What Does Unconventional Distribution Mean?
If you have been reading this blog, you know that we are advocates of unconventional distribution solutions. In fact, we believe that unconventional picking and storage solutions, increase distribution center efficiency and yield the best return on investment over traditional solutions.
But what does “unconventional” mean in regards to distribution and supply chain, and how does it help your return on investment? Well to us, unconventional means finding the most efficient and effective way to solve distribution center problems. Typical or standard distribution solutions don’t rely on finding the most efficient way to do something. Typical users rely on finding any system that will work and sticking with it. They don’t take the time to find the best way it will work.
That’s similar to the approach, “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it!” There’s wisdom in that approach for something simple, like a window or a child’s toy. But for a automated distribution center that has a multitude of moving parts that can be optimized, it’s not so black and white. Look at it like this; A unicycle is a form of transportation, but just because it works doesn’t mean it is the most efficient form of transportation.
To be clear, unconventional distribution systems are not different for difference sake. Unconventional is looking at a solution and saying, “Is that really the best way to do this? What if we did this? This is how we do it now but should we do it that way again?” Finding an unconventional solution means digging in and seeing what will work best. It also means applying past knowledge to a new problem, sometimes in a unique way.
So, how do we assure that we come up with the best design to a distribution center? It starts with a different approach. For instance, people ask why we request so much data, when others don’t. It‘s because we use all that data to really get to the heart of how a system needs to perform and what a company needs to get out of it. When we get into the data and break it down, we can determine where there are opportunities to make a solution better. We want to ensure that when we design a distribution solution it is the best it can be given the budget and requirements.
What are your thoughts on unconventional distribution? Do you agree that it worth the extra effort to come up with something that works the best vs. something that simply works? Comment below and let us know.
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Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989.
SCHAEFER’s automation integrates to any existing system earning us an international reputation as the global leader in the material-handling industry for returnable packaging, static racking, and highly complex, automated distribution systems. With over 70 years of experience and a 100% commitment to quality behind every SSI Schafer system, we focus on providing our clients with unconventional picking and storage solutions delivering best value