New heights for productivity

摘要

Smithers-Oasis Co. knew that it needed to build a new distribution center to better serve its growing North American business, eliminate logistics and leasing costs associated with the warehouse space it was leasing, and at the same time, take advantage of consolidation opportunities that could reduce operating costs even further. But the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based company―which makes foam products for floral arrangements, horticultural, craft and biomedical uses―also realized that a new distribution center was only part of the solution. Land restrictions meant the new facility would have to be twice as tall as its predecessor, but only take up 60,000 square feet of space―about 30% of the square footage of the previous facility. The company would have to change its business processes to efficiently manage this new facility.