How a Convenience Store Chain Swapped Out Some Not-So-Convenient Warehouse Systems

摘要

The annals of technology transformation are full of stories about projects that ended up expanding well beyond their original objective. But sometimes "mission creep" can be a good thing. Sheetz Inc. is a family-owned chain of convenience stores and coffee shops operating in six states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. The company depends on a tightly orchestrated supply chain to keep its 560 stores stocked. And that means running an efficient distribution-center operation. For years, Sheetz supplied all of its stores through a single distribution facility in Claysburg, Pa. Not surprisingly, as business grew, the operation began to show signs of aging. It was either a question of scrapping old equipment, or updating the software that controlled it.