Completed WMS projects

KNAPP AG

Veterinary wholesaler benefits from WMS with RF, VOICE and automation

Customers

Centaur Services

Completion

16.09.2007

Country

England

Branch

  • Wholesale industry

Description

Task description

“After installing the KiSoft WMS and automation, we soon added 25% to our throughput with 40% less staff.” So says Morley Snook, Head of Operations at leading veterinary products wholesaler Centaur Services.

Established in 1964 in Castle Cary in Somerset, where the firm is still based, Centaur Services began as a buying group for six local vets, purchasing drugs through their local pharmacist. From its turnover then of just £100,000, the company has grown to sales of some £140 million per annum.

Traceability is paramount
Today’s veterinary practices demand rapid supply of a diverse range of products – including vaccines, medicines, pet foods and consumable goods ranging from hypodermic needles to paper towels. Product traceability is imperative and automating its processes has helped Centaur to ensure this objective is met.

Varied handling needs
The SKUs handled by Centaur vary in size from a bone screw to a pallet load of pet food. To optimize all processes in the warehouse – from receiving and stock location management to picking of such varied types, sizes and weights of products – needed several different, but compatible, solutions. Centaur Services chose KNAPP as its WMS and automated equipment supplier, as the firm was able to offer the wide range of hardware and software solutions necessary, including a proven interface to the SAP ERP system.
Centaur carries some 8,500 stock lines, with as many lines again available on special order. The daily average is some 20,000 order lines, equating to approximately 50,000 individual items.

In-line receiving, detrashing and putaway
All products entering the warehouse are received by the WMS and checked against ERP orders. Depending on the goods, they are stored either in the bulk area on pallets or in the conveyor area in totes after the detrashing process. Every tote and pallet is identified by a unique barcode and all internal transports are controlled by the KiSoft WMS, either RF guided (manual, forklift, etc) or by automated conveyors.

Order picking
The KiSoft WMS splits all orders from the ERP system into small items that can be picked automatically or semi-automatically and those items that are normally shipped on a pallet or similar unit load. The software also calculates how many unit loads will be needed to contain the whole order. Fast-moving, smaller product lines – mainly items such as medicines in small boxes, bottles and cartons – are automatically picked onto a stepped belt system. Items not suitable for fully automatic picking are picked by RF terminals.

Voice-directed picking
Larger items in the warehouse are stored on pallets in pallet racking, with staff using forklifts and trolleys to pick them onto shipping pallets using KNAPP’s pick-by-voice system. This ensures total accuracy and leaves both the hands of the picker free to handle heavier items such as bags of pet food.
 

Contact person

Reinhold Huber

Telephone: +43 316 495 4624