Case Studies Breakthru Beverage Illinois invests for long-term growth
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Breakthru Beverage Illinois invests for long-term growth

Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Food & Beverage
Retail
Logistics & Transportation
Warehouse & Inventory Management
Inventory Management
Supply Chain Visibility
Warehouse Automation
Software Design & Engineering Services
System Integration
Like many companies in the beverage industry, Breakthru Beverage Illinois was faced with the challenge of expansion to support increased demand. The challenge was the fact that they were working out of three warehouses, which was totally inefficient. With the growth of their business, they started to see limitations in their ability to service customers during high peak times. They needed a warehouse that would provide the efficiencies required to match their go-to-market strategies as they continued to grow. Breakthru Beverage decided to build a new facility in Cicero, IL, understanding that they needed to invest for long-term growth. This reinvestment included site re-development of the former Sportsman’s Park. The 35-acre site lot was chosen to fit the 604,907 sq. ft. building, which included 555,449 sq. ft. of warehouse, 106,409 sq. ft. of office space, and 25,000 sq. ft. of cooler.
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Breakthru Beverage Illinois, originally known as Wirtz Beverage Group, is a family business founded in 1945 by Arthur Wirtz. The company is one of the first multi-state distributors and operates in Illinois, Nevada, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. With combined revenues of $1.8 billion annually and 2,500 employees, Breakthru Beverage Illinois is a significant player in the beverage distribution industry. The company is built on values and a commitment to partnership, which has driven its long-term growth and success. As a multi-state distributor, Breakthru Beverage Illinois has a broad reach and a strong market presence, making it a key player in the beverage industry.
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Westfalia’s AS/RS provides Breakthru Beverage with the ability to adapt to changing market conditions while enabling future growth. Specializing in high-density storage systems, Westfalia’s AS/RS allows Breakthru Beverage to store up to 10 pallets deep while maintaining a balance of inventory and movements across the system. The 42-foot tall building is equipped with five high storage racks with three tandem Storage and Retrieval Machines (S/RM). Using the Satellite® system, storing and retrieving loads in Breakthru Beverage’s high-density configuration significantly increases storage capacity and reduces the system's footprint. The Satellite® system also provides triple support so the load weight is distributed evenly and more reliably in the rack. Westfalia’s Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System is the power behind the AS/RS. Savanna.NET® provides control of all product flows and maximum system flexibility, allowing Westfalia to customize the functionality specific to Breakthru Beverage. This design led to cost and labor efficiency, with receiving docks set up in front of the AS/RS, cutting the receiving time of primary products in half.
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Westfalia and Breakthru Beverage designed an AS/RS which includes three tandem cranes capable of moving 200 pallets per hour, carrying more than 1,000 SKU’s and 2.2 million cases of inventory.
Breakthru Beverage was able to increase loading capacity to 78,000 cases over a period of 10 hours.
The system takes up only 110K square feet yet is able to store 1.3M cases in about one third of the space of a conventional warehouse alternative.
Three tandem cranes capable of moving 200 pallets per hour.
Carrying more than 1,000 SKU’s and 2.2 million cases of inventory.
Increased loading capacity to 78,000 cases over a period of 10 hours.
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