Featured Project:
Distribution Center Upgrade in 72 Hours
 Project Challenge: A 907,000 square-foot retail store distribution center based in Iowa needed their two sorters with a combined length of 600 feet and 40 diverts rebuilt – and they needed it done fast. In addition to the routine maintenance, the systems required an upgrade to current design standards. The facility commissioned Dematic Corp., a global leader providing logistics and material handling solutions, to modernize and rebuild the sorters. As a large distribution center that supports a regional chain of variety stores in 10 states, it was essential that the job be fi nished on schedule to avoid interfering with production. The challenge would be to tear the equipment apart, repair and rebuild it, and test the systems all within the 72 hours the facility would be down.
Sorting Things Out for a Total Solution: Realizing it was going to be a race to beat the clock, Dematic set out to find the most qualifi ed contractor to help ensure that there would be no unplanned downtime. Dematic selected Joulé Industrial Contractors to be their partner for this project.
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“When we were choosing a contractor to work with, the size of the project immediately eliminated some
of JIC’s competition. We’ve worked with JIC previously and their experience, as well as their solid project
leads were the driving factors in choosing them. Selecting them gave me a comfort level - and it paid off.”
James Lippert, PMP – Project Manager, Dematic Corp.
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Dematic and JIC received access to the distribution center at 7 a.m. on a Friday, with a hard deadline to have it back up and running by 7 a.m. on Monday. The project began on schedule and was running smoothly, until a new situation arose. The facility had elected to re-use existing parts that needed to be cleaned before being reassembled. When the company contracted for the cleaning fell behind, the projected completion date was threatened.
With experienced project leads on-site to assess the situation, a solution was quickly developed. JIC crews would jump in and assist with the cleaning to maintain the required tight timeline. Forty craftsmen in four crews worked around the clock to ensure that the critical schedule would be met. JIC’s flexibility and deep resources enabled the job to be completed as scheduled.
Success - Amperage Decreased by 38%: JIC partnered with Dematic to deliver on time, on budget and with the highest quality and safety measures. Six hundred feet of sorter was taken apart, cleaned, repaired, rebuilt and fully tested in 72 hours, with no unscheduled downtime. Despite significant hurdles, the client resumed operations Monday morning at 7am as planned. By upgrading the facility to a state-of-the-art product and
package sortation system, Dematic and JIC improved distribution operations and signifi cantly extended its
life expectancy. Best of all, the distribution center decreased amperage by 38% resulting in reduced electrical and maintenance costs.
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