Van Meter - Cedar Rapids Electrical Distribution Warehouse Automation
⭐Key Features
- •18 Kardex vertical lift modules (VLMs) maximizing vertical space utilization to full ceiling height
- •Integrated conveyor system optimizing material flow and reducing manual handling
- •High-density storage for 10% of SKUs handling 34% of daily picks and puts
- •Ergonomic goods-to-person workflow eliminating ladder climbing and bending
- •Zone consolidation from 6 to 4 zones while maintaining throughput
📊Results & Benefits
- ✓Achieved 99.98-99.99% pick accuracy across automated operations
- ✓Increased throughput by 25% through automation optimization
- ✓Improved labor efficiencies by 21% with streamlined workflows
- ✓Achieved 65 lines per hour average in VLMs (80-100 during peak periods)
- ✓Reduced staffing requirements from 6 to 4 employees for 34% of workload
- ✓Enabled business growth strategy to double business by 2025
🎯Challenges & Solutions
Need to double business by 2025 while maintaining operational efficiency
Implemented comprehensive automation with 18 Kardex VLMs and conveyor systems
Inefficient manual picking with ladder climbing and excessive walking
Deployed vertical lift modules with ergonomic goods-to-person workflow
Optimizing warehouse space utilization for growing electrical parts distribution
Utilized full ceiling height with high-density vertical storage systems
📝Project Overview
Project Overview
Van Meter, an employee-owned electrical and automation distributor founded in 1928 and headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, faced the challenge of supporting ambitious growth objectives while maintaining operational efficiency. With 25 locations across seven states serving diverse industries including contractors, industrial manufacturing, solar, and commercial sectors, the company needed to transform its warehouse operations to achieve its goal of doubling business by 2025.
The existing manual warehouse processes involved inefficient picking methods with employees climbing ladders and extensive walking, resulting in suboptimal productivity. Van Meter sought to automate their warehouse efficiently and effectively, with a focus on better utilizing warehouse space by maximizing vertical storage capacity. The company's unique employee-owned culture emphasized collaborative goal achievement, making operational improvements critical for maintaining competitive advantage in electrical distribution.
After thorough evaluation, Van Meter partnered with Kardex to implement a comprehensive automation solution centered around vertical lift modules and conveyor systems. The project aimed to address space utilization challenges while significantly improving picking accuracy, throughput, and labor efficiency across their electrical parts distribution operations.
Technical Solution
Kardex Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs)
The core of the automation solution consists of 18 Kardex vertical lift modules that maximize vertical space utilization by extending to the full ceiling height of the warehouse. These VLMs provide high-density storage for fast-moving electrical components, implementing a goods-to-person workflow where materials are automatically delivered to operators at ergonomic working heights. The system stores 10% of Van Meter's SKUs while handling 34% of daily picking and putting activities, creating exceptional storage efficiency.
Momentum WES: Next-Generation Warehouse Execution and Control
Vendor: Honeywell Intelligrated
Key Features
The 18 Kardex vertical lift modules provide exceptional space utilization by maximizing vertical storage to the full ceiling height. This high-density design allows Van Meter to store more inventory in the same footprint while maintaining rapid access to frequently picked items.
The integrated conveyor system creates a seamless material flow that connects storage areas with processing stations. This automation reduces manual handling and enables the consolidation of operational zones from six to four, improving overall efficiency.
The goods-to-person workflow delivers significant ergonomic benefits by eliminating ladder climbing and bending. Materials are automatically presented to operators at optimal working heights, reducing physical strain and improving workplace safety.
The system's high-velocity SKU concentration is a standout feature, with just 10% of stored SKUs accounting for 34% of daily picking and putting activities. This strategic inventory placement maximizes automation utilization and throughput.
Reliable Kardex support ensures minimal downtime, with responsive service that helps maintain continuous operations. This reliability is critical for Van Meter's customer service commitments in the competitive electrical distribution market.
Results & Benefits
Van Meter has achieved exceptional picking accuracy of 99.98-99.99% across automated operations, significantly reducing errors and improving customer satisfaction in electrical parts distribution.
Throughput has increased by 25% through the automation optimization, enabling the warehouse to handle higher volumes efficiently as the company works toward its 2025 growth targets.
Labor efficiencies have improved by 21% with streamlined workflows and reduced manual handling. The automation allows four employees to handle work that previously required six staff members, representing significant productivity gains.
Picking rates in the VLMs average 65 lines per hour, with peak performance reaching 80-100 lines per hour during busy periods. This represents a substantial improvement over the 20 lines per hour in high-bay areas and 50-55 lines per hour in gray shelving.
The automation has created a foundation for achieving Van Meter's strategic goal of doubling business by 2025, providing the operational capacity and efficiency needed to support significant growth.
Challenges & Solutions
Van Meter's primary challenge was the need to double business by 2025 while maintaining operational efficiency and their employee-focused culture. The comprehensive automation solution with 18 Kardex VLMs and conveyor systems provided the scalability and efficiency needed to support this aggressive growth target.
Inefficient manual picking processes involving ladder climbing, excessive walking, and bending were creating productivity bottlenecks and ergonomic concerns. The vertical lift modules with goods-to-person workflow eliminated these inefficiencies by delivering materials directly to operators at optimal working heights.
Optimizing warehouse space utilization for growing electrical parts distribution required innovative storage solutions. The vertical lift modules addressed this by utilizing the full ceiling height, creating high-density storage that maximizes capacity within the existing facility footprint.
System Integrator
Kardex served as the system integrator and technology provider for Van Meter's warehouse automation project. The company delivered and installed the 18 vertical lift modules and provided integration support for the conveyor systems. Kardex's responsive service and support have been highlighted as a key factor in the project's success, with Van Meter noting that Kardex is "always right there to help us work through any issues" to minimize downtime.
The partnership has enabled Van Meter to maintain continuous customer service while implementing significant operational changes. Kardex's expertise in vertical storage solutions proved ideal for Van Meter's needs in electrical parts distribution, where space optimization and rapid access to components are critical for serving diverse industrial customers across seven states.
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📚Related Knowledge Articles (6)
Goods-to-Person Systems
Goods-to-Person (G2P) systems revolutionize warehouse operations by bringing inventory directly to stationary picking stations, eliminating worker travel time and maximizing productivity. These automated systems combine storage, retrieval, and presentation technologies to create highly efficient picking environments.
Vertical Lift Modules (VLM)
Vertical lift modules use automated extractors to retrieve trays from vertically stacked storage positions, delivering items to ergonomic access openings for picking while maximizing vertical space utilization.
Box Conveyor Systems
Box conveyor systems transport cartons and cases through distribution centers using belt, roller, or chain conveyors optimized for the consistent dimensions and weights of boxed products.
Overhead Conveyors
Overhead conveyors suspend products from tracks mounted above the work area, freeing floor space while transporting items through manufacturing, finishing, storage, and distribution processes.
Pallet Conveyors
Pallet conveyors transport palletized loads through warehouses and manufacturing facilities using powered rollers, chains, or belts, enabling automated material flow between storage, production, and shipping areas.
Small Load Conveyors
Small load conveyors transport individual items, totes, cartons, and packages through warehouses and distribution centers using belt, roller, or slat systems optimized for lightweight products.
