Out of the Box Solutions

Out of the Box Solutions

Out of the Box Solutions

ABCO Systems is pleased to be presenting our Out of the Box Solutions product line.

Out of the Box Solutions is our entry level gateway to technology.  In our incredibly fast changing world of distribution, we are at just the beginning.  The truth is that retail distribution has evolved into e-commerce by only 10%.  While that is a huge shift in any business model, it is clear that this is only the beginning.

If we are not beginning to evolve our own operations, we are quite literally going to be left behind.  With the ever-increasing cost of real estate and the ever-rising cost of labor, the best way to stay competitive is to maximize our space and increase our productivity.

Of course, one incredible tool to do this is through Automation.  The challenge of adding Automation clearly is that it is expensive.

That is where we come in…

ABCO Systems has been developing our Out of the Box Solutions product line.  This line is designed to allow our customers the ability to take advantage of entry level Automated Solutions that are most commonly used in Distribution Centers around the country.  And we have taken it one step further.  We have put in all the time and effort already.  We can (not-quite) literally take our solutions Out of the Box and implement them for you.

Because of this, this product line is less expensive, easier and quicker to install, and allows for a far faster ROI.  It allows our customers to spend a relatively small sum, begin the process learning about Automated Solutions, and increase their accuracy and productivity all at once.

Or course, each install will be tailored to fit the very specific requirements of each customer.  But the heavy lifting has already been done.  These base Systems can be expanded to achieve even great efficiencies over time as you begin to reap the rewards of Automation.

Let’s take advantage of all that technology has to offer together.  Call us today to start the process and check how our Out of the Box Solutions product line can help you.  We will do a no cost analysis to determine which, if any, of this line works for you.

Below is our first offering in this product line.  Look for some more emails in the next weeks for even more solutions.

 

Outbound Sorter

Pallet Racking: It’s Not Just A Commodity

Pallet Racking: It’s Not Just A Commodity

It’s not just a product, it’s a service.  It’s not just a commodity.

Certainly, if you are simply buying some uprights and beams, maybe even a few wire decks, then maybe racking is just a commodity.

However, in today’s world of expensive real estate, air tight leases and even more expensive labor, warehouse tenants are most times requiring so much more than just buying some materials.

The correctly optimized warehouse, over the lifespan of a lease, can save significant money both in real estate and labor.

But there is so much more to it than that.  There is an incredible amount that goes into even the simplest pallet racking system.  What might appear to be easy actually requires a lot of detail.

The existing floor, sprinkler system and even the amount of ingress doors the building has can affect what type of racking you can have, how tall it can be, and how you can install it.  The proper column sizing, aisle spacing and footplates can also have a great effect on your racking system.  The weight of your product, how flammable it is, and even how you package it, can severely limit your options.

The permit process, in and of itself, is a beast all to its own.  It can take up to two weeks (or sometimes significantly longer) to gather all of the necessary information for the permit package.  It is required that we submit a PE signed letter validating that your sprinkler system can adequately protect your product based on its commodity class and how it is stored.  Or worse yet, it is very possible that your sprinkler system might even need to be upgraded in some older buildings.  We also need a PE signed set of plans that show the racking, the egress/emergency lighting layout, and the racking calculations showing that the rack can support the weight of the product being stored.

For all of these reasons, and many more besides, it is important that you do not see pallet racking as not just a commodity.  If you have a deadline to hit, or you need to optimize your space, or if you need to keep your overall costs down by most effectively utilizing your space, finding the right partner to deal with is integral to a successful long-term operation.

If you don’t already ready have a relationship with a racking company, start looking for one now.  Even if you are not planning on any kind of work for years.  If you think that you might need it in the future, developing the relationship now will save time and money later.

Then, once you know you are going to move or make any alterations, start engaging your racking company early in the process.  If you pick the right one, they will actually assist in your search for a new building.  The right racking company can help evaluate the building, desired layout, the sprinkler system, the electrical requirements and much more.  And the right company will do all of this simply because they want to earn your racking business.

The individual pallet rack pieces themselves might be a commodity.  But the value of the service that goes into it, most definitely is not.  At the end of the day, the amount of money you will save by working with the right company, and creating the right solution for you, will be all the peace of mind that you need to perform at your best.

Choose ABCO Systems as your racking partner and we will do our best to help you design your space to its fullest potential.  Our design and engineering team are ready to help optimize and layout your building with not only your business needs, but with safety and efficiency in mind as well.

Give ABCO a call at (201) 507-0999 or send us an email for more information.

Reactive vs. Planned Maintenance

Reactive vs. Planned Maintenance

Reactive Maintenance focuses on fixing equipment and bringing it back to its operating condition after it’s already broken.  Emergency repairs such as this, cost 3-9 times more than planned repairs.  This kind of approach is significantly more expensive because of unexpected shutdowns during production instead of pre-planned maintenance shut downs.  Rush shipping for emergency parts cost much more than regular shipping and staff is often forced to work overtime to repair machinery.

Planned Maintenance

Planned maintenance reduces stoppage and the additional costs of emergency repairs.  A scheduled plan gives you the opportunity to improve your operations and continue to operate at full speed.

Some Disadvantages of Reactive Maintenance

  • Shorter life expectancy of equipment – Reactive maintenance does not keep your equipment running in optimal condition. Over time, systems that have not been properly maintained wear and break faster and don’t maximize their initial investment.
  • Safety issues – When work is scheduled, technicians have time to review the procedures and safety requirements to complete the job correctly. Technicians tend to take more risks when maintenance work is reactive because they are under pressure to get equipment running without further time delays.
  • Time-consuming – Reactive repairs tend to take longer. Factors like time to diagnose, travel time, time to pull parts from stores or emergency order, and time to pull correct manuals and schematics, all impact how long it takes you to get back up and running.
  • Sporadic equipment downtime – Planned maintenance can be scheduled while unplanned repairs can happen anytime.
  • Interferes with planned work – Emergency repairs are usually prioritized at the expense of day to day work. Planned work may have to be delayed or cancelled entirely.
  • Collateral damage – A minor issue could quickly turn into a major repair without proper maintenance.
  • Indirect costs – Unplanned downtime can lead to schedule problems if equipment cannot be returned to production in time. This can damage your reputation with clients and cause revenue issues.
  • Repeat issues – Emergency repairs do the bare minimum to get the equipment up and running. This can lead to future issues and eventually cause more downtime.
  • Higher energy costs – When equipment is not properly maintained, it uses more energy. Doing simple things like greasing moving parts or changing filters can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%.

At ABCO Systems, we offer our clients a full maintenance plan that is designed to address any potential problems that could pop up at any time. When you sign up for this plan, you can expect the following:

  • Regularly-scheduled maintenance
  • On-site visits to inspect machinery
  • Real, low-cost resolutions for discovered issues in the system

Our qualified inspectors and technicians make it their responsibility to find failure points that could lead to future problems. A maintenance plan with our company is one of the best preventative steps that you can take.

Contact Us Today

If you’re ready to commit to keeping your systems up to par, contact ABCO Systems for the next step. We can be reached at 201-507-0999, or you can also fill out our online contact form.

Get Serious About Safety

Get Serious About Safety

warehouse safety

Being that we are a construction company, we have always been serious about safety. It has always been our first priority for a plethora of different reasons.

However, it was not until about 5 years ago that we learned how much we did not know. ABCO started to work with our insurance company to create standards for our staff and plans in case of emergency. We are still evolving and we are still learning more every day.

Further to that, because we work with local code officials in townships all across the country, we have learned a lot of what they have to teach us. For them, it comes down to the simple fact that life safety is their only priority.

It is because of this that we are beginning to place even more of focus on helping our customers create safer environments for their teams. There are some seemingly basic life safety requirements that are often times overlooked and we are dedicated to increasing our own knowledge to ensure that we continue to provide more and more value to our customers.

Warehouse Safety
  • Is your fire protection system up to date? Do you have enough water flow in your building to support your commodity and how it is stored in your Pallet Rack or your Garment on Hanger (GOH).
  • Do you have proper signs and lighting on your Flat Pack Mezzanine or GOH Pick Module?
  • Are your Egress Lights active and working? Do you have a clear Egress path?
  • Do you have the necessary safety barriers between lift equipment and walking staff members?

We can help you identify and rectify all of these potential hazards. Not only will it help increase employee moral by showing you care about employee safety, but it will also increase productivity by having standard operating procedures. On top of all that, a clearly documented safety protocol can also reduce your liability, and therefore your costs, with your insurance company.

ABCO Systems has developed a safety/maintenance program that can help with all of your needs.

Please contact us with any questions.

Renting a Warehouse with Used Pallet Rack

Renting a Warehouse with Used Pallet Rack

Pallet Rack

There is an interesting trend in the used pallet rack market.  When renting a warehouse, some landlords are throwing in a perceived bonus to get new tenants.  Not only do they get the space, but it comes with rack already installed.

What a deal, right!

Well it can be a deal or it could be a nightmare.  The only way to figure out the difference is with a lot of research and maybe some help from an expert.  Both parties, the landlord and the tenant, need to know exactly what they are getting and whether the deal is actually a deal.

Here’s What You Need to Look for When Renting a Warehouse
Tenants

Current Capacity:  You, when renting a warehouse, don’t know what the plan was by the original tenant that installed the rack.  Were they storing car parts or giant stuffed animals?  Even if you look at the old tenants product and believe it must have been heavier than yours, how do you know they did not have a WMS (warehouse management system) that only allowed certain items on the shelf levels and kept the heavier items on the ground?

Even the placement of the shelf levels effect the load capacity of the uprights.  Without seismic and load calculations based on your product locations or having an experienced partner in the rack business evaluate the capacities of the system you may not realize the danger until it is too late.

Layout:  How did the previous tenant layout the rack?  Was it for single, double, or triple-deep storage?  Does that work for your need?  Does that truly optimize the space you are moving into for your product?  If not, this means you will need to hire a company to relocate the rack so that it will work for your storage.

While this could be a good money saving tactic for the new renter, you need the help of an experienced partner in the rack business, to look over the layout and let you know how much it will be to reconfigure the rack.

Landlords

You have a building with rack in it, but that may be a turnoff for some renters.  The rack may be for a very specialized layout or business and may not work for 95% of the market.  In this case the best idea for the landlord is to sell the used rack, and rent the building empty.

If you wanted you could even reduce the price of the rental due to the windfall they are receiving for selling the used rack.  Lower rent is always appealing to the market.

If you need help from either side, whether you’re a landlord with a current rack set-up or a client looking to rent or have rented a building with used rack in place, contact ABCO Systems to get a free review of your current storage.  We buy used rack or can help you reconfigure the storage in a way that works for you.