’s say to Wal-Mart or Macy’s, I am a clothing manufacturer for example. And I send product out to Wal-Mart or Macy’s distribution centers and I have to send it out to my own retail stores I have stores out there in the marketplace and I have to distribute to them as well. And all because Al Gore invented the Internet we have direct market customer s or e-com, where I have a facility set up specifically to deal with this.

Now how did we get into this mess? Mostly this one box that is important, back in the day when the Internet was first invented somebody came up with the idea. Hey we can sell stuff on the Internet the problem with that though was that everyone was concerned about whether it was safe or not to use your credit card on the Internet now .

Nobody really has concerns about using the credit card on the Internet, in fact this box, the direct market, or e-com box has really started to grow in size to the equal to or even eclipse the box for retail and by box I mean a different distribution center.

When we was first started with direct market campaign a lot of companies took a wait and see attitude they stood back and said well what not sure if this will work so lets make up a little box over here give it a little bit inventory and will sell things out of this facility.

As time has gone business become huge so now we have cost for a wholesale distribution center or operation with cost for retail and a direct market.

What are those costs? Well let’s do the math. Let’s say our average product cost around five dollars apiece and we sell say 250,000 pieces a day and you have to carry 30 days pieces of inventory on hand.

This works out to be about $37.5 million just in inventory carrying costs that is to say I have inventory here in retail and I have it in this facility and it has to be the same inventory. I have duplicated inventory In both buildings which are worth about $37.5 million a month.

Add to this cost the cost of real estate, that I have to either lease or buy, I have my power costs, I have my labor costs at taxes and fees so every time I add another distribution center box I incur all these costs.

So one of the ways you can be a hero in your company is to find out how can I take two of these boxes or even all three and smash them together into one building so that I’m using one set of inventory for wholesale, retail and e-com, all at the same time if you can figure out how to do that you’ll be a hero, in your company.

And you can potentially save your company as much as $37.5 million a month that’s a lot of money. The next part of the series part two we are going to talk about are the issues involved with doing that you have to deal with or consider in order to combine these operations into one.

But quite frankly if you don’t want to watch the second part of this video you can just call us at 858 206-2015 and we will give you the answer. Thanks for much for watching

The post Omni-Channel Distribution Part 1: How to be a Hero appeared first on Abco Automation.

They don’t see a distribution center as more than the sum of its parts.  They see it as a monolithic “Distribution Center,” just a piece that they need to have, but not a piece that adds value to the company.

Obviously as a material handling systems integrator with a fondness for efficiency and squeezing the full potential from a distribution center, we see it a different way.  We know that your supply chain can be a competitive advantage. It can help you outsell your competitors, win new market share and delight your customers.

So why do so many people view distribution as a necessary evil?

Misconception:  They do not see their distribution centers as investments; they see them as a sunk cost.  If you look at all the advances of distribution center automation in the last 20 years, from carousels to robots to AGV’s as ‘cost’, then you are more likely to see distribution centers as just a piece to plop down.  Not as something that will give you an advantage over your competition.

In fact, you may be operating under the premise that all of your competitors have distribution centers designed exactly like yours.

News Flash:  They might not be.

Stubbornness:  “Well when I came into this business we did our distribution that way and it has been fine for 30 years.” Stubbornness is markedly different from misconception.  It is an actual aversion to change itself; an adherence to the status quo for no reason other than “that’s how we always have done it”, and they can’t see a new way.

Unaware:  The last, and I think the predominant, reason that people don’t see distribution as an advantage is that they just aren’t aware that their distribution center can be a competitive advantage.  And why is that?  Their consultant or material-handling systems-integrator hasn’t shown them that it can be.  After all, that’s really our job – to show you how you can improve your distribution center.

We help you and provide you all the ammunition to internally sell the “new way” to those who say “that’s how we always have done it.”  We know that there is often a person in the supply chain who senses there must be a better way…

If that is you, give us a call, let’s talk.

The post Material Handling Systems Integrators Don’t see Distribution like You Do appeared first on Abco Automation.

I recently generated a word cloud of the abco automation site.  This takes all the text from all of our blog posts and assigns them a weight based on how often they appear.  The more frequently a word appears the larger it is in the resulting picture.

Taking a quick look at our cloud I noticed some words that we clearly use very frequently.

Distribution, no surprise right?  That’s what we do.  Our main job is to design (also one of the large words)  and build (no slouch, either) distribution centers for our clients.

However, when I do a word cloud using one of our clients websites, guess what?  No distribution, no automation, no build.  But for such a crucial part of their business, getting products to their customers or their outlets, why wouldn’t those words be mentioned on the website?

Because it is not their core value.  It’s not what makes them money.

We talk so much about distribution, automation, and design, because that’s how we make our money.  If you sell clothes, auto parts, or computers you are going to talk about those things.

However, our clients they know that distribution is important, they just don’t have the level of knowledge needed about bleeding-edge ideas and technologies. When we come in and talk to CEO’s, CFO’s, VP’s our goal is that when we leave they know much more about their distribution center, and their business.

And that’s the difference between us and what other system integrators do. We think that if we educate our clients about new trends in distribution and how they can improve efficiency and SALT  they are more likely to pick the solution that is best for their company, instead of one pulled out of a box. The best system for your distribution center is not a one-size-fits-all. The best solution is a result of a lot of hard work and cooperation between us and our client to arrive at the distribution center design that will provide the best ROI.

While the executives we speak to won’t necessarily  have the knowledge to go build their own distribution center they will know what went into making theirs.  What were the numbers we looked at.  What the variables are, how we did the math.

Want to learn more about distribution and how we can improve your distribution center design?  Subscribe to our newsletter.

The post Why We Want to Educate our Clients about Distribution Center Design appeared first on Abco Automation.

Accuracy in distribution is a major pain point for some companies. So how accurate is the picking in your distribution center? In a retail distribution center a 3% error rate can cost you from $650,000 to 3 million dollars.  Every year.

So are you still thinking that your 97% accuracy rate is good? Probably not.

So the question is how do you increase accuracy in distribution?

The best way might be to take a hard look at the ROI in automation.  Human beings make mistakes, and you can mitigate those with correct application of automation. In fact, we believe that automation can solve a lot of the pain points in distribution.  We refer to those pain points as SALT (Space Accuracy, Labor and Throughput) 

However, bear in mind that automation is not a magic bullet for the distribution center. You need careful analysis of your supply chain, SKU base and future plans.

If you need some help with analyzing your distribution center and seeing how you might be able to improve accuracy or any other of your pain points feel free to give us a call at +1 (704) 469-9982 or +1 (858) 206-2615 or email us here.

The post Accuracy in Distribution Can Cost You Millions appeared first on Abco Automation.

Ever see a material handling system integration that didn’t seem that…..integrated?  I think we all have.

It takes a lot of work, skill and careful analysis to get an integration to perform to its best.  Take a look at how abco automation helped the Gilt Groupe with integrating legacy systems and new ideas to maintain their fanatical customer service even while the company kept growing in orders of magnitude.

Like our picture?  Feel free to share it on social media or embed on your blog.

The post How is that System Integration going? appeared first on Abco Automation.

Hi I am Cory Flemings from abco automation and welcome back to Whiteboard Insights.  Today I want to tell you a story about a discussion I had recently about cubic velocity.

It goes kind of like this. Back in the history of man we created the distribution center design and before there were computers we basically had static locations and somebody walked through a warehouse and getting stuff off the shelves. And that is how we got to this world of distribution center design. Many of us are still thinking in those days when we talk about the Pareto curve. We all know and love the Pareto curve, it’s on our logo, and we love the Pareto curve.

It tells us a lot about the way an operation works. We all know that 20% of SKUs to 80% of the business but we usually measure things in order lines and the reason we have historic play or traditionally talked about order lines is because it has to do with how many times we go and visit a pick location during the day. It was born in the world where all the SKUs have static pick faces. Then it really matters about order lines. If I have one product that does 100 order lines a day and that means we have to go to that pick face 100 times.

But now things are different now we work with computers and automated technologies and so forth the world has changed and the world has changed and this one remarkable way we are no longer concerned with order lines per day we are concerned with cubic velocity. What is cubic velocity?

Well as you can see from my board cubic velocity is the number of pieces you sell a day of a particular SKU times its piece cubed. So if I have a lamp, as an example, a lamp might come in a box this tall and this big but I sell 25 lamps a day you can understand the cubic velocity of this product might be a pallet load a day. I am moving up a pallet load of this product everyday

On the other hand if I talk about pencils, straight pens or chopsticks or things that are small and thin I can put 2000 of those things in a tub and if I’m moving 2000 lines a day I can manage that much the volume with one tub of that product. And so the difference in cubic velocity is immense.

So the person and I were having this conversation they said, “I don’t understand why you’re putting lamps in a pallet flow line that doesn’t make sense”.

I said, “That’s because you’re still thinking in terms of lines, it only does 25 lines a day, but you are moving a pallet load of stuff through your warehouse every day when you sell these lamps. Over here you’re right to have these small items, these trinkets, that you move a lot more lines but you only move one tub of day.”

So for distribution center design in an automated system I am concerned with how much stuff you have to move around a system, even in a manual system that is completely manual think about how much cube you have to move through your building every day. Some products you have to vote the entire pallet, other products you don’t.

In fact think of your carton flow racks today and how much how many of them have backstock on the backside of the flow rack and I will bet you the reason is you haven’t thought of cubic velocity you are thinking of lines that product moves a certain number of lines a day but the cubic velocity drips out the back of the flow rack sits on the floor.

I encourage you to think about cubic velocity in your distribution center design and if you would like us to give you a hand we would be happy to help you out go to www.abcoautomation.US and connect with us we would be happy to give you a hand.

Sound Interesting? Contact us today and let’s see how we can work together to make your distribution center great.

The post Why Order Lines Don’t Matter in Distribution Center Design appeared first on Abco Automation.