Monday, March 4, 2019
Kuecker the company
Kuecker Logistics Group has been providing innovative material handling solutions for nearly 30 years. From fully integrating multi-million dollar systems...to retrofitting existing systems...to simply providing equipment...whatever your needs, we have the knowledge and experience to get the job done right.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Automated Picking Solutions & Picking Logistics
Goods to Person AS/RS: Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems
Kuecker provides automated solutions for storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) as part of integrated solution concepts that apply the right mix of automation, software and labor for optimized productivity and throughput capacity for each operation’s unique requirements.
Horizontal Carousels
These horizontal carousels, crafted from rugged structural steel, are the most durable in the industry. These industrial automation carousels are built for long-term reliability under the most intense duty cycles and heaviest applications. Learn more about horizontal carousel automated picking solutions.
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Vertical Carousels
You will find that our leading edge vertical carousel storage and retrieval system is the perfect industrial automation picking solution when it comes to maximizing space utilization, productivity and efficiency in all types of applications. Learn more about vertical carousel automated picking solutions.
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Pick-to-Light
This paperless order fulfillment system utilizes pick-to-light, put-to-light, automated sortation, A-Frame, barcode, voice recognition and RF terminal technologies. If you’re looking for a custom designed order fulfillment system that meets your existing industrial automation needs while offering flexibility for the future, we provide a vast array of order fulfillment solutions and picking logistics systems. Learn more about pick-to-light automated picking solutions.
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Voice Pick
The only packaged software solution in the industry that implements the combination of voice applications, toolset and enterprise voice architecture to deliver the highest degree of control and flexibility. Learn more about voice pick automated picking solutions.
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Lighted Batch Carts
Custom Pick-To-Light / Mobile Batch Cart systems developed by Kuecker Logistics offer a wide range of benefits. The possibilities for cart design are endless and we are happy to work with you in determining the perfect batch picking solution for your unique operation. Learn more about lighte
More to come!
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Wednesday, January 2, 2019
Warehouse automation trends
Labor Crunch, E-Commerce Competition Drive Warehouse Automation Trends
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On behalf of Logistics Management and Modern Materials Handling (MMH), Peerless Research Group recently conducted its annual Warehouse and Distribution Center (DC) Operations Survey, which showed that worker skill gaps are contributing to increased warehouse automation.
Key trends spotted in 2018's survey include a rise in omni-channel fulfillment, use of warehouse management systems, and an inability to maintain a qualified workforce.
Of the 183 logistics and warehouse management professionals surveyed, 66% serviced wholesale channels, remaining the most popular option, but service of omni-channel (21%) and e-commerce (40%) channels were both on the rise for 2018, up 2% and 3% respectively. With e-commerce on the rise, warehouses are getting larger. The average square footage for a warehouse in 2018 came in at 220,800 square feet, up from 193,190 square feet in 2017.
Increased Competition, Increased Demand
In addition to a lack of qualified hourly workers, increase in demand and competition — as well as more complex customer requirements stemming from the rise of e-commerce — serve as impetus for implementing automation technologies in warehouses.
“Even if you can get orders out the door on time, that’s not good enough. It really does have to be a perfect order that gets done under a narrower time window with scarcer resources of all types throughout the network,” said Don Derewicki, a senior consultant at St. Onge Company, in a recent Logistics Management article. Of the respondents, 87% mention offering some sort of value-added service (VAS), such as special labeling or serial number control processes. This is what Derewicki is referring to — the need to go above and beyond for customers in today’s competitive landscape.
2018 saw two major shifts in productivity technologies. The use of warehouse management systems (WMS) grew to over 90% (at 93%) for the first time, while paper-based picking systems dropped to under 50% (at 48%). Similarly, labor management system (LMS) use increased to 15% in 2018.
Industrial Labor Crunch
Added efficiency, through the use of technological systems such as WMS and LMS, is partly due to industry's response to the labor crunch. Even though business is expanding, increased productivity from existing workers is critical, as it is not always feasible to hire workers on demand in order to handle increased warehouse needs.
Warehouses are struggling to find and retain skilled labor to fulfill their operations. A whopping 55% of respondents named labor scarcity as their number-one priority issue in 2018, followed by issues such as insufficient space, outdated equipment, and inadequate information systems. Plus, 19% of respondents expressed that their supply chain experienced some form of catastrophic event from 2016 to 2018.
All-time unemployment lows contribute to this problem. With increased demand and competition due to e-commerce but reduced availability of workers, automation has become a mainstay in modern warehouses. Automated systems being implemented by survey respondents include RF scanning, voice systems, advanced AS/RS, and robotics. In addition, 50% of respondents sought to improve warehouse IT — a reflection of increasing technology use. Other methods for cost reduction included improving inventory control and leveraging 3PL.
Looking Ahead
Roberto Michel, an editor at MMH, expects that operational efficiency will remain a key focus in the coming years in order to offset labor needs.
Image credit: Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
Industrial automation
Industrial Automation Solutions For Over 30 Years
Is your operation running at its full potential? Our industrial automation solutions and picking logistics systems improve efficiency, accuracy and ergonomics. We'd like to introduce an exciting industrial automation solution: an automated picking solution customized to your specific needs.
Creativity and proper application is the key to batch picking and automated picking solutions. At Kuecker Logistics Group, we are experts at implementing many industrial automation solutions like pick-to-light distro lines, batch picking systems, or pick-to-voice. Our experience truly shines, however, in those unique situations that force us to think outside of the picking logistics box.
In addition to offering those standard picking solutions for industrial automation, KLG has been a leader in innovation using put carousels, put to light monitors, light directed batch carts and other unique solutions for our clients.
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Automated Storage & Retrieval Systems
Do you think that an Automated Storage & Retrieval System is the right solution to meet all of the needs of your company? The first thing that most companies do when they think about implementing an automated storage and retrieval system is call an AS/RS manufacturer. There are many AS/RS manufacturers to choose from but each manufacturer has different specialties and technologies that they truly excel at.
You will find that some of the manufactures specialize in high speed systems, others in maximizing vertical space, some are better at mini-load systems while others are better at unit load systems. It is possible that a crane based solution is not going to be the right type of AS/RS to meet your needs and a carousel with an inserter extractor is. Maybe a unit load with high density depth capabilities would be the tipping point that makes an AS/RS justifiable for your operation.
Choosing The Right Automated Storage & Retrieval System
Many companies try to provide you with a solution, but sometime it is not always the right one for your automated material handling system. Rather than selecting a manufacturer who is only going to recommend the best solution that "they" can provide you with, why not go to a systems integrator with experience in all types of AS/RS who has access to many of the best products on the market and all types of AS/RS? This is just one of the advantages that you will benefit from when choosing Kuecker Logistics Group to assist you in the implementation of an automated storage and retrieval system that is custom designed to meet all of your specific and unique requirements.
Automated Storage & Retrieval
With over 30 years of experience we are sure to find you the solution you are looking for. Not only do we design and build the systems that you need, but we act as partner and consultant to ensure the success of our services. If you are looking for the perfect customized automated storage and retrieval solution to meet your unique needs, contact Kuecker Logistics Group today at (816) 348-3100.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Retail Shoe & Apparel DC
A bit about us:
When receiving a new product in containers, this retailer was encumbered by a totally manual unloading and palletization process, harming the retailer's value chain. After manually sorting the product and palletizing, much of the product would then be cross-docked by loading the cartons onto a conveyor line to either be transported to a unit sorter or be labeled and sent to the shipping sorter to enhance both speed and the value chain.
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This retailer worked with KLG to design a system that would provide labeling, partially automate the palletizing and automate the flow to cross-dock or unit sortation to improve the value chain.
After being placed on one of five telescoping truck unloaders, the cartons proceed to a top apply printer and receive either a shipping label or a carton SKU label. The cartons proceed through a merge and are dimensioned as they are inducted onto the 45 lane sorter. The sorter delivers the carton to a palletizing lane or cross dock divert. For the cartons to be palletized, the custom WCS program uses the dimension information to provide a stack pattern and layer diagram for each SKU to improve the value chain. The palletizing graphic is displayed on monitors at the end sorter lanes to assist the operators in building pallets to enhance the value chain.
The system is capable of receiving, labeling and sorting up to 7,500 cartons per hour, improving the retailer's value chain. Almost half of the cartons received are cross-docked to shipping or to a unit sorter. All cartons that are not cross-docked are palletized. This system has had proven results in improving the retailer's value chain.
Call Jim to find out more at (816) 348-3100
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Warehouse Management
Let Us Make Your Job Easier With Warehouse Management
Warehouse automation is a management system that is designed to make the job easier and to help your employees utilize their time more efficiently. From handling greater amounts of products to allowing for quicker turnaround times, warehouse automation has been assisting the biggest names in a variety of industries. This warehouse management system is sure to help the productivity of your employees. Consider making your business smarter with warehouse automation from KLG.
Learn more about our custom warehouse automation systems by reading more below or calling one of our expert team members at (816) 348-3100 today.
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