Pit Boss

They call it the “pit,” an area in the center of the store devoted to fast- moving items. But what happens when the fast movers don’t hit the pit fast enough?

This was the scenario facing BrandsMart U.S.A., a Hollywood, Fla.-based discounter of home appliances and electronics that operates eight high-traffic warehouse-style stores in Florida and Georgia. It wanted a replenishment system that could eliminate trips between the warehouse and the center of the store without increasing out of stocks and boosting labor costs.

At the same time, the chain needed a way to safely and quickly move smaller items into the store from an adjacent warehouse. The solution was a virtually silent overhead conveyor system from Lakeland, Fla.-based TriFactor Distribution.

“They wanted something that would be memorable,” says TriFactor COO JJ Phelan. “We looked at several ways to do it but decided this was the best mix of function and impact.”

TriFactor had considerable experience with conveyor systems, but most of that work centered on engineering and design for distribution centers. Working with that company’s engineers, BrandsMart designed a system that would make optimum use of existing space in both the warehouse and the store. The result was a 150-ft., 24-volt motorized driven roller (MDR), zero pressure accumulation conveyor that moved product through an opening in an upper wall separating the warehouse and store.

“It’s a modular device that you put together like an erector set,” says Larry Levine, vice president operations for BrandsMart. In the selling area, a center spiral that looks like a corkscrew descends 26 ft. to a glass cage with a window that enables a restocking crew to pick up the merchandise.

Restocking the 12,200-sq.-ft. “pit” at the center of the store “where we carry housewares and small appliances has always been our biggest problem,” Levin says. “If it’s particularly busy, replenishment is going on all day and traffic between the warehouse and the middle of the store gets a little harrowing: I’ve had to play chicken with forklifts a couple of times at some stores.

“But this isn’t so much a safety issue as it is a hassle to restock,” he says. “Anyone who does it during business hours has exactly the same issues.”

Space and sound
Having sufficient back-up stock to meet consumer demand is a big part of the company’s strength, Levine says, but “that requires a sizeable amount of space. In fact, our warehouse requirement is kind of extreme.” Because of this, BrandsMart considered several different design variations for the conveyor system – including routing it beneath the store.

“But before implementing anything we also thought a lot about sound,” he says. Most conveyor systems are quite noisy – less than ideal in a store environment – but “you can stand next to this thing and you can barely hear it running,” he says.

Another bonus: the system provides some “green” benefits. “A conventional roller is driven by AC motors and gearboxes that transfer power by way of belts or chains; the BrandsMart conveyor system has DC motors built inside the rollers to muffle noise, and smart technology enables the system to “fall asleep” when it’s not needed to significantly reduce power consumption.

As an added bonus, the system is easier to maintain than a traditional conveyor and has less environmental impact since it does not use materials like gearboxes, reducers and heavy motors, Phelan says.

Reduced labor costs
BrandsMart undertook the first installation four years ago and has since placed the conveyor system in two new stores and an existing location. In some instances, merchandise throughput has improved as much as 400 percent, while labor requirements have been cut in half.

In a typical warehouse, Phelan says, labor accounts for up to 70 percent of operational costs. “Since a majority of labor is associated with picking and replenishment, this system gets to the low-hanging fruit that would otherwise cost a lot of time, money and effort,” he says.

As successful as the conveyor system has been, it may not be right for all stores, Levine says. “It wouldn’t pay to install them in stores with lighter traffic, where platforms and pallets are easier to use.”

Whether a similar system can be used in other areas of the store remains to be seen. “We probably could, but it might not be practical for us,” Levine says.