Materials handling specialist ICA has integrated the world renowned FKI Logistex sorting systems as part of its technology lines in the Australasia region.
Of particular note is the Compact Cross-belt Sorter, which is easily accommodated in existing buildings due to its flexible modular design and minimum foot print.
The configuration can be complex or simple due to the capability of travelling in both the vertical and horizontal planes. The cross-belt of the sorter is available in A4 and A3 sizes.
This Compact Sorter is ideal for companies that produce digital media or similar, such as CDs and DVDs, for distribution of books, magazines, shoes, spare parts, postal articles and the like
Used by successful mail-order organisations including DOCdata Benelux, TMI, and Britannia Music, this technology has completely transformed order-handling.
What has traditionally been a process requiring days has now been reduced to hours, thereby significantly improving customer satisfaction and accuracy of sort thereby reducing product returns.
Some companies are even using this Compact Sorter for additional revenue as a third-party distribution business for other net-based traders and the like.
The DOCdata Benelux layout, for example, is a simple “U” shaped design with a capacity of 20,000 items per hour.
TMI, which distributes to specialised music retailers in Austria and Germany, uses this sorter technology to distribute 30 million units per year comprising from approximately 160,000 different types of articles to 350 different sales points.
When planning its new logistics centre, TMI decided on a ‘Two-In-One Sorter’. At a length of 336 metres with 10 induction points and 520 discharges, TMI’s system processes 35,000 items per hour.
Britannia Music is a traditional mail-order company distributing CDs and DVDs to its (approximately) 2,000,000 million members of its music club.
Using the Double Tray Sorter, 145 metres long, Britannia is able to process 516,000 units during a five day, three shift run.
The key to these high capacity figures is the reduction in need for manual intervention. A system controller achieves this with automated barcode labelling for scanning and tracking, calculation of items per package, cross-belt activation at the relevant destinations, and photocell activated mechanisms.
To ensure information relevant to each unit is processed with the same speed and efficiency, the controller enables the systemic incorporation of printers at the induction area to generate consignment notes and address labels.
The case examples, of DOCdata, TMI and Britannia, all illustrate the expediency, awesome capacity and the high levels of productivity and customer satisfaction each of these companies gained by implementing this technology.