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Nesting Storage Totes Critical to Distribution Center's Success

Akro-Mils 35230 Nest & Stack Totes Right Choice for Size, Quality and Durability

What’s the easiest way to design a conveyor system in a new facility? Knowing what you want from the start!

Akro-Mils’ 35230 Nest & Stack Totes were the storage tote of choice in a new 562,000-sq.-ft. distribution/fulfillment center in Kentucky. This facility was built for a distributor of items ranging from Bath & Body Works products to DVDs from the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

The plant‘s manager says that as its integrated material handling system designer was designing the new facility and conveyor system, it was clear the 35230 Nest & Stack Tote was the best storage tote for the application — in terms of size, quality and durability. “It’s clear that no one else could supply the product Akro-Mils did,” he says.

Akro-Mils’ 35230 Nest & Stack Totes were the storage totes of choice in a new
562,000-sq.-ft. distribution/fulfillment center in Kentucky.

Akro-Mils’ Nest & Stack Totes stack with or without lids, turn 180 degrees, and nest when empty. NSTs are ideal for storage, work-in-process or shipping applications.

Plastic Storage Totes from Akro-Mils Vital to Infrastructure

The plastic storage totes from Akro-Mils are one of the most vital parts of the distribution center’s infrastructure, the plant manager explains: The totes are used to transfer products via conveyor belt to numerous locations in the plant – including shipping, receiving, order picking, and order packing. Totes are bar-coded and placed on the conveyor line. Each tote is scanned and linked to a specific order. As many as 55 orders can then be picked from a single tote. Totes end up at a gravity flow rack where orders are packed.

“Without these specific totes, there is no way we could accomplish the tasks that need to be done,” he says.

The storage totes from Akro-Mils are used to transfer products via conveyor belt to
numerous locations in the plant – including shipping, receiving, order picking, and
order packing.

Benefits of Akro-MIls Storage Totes Apparent from the Start

The benefits of the Nest & Stack Tote became apparent to plant employees and managers from the start, he says: the totes ride very well on the conveyors; it saves the facility time and money by making employees more efficient; utilizing the totes frees up time and space for the employees to do tasks other than picking and transferring items; and the facility has only had to replace a few totes over the years – a great return on investment!

The product distributor has been so satisfied with the Nest & Stack Totes that additional storage totes have been purchased from Akro-Mils as the company’s operations have expanded over the years.

From the design stage to daily use, Akro-Mils’ Nest & Stack Totes turned out to be the perfect solution for the company’s storage, organization and transport needs, the plant manager says. “To be honest, we rarely think about the totes because we never have any problems with them!”