Giant Eagle, a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based retailer, looked to eliminate manual travel of pallet trucks at its Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Ohio, distribution centers.
Challenges
- Reduce wasted travel time for hi-lift operators.
- Meet customer demand without adding costs.
- Improve workplace safety.
Solution
Vision-guided vehicles (VGVs) from Seegrid Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa.
VGV pallet trucks transport inbound pallets to identified drop locations. Hi-lift operators are notified via warehouse management system to complete the putaway process. Nearly 25-35% of all inbound freight is transported by VGV pallet trucks.
Results
- Increased hi-lift pallets per hour by 35-45%.
- Average savings of 1.5 minutes per pallet hauled.
- Reduced manned travel from putaway by 20-30%.
- Zero safety incidents.
“The cost effectiveness that the new system incorporates has allowed us to remain successful in an extremely competitive environment and bring value to our end customer,” says Joe Hurley, senior vice president of distribution and logistics for Giant Eagle.
