Warehouse1 Material Handling Case Studies

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) retrofitted a library facility in Lewisville, Texas, to house millions of pages of official records and artifacts documenting the two-term administration of President George W. Bush. Due to the irreplaceable nature of the documents and artifacts, NARA required that the storage shelving be free of dust and able to withstand a seizmic event. warehouse1 provided and installed 1850 sections of steel document storage shelving with an electrostatic powdercoat finish. warehouse1 also cleaned all shelves and components with electrostatic cloth and installed additional custom bracing for seizmic stabilization. The shelving units exceeded the “near perfect condition” requirements.

The National Archives and Records Administration’s Federal Records Centers in Lee’s Summit and Lenexa are 60 feet below the surface in excavated limestone caves. The caves provide a stable environment to store materials due to a constant temperature range in the low 60’s. The Lee’s Summit Center had filled its original 800,000 cubic feet of shelving and needed to expand. NARA had also closed its Bannister Road Records Center and was transfering its records to the Lenexa Center. warehouse1 designed, provided and installed compression shelving systems for both facilities, 4,000 sections in the Lee’s Summit Center and 4,700 sections in the Lenexa Center.

The Florida Department of Health houses emergency relief supplies in a 295,000 square foot emergency response warehouse in Orlando. The Department delivers these relief supplies to support the local and statewide population in case of any natural disaster. The facility was at maximum storage capacity: 5,000 pallet positions of bottled water. warehouse1 provided a high density storage solution that DOUBLED the capacity of the facility to 10,000 pallet positions in the same amount of square footage which, in turn, decreased the cost of storage by 50%! warehouse1 implemented a complete turnkey solution for the Department by designing the drive-in pallet rack system, supplying the material and providing the installation services.

The 159W, Louisiana Air National Guard required a receiving, storage and distribution system at England ANGB in Alexandria, Louisiana. warehouse1 furnished and installed pallet racking and a mechanical-assist mobile storage system.

This facility packs service men and women’s individual supply bags for deployment. The project involved tall, narrow aisle pushback racks for the storage and retrieval of individual supply bags, and a conveyor system for the 463L pallet containers in which the bags are packed for the cargo planes.

The Kansas Air National Guard had contacted Cogan Wire & Metal Products Ltd. about installing a small mezzanine. Cogan brought the project to warehouse1 as their local dealer. After consulting with Kansas Air National Guard and receiving the funding parameters, we designed, sold and installed the mezzanine.

The Hawaii Air National Guard Base was continually getting written up for noncompliance with organizational storage standards. warehouse1 provided the materials and installed a mezzanine system designed by Wright-Patterson AFB engineers. The system stores 463L pallets on conveyors above and below the mezzanine. warehouse1 also provided and installed a security cage area including a mobile aisle shelving system and pallet rack. The base is in compliance now that its warehouse utilizes storage space effectively and efficiently.

warehouse1 provided and installed a storage aid system composed of mobile aisle, pallet rack, expanded conveyor systems, totes and issue counters, selective rack, and a secured storage area.

This project included 2 VLM’s (Vertical Lift Modules) manufactured by Diamond Phoenix Co. These are the first ever purchased and installed through the Wright-Patterson contracting office. These units are amazing storage systems similar to a vertical carousel. The footprint of the units are 9’ x 15’ and are 16’ tall. The tray capacity is 550 lbs. with 32 per unit, bringing the total capacity to 17,600 lbs. The trays are 32” x 78” and, once loaded, there are light beams that measure the cube of the loaded tray and tell the computer where to store the load in the most effective position. We also installed a mobile aisle system with pallet rack for storage of tools and supplies.

This project was for the Nevada Air National Guard, located in Reno, NV. This is a brand new building that required extensive expertise to construct. The building is split in half, with 1 half housing the telecommunications Corps and the other half housing the Security forces Corps. Our project consisted of constructing 4 mezzanines: 2 rack supported and 2 structural. There were also minimal sections of short pallet rack: 3 Lyons cabinets and 5 sets of specialty removable casters for large multi-use pallets. The base, as well as the contracting officer and project engineer, were extremely happy with the outcome of this project as we actually came in 3 weeks early on our due date!

Ramstein Air Base serves as headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe. The base had used all of its storage space, requiring the reconfiguration and addition of material handling equipment in two storage buildings. In the first building, warehouse1 reconfigured existing pallet rack into a narrow aisle system, complete with order pickers and reach trucks. The wh1 team designed guide rail joints that saved on installation time as no welding or drilling was needed. The team also installed a portable office, issue counter, bar and pipe rack, 22 flammable cabinets and security cage for monitoring higher priced inventory. In the second building, the team provided and installed 61 sections of cantilever. The team received an A+ rating on the project!

Warehouse1 won this project through the Department of Defense’s competitive bid process. The project included installing 104 sections of pallet rack used to store mobility bags (supply bags given to soldiers being deployed), upgrading fluorescent lighting, constructing a 2,000 square-foot security cage and providing 44 worktables. After reviewing the design and consulting with Wright Patterson project managers, we improved the design and upgraded the materials employed.

In a joint venture with Speedrack West, warehouse1 installed a three level full/split case pick module. The module is rack supported and contains extensive conveying systems. This project, in a suburb of Mexico City was for one of Mexico’s largest bakeries.

Blount International of Kansas City, a subsidiary of Oregon Cutting Systems Group, chose to consolidate its Portland and Kansas City distribution facilities to an expanded facility in Kansas City, effectively doubling the size of Blount International’s facility. The expansion required 500 sections of pallet rack with 5,000 beams and 5,000 wire decks, 140 sections of closed bin shelving, 2 mezzanines totaling 18,000 square-foot, and two floor-to-mezzanine conveyors, and required supplying and installing almost $1 million worth of equipment. Adding to the challenge, was the project had to be completed within 60 days of purchase order. warehouse1 completed the project within the allotted time frame - a task that few, if any, of warehouse1’s competitors could accomplish. Frederick’s is a satisfied, and much appreciated customer!

Chegg.com, leader in online textbook rentals, expanded their distribution capabilities with a new Distribution Center in Louisville, KY. Protecting our environment is important to Chegg. Along with recycling textbooks through their rental business, Chegg also plants a tree for every rented book. warehouse1’s capability of offering environmentally friendly, reconditioned products was an important consideration for Chegg. wh1 provided a green storage solution, installing 2700 sections of reconditioned shelving. wh1 also supplied 20 of our steel-topped work benches constructed from pre-owned equipment. By choosing wh1 reconditioned products, Chegg received high-quality equipment and kept valuable resources out of landfills.

Excelligence, a provider of learning materials for primary grade schools, chose Kansas City for the location of its new distribution center because of its central location. Excelligence chose warehouse1 as its industrial equipment supplier over competitors due to its superior service. warehouse1 provided pallet rack, column guards, conveyor, packing stations, forklifts, pallet jacks, dock equipment, ladders, service carts and golf carts.

Houston’s Inc., distributors of restaurant equipment, moved to a new Distribution Center in Kansas City with double the storage capacity of their previous facility. warehouse1 designed and installed a cost-efficient selective pallet rack system. Integrating Houston’s existing rack with pre-owned rack from warehouse1’s inventory and our network of partners, gave Houston’s significant savings off the cost of a new rack system. The rack system exceeded the expectations of Houston’s Warehouse Operations Manager, Mike Buddrius, who flew in from Corporate Headquarters in Wilsonville, Oregon, to view the project. Mr. Buddrius learned that while the pre-owned rack system is less expensive, it performs just like new.

McCall Pattern’s purchase of a competitor required absorbing inventory and order fulfillment into an existing facility. Project involved installing a two level pick module. Each level is 6000 square feet, shelf supported. Existing shelving components from both facilities were utilized, supplemented by components from warehouse1’s inventory. warehouse1 engineered and furnished catwalk, railing and stairs.

MCR Safety, a global manufacturer of personal protective safety equipment, opened a new distribution center just outside of Memphis in Piperton, Tennessee. Warehouse1 provided project management and integration services, installing over 3 million pounds of pallet rack and allied material from 4 different manufactures in one project.

Plastic Enterprises’ growing business required it to expand its storage capacity by adding an additional warehouse at its manufacturing facility and consolidating an offsite warehouse 10 miles away. Plastic Enterprises and McCownGordon, GC of the construction project, invited warehouse1 and three other material handling companies to submit a proposal to design, furnish and install a pallet storage system. warehouse1’s proposal exceeded Plastics Enterprises’ pallet space requirements by 15% and it was selected. Associates at Plastic Enterprises were so pleased with warehouse1’s design and execution that they requested warehouse1 to improve the storage space in their original warehouse.

In a multi-phased expansion, warehouse1 first erected new pallet rack in a new warehouse. Then existing warehouse shelving was reconfigured, a new two level mezzanine unit with full matt bar grating and catwalks was installed, and a third area of shelving was installed on an existing mezzanine. And finally, new conveyor systems were put in place.