Case Studies Primium Waters Inc. invests in technological efficiency

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	Primium Waters Inc. invests in technological efficiency

Primium Waters Inc. invests in technological efficiency

Technology Category	Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries	Consumer Goods Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases	Inventory Management Supply Chain Visibility Warehouse Automation
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	Premium Waters, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN, a leader in the private label bottled water industry, faced the challenge of meeting increasing demand and throughput. They needed a solution that could handle high throughput rates and provide efficient storage configuration. Initially considering a pallet flow system, they ultimately chose an Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) and Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System (WMS) from Westfalia Technologies, Inc. The new system was installed at their Douglas, GA plant to convey products from palletizing, through high-density storage, to outbound staging lanes on the shipping dock. The AS/RS includes two Storage/Retrieval Machines (S/RMs) operating in one aisle, each capable of handling two pallets at a time, which is a key advantage of Westfalia’s flexible high-density warehouse designs. Read More
About Customer	Premium Waters, solely owned by the Chesterman Company, has been in the bottling business for over 130 years. They bottle water for commercial, residential, and retail clients in multiple sizes ranging from single servings to five-gallon bottles. The company is also known for bottling public brands, including Chippewa Spring and Premium Kandiyohi, as well as private labels for store and custom label bottled water. Premium Waters is a leader in the private label bottled water industry and has a strong reputation for quality and reliability. Their operations span multiple locations, and they are committed to technological efficiency and cost benefits. Read More
Solution	To handle peak production and order selection times, Premium Waters installed Air Chain Accumulation Conveyors at both the infeed and discharge of the AS/RS. These conveyors provide a buffer for smoothing peak operations and cut the average S/RM travel distance. Pallets of bottled water are sent from production either into the AS/RS or directly to the shipping dock via Westfalia’s unique Drawbridge Conveyor. The Drawbridge Conveyor either lays across the crane aisle for pallets to travel directly to the shipping dock or lifts straight up for the S/RM to move through the aisle. Once pallets are stretch-wrapped and labeled, they enter the automated system. Each pallet is conveyed to a squaring station, where it is centered on the conveyor, profile checked, and scanned for identification. If a pallet load is outside the predefined load envelope or can’t be scanned, it will be rejected and require forklift removal and correction. Pallets that pass the profile check and scanning station are conveyed to the infeed of either S/RM 1 or S/RM 2 and are placed in the storage rack as directed by Westfalia’s Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems

Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems

Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Applicable Industries

Consumer Goods

Food & Beverage

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Supply Chain Visibility

Warehouse Automation

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

Premium Waters, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN, a leader in the private label bottled water industry, faced the challenge of meeting increasing demand and throughput. They needed a solution that could handle high throughput rates and provide efficient storage configuration. Initially considering a pallet flow system, they ultimately chose an Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) and Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System (WMS) from Westfalia Technologies, Inc. The new system was installed at their Douglas, GA plant to convey products from palletizing, through high-density storage, to outbound staging lanes on the shipping dock. The AS/RS includes two Storage/Retrieval Machines (S/RMs) operating in one aisle, each capable of handling two pallets at a time, which is a key advantage of Westfalia’s flexible high-density warehouse designs.

About Customer

Premium Waters, solely owned by the Chesterman Company, has been in the bottling business for over 130 years. They bottle water for commercial, residential, and retail clients in multiple sizes ranging from single servings to five-gallon bottles. The company is also known for bottling public brands, including Chippewa Spring and Premium Kandiyohi, as well as private labels for store and custom label bottled water. Premium Waters is a leader in the private label bottled water industry and has a strong reputation for quality and reliability. Their operations span multiple locations, and they are committed to technological efficiency and cost benefits.

Solution

To handle peak production and order selection times, Premium Waters installed Air Chain Accumulation Conveyors at both the infeed and discharge of the AS/RS. These conveyors provide a buffer for smoothing peak operations and cut the average S/RM travel distance. Pallets of bottled water are sent from production either into the AS/RS or directly to the shipping dock via Westfalia’s unique Drawbridge Conveyor. The Drawbridge Conveyor either lays across the crane aisle for pallets to travel directly to the shipping dock or lifts straight up for the S/RM to move through the aisle. Once pallets are stretch-wrapped and labeled, they enter the automated system. Each pallet is conveyed to a squaring station, where it is centered on the conveyor, profile checked, and scanned for identification. If a pallet load is outside the predefined load envelope or can’t be scanned, it will be rejected and require forklift removal and correction. Pallets that pass the profile check and scanning station are conveyed to the infeed of either S/RM 1 or S/RM 2 and are placed in the storage rack as directed by Westfalia’s Savanna.NET® Warehouse Management System.

Impact #1	When selected for shipping, Savanna.NET directs the movement of the pallet out of the racks via the Satellite and S/RM, and onto discharge Air Chain Accumulation Conveyors. The pallets discharge position is such that forklift trucks may pick them up by either the 48” or 40” pallet face. Westfalia’s Savanna.NET accurately tracks the inventory and FIFO product shipments.
Impact #2	Premium Waters selected Savanna.NET’s basic functions, including the management of all SKUs, pallets, and storage lanes in the system, as well as the Warehouse Control System component which controls all the automation devices. The system also includes user management grouping and the scheduling of periodic tasks, such as re-warehousing pallets, pick lane replenishment, and data clean-up.
Impact #3	Expansions to the basic Savanna.NET for Premium Waters include an extension to track and control outbound orders, even linking manual movements within the facility. This means all goods moved manually throughout the facility, including via forklift trucks and pallet jacks, are tracked in Savanna.NET.

Impact #1

When selected for shipping, Savanna.NET directs the movement of the pallet out of the racks via the Satellite and S/RM, and onto discharge Air Chain Accumulation Conveyors. The pallets discharge position is such that forklift trucks may pick them up by either the 48” or 40” pallet face. Westfalia’s Savanna.NET accurately tracks the inventory and FIFO product shipments.

Impact #2

Premium Waters selected Savanna.NET’s basic functions, including the management of all SKUs, pallets, and storage lanes in the system, as well as the Warehouse Control System component which controls all the automation devices. The system also includes user management grouping and the scheduling of periodic tasks, such as re-warehousing pallets, pick lane replenishment, and data clean-up.

Impact #3

Expansions to the basic Savanna.NET for Premium Waters include an extension to track and control outbound orders, even linking manual movements within the facility. This means all goods moved manually throughout the facility, including via forklift trucks and pallet jacks, are tracked in Savanna.NET.

Benefit #1	40% increase in storage density with a Multiple-Deep AS/RS.
Benefit #2	30% reduction in energy costs due to the efficiencies of AS/RS systems.

Benefit #1

40% increase in storage density with a Multiple-Deep AS/RS.

Benefit #2

30% reduction in energy costs due to the efficiencies of AS/RS systems.

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Overview

Primium Waters Inc. invests in technological efficiency

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit