Lightning Pick (Germantown, WI – phone: 262-251-2100, www.
lightningpick.com) would provide Pick-to-Light for the fastest moving
SKUs. This was to be provided in two 3-story pick modules comprising
over 7,000 pick locations. The balance of the lower volume SKUs would be
packed through a combination of RF and carousel picking.
An automated conveyor system designed to tie all the pick areas together
and provide routing to the dock would be furnished by HK Systems (New
Berlin, WI - phone: 262-860-7000, www.hksystems.com).
“One of our largest concerns was ensuring that all of this technology could
communicate together,” said Dave Tyler, Senior Director, Operations for
the Hillman Group. “We decided early on that WM should directly oversee
all the pick areas and integrate with the major vendors”.
Real time system-to-system communications were going to be central to
the new operation’s ability to perform as needed. However, Hillman does
not have large in-house IT staff that could be called upon to oversee the
project. Hillman was most concerned about the information flow between
Manhattan and Lightning Pick because that was going to account for the
majority of their unit volume.
“One of the key reasons for choosing Lightning Pick was their experience
in interfacing with Manhattan and the fact that they are a Manhattan
Alliance partner”, Dave continues. “We met with the engineering interface
team from Manhattan and Lightning Pick for one day and that was all it
took. From that point forward they took care of all the details. Having the
Pick-to-Light interface nailed down allowed us to get the other equipment
vendors moving along the same lines. It really helped the project flow and
allowed us to concentrate on other details we needed to attend to”.