"Manhattan Associates provides the leading slotting optimization solution that is proven in the food industry," says Joe Haber, Cheney Brothers' chief information officer. "The importance of having a more efficient pick process and proper racking grew as the number of SKUs rose at our facility. Our commitment to a new distribution center became the catalyst for implementing a slotting solution that could support our growth as we open a new facility to better support our customers."
Manhattan Associates' Slotting Optimization software gives Cheney Brothers the ability to determine proper storage locations to maximize space use, reduce replenishment trips and picking productivity in the distribution center (DC) resulting in increased throughput. The software can ensure that items are slotted in proper rack types, using racking requirements set by Cheney Brothers--such as storage capacity, volume balancing levels, slot sequencing, family grouping or seasonal parameters. "With the slotting solution, we can plan where to put an item before it even arrives at the DC," Haber says. The solution also helps build stable pallets, slotting heavy or bulky items earlier in the pick path and smaller or lighter items for the top of the pallet, providing a safer environment for employees and goods.
Another key component in Cheney Brothers' selection of Manhattan Associates' slotting software is its ability to query the data to easily produce user-friendly reports. "Slotting's query capability allows us to more quickly identify trends and anticipate and resolve issues," Haber explains. "Operational users can query for item, location or any other warehouse-related data. For example, we can quickly determine the movement certain items have had in the last two months or which areas may be candidates for re-racking."
Source: Manhattan Associates, Inc.
