SUCCESS STORIES
A global medical technology manufacturer was planning a major transformation of its distribution network to improve efficiency and support future growth. The organization operated multiple warehouse facilities that had evolved over time, creating operational complexity and inefficiencies in storage, picking, and inventory management. Leadership made the strategic decision to consolidate five separate buildings into a single distribution center while introducing advanced automation technology to improve productivity and scalability. To ensure the new facility would support both automated and traditional storage requirements, the company partnered with Alpine Supply Chain Solutions to perform a comprehensive Storage Type Analysis (STA). The objective was
The organization needed to consolidate inventory from five facilities into a single distribution center while determining the optimal mix of automated and traditional storage solutions. Leadership had to identify the right Exotec bin configurations, rack types, and SKU placements to maximize storage density, minimize replenishment, and maintain operational efficiency. A data-driven strategy was essential to ensure the new facility could support both current operations and future growth
Alpine Supply Chain Solutions conducted a comprehensive Storage Type Analysis (STA), evaluating SKU characteristics, inventory profiles, and storage requirements to optimize both Exotec automation and conventional racking. Through five iterative modeling cycles, the team refined storage assumptions and developed four facility design scenarios, analyzing different combinations of Exotec bin configurations, rack layouts, and inventory allocations. This process enabled the client to select the most effective storage strategy for its consolidated operation.
The analysis delivered a clear blueprint for the new distribution center, identifying the optimal rack types, Exotec storage configuration, and SKU placement strategy. Alpine also determined which products should remain offsite to reduce replenishment complexity while maximizing the performance of the goods-to-person automation system. The final design positioned the organization to successfully consolidate five facilities into one efficient, scalable operation while maintaining high levels of productivity and storage utilization.
