Flowstore Systems has designed and installed a storage and order picking system for UK pharmaceutical distributor Lexon (UK) at its 80,000 ft2 warehouse in Redditch, UK
With an £80m plus turnover, Lexon is one of the fastest growing UK businesses supplying major retail and wholesale groups, drug stores and pharmacy groups with rapid order to delivery schedules. It specialises in the distribution of parallel imports, generics, dressings, surgicals, prescription medicines, OTC products and fragrances throughout the UK.
Lexon's registered trade customers are able to view special offers and place orders onto a sophisticated electronic order entry system by free phone, fax or email. The company processes over 6,000 line items a day and look to same day or next day delivery.
Working closely with Lexon's md Anup Sodha and with reference data supplied to analyse product flow, Flowstore undertook a site survey and prepared initial system layout proposals to meet the key criteria of versatility, efficiency within an agreed overall budget.
In analysing product flow and determining storage locations, Flowstore in conjunction with Lexon divided stock into fast, medium and slow moving items. Further considerations had to be given to accommodating other items for storage, such as bulk products and the security of prescription items in store.
As a result, Flowstore provided an integrated storage and handling system, using customer data to plan product location into a practical working layout that offers maximum efficiency with in the shortest pick route. It proposed the use of a pick-to-trolley system as being the most cost effective, and efficient means of fulfilling the customer's requirements.
Bays of LS2 carton live storage units and ET2 Ergo-Tilt shelving were designed and installed to provide for sequential and optimum efficiency of order picking of fast and medium throughput products. The LS2 provides for compact, dynamic cubic storage, enabling stock to be continuously fed into the rear of the racking units, without disruption on the order picking face. It also automatically ensures correct stock rotation on a "first-in-first-out" basis to an industry where a batch control system is of particular importance.
Ergo-tilt shelving offered increased storage capacity within an ultra-slim racking profile and presented containers at an efficient picking angle. For bulk or slow moving items, Flowstore installed pallet racks and standard shelving for storage of reserve stocks.
The system has increased efficiencies in terms of accuracy and numbers of orders picked, and has provided for a high level of discipline in operations. The system has optimised on space available, provided for accurate first-in first-out stock rotation, which is important with date sensitive products, plus simplified inventory of stock. Since the equipment was first installed, Lexon have placed further orders with Flowstore to install additional product lines and extended the system further.