All Posts By

rschots

Coronavirus

By Media

Dear Pcdata customer or relation,

We would like to give you an update from Pcdata point of view on the fast changing circumstances related to the worldwide outbreak of the Corona (Covid-19) virus. Despite the current restrictions related to Corona, we would like to confirm that all activities of Pcdata are operational and that we continue to support and serve our relations wherever possible.

We developed a number of guidelines and rules so we can contribute the virus spreading as little as possible. In general, we are following the actual guidelines and instructions from the WHO and (local) governments. We would like to inform you on how we are using these practically to assure ongoing support and project activities.

As an overall strategy, we are trying not to delay or postpone project implementations and deliveries; if necessary alternative means of implementation will be considered. This means that we are trying to do as many activities remotely as possible (i.e. communication, meetings, project activities, software configuration, training, go-live and support). We intend to reduce traveling and on-site activities to a bare minimum; only for activities where it is strictly necessary to be on-site we may make an exception.

We substantially increased stock for Pcdata hardware items. Production capacity has been increased, where possible, on the overall supply chain for our components, to reduce the risk for potential parts shortages on the short and medium term as much as possible.

Our service desk will continue to be available 24 hours, 7 days a week, as you are used to.

Please consider the fact that most of our Pcdata employees will work from home offices. Every employee has received a set of instructions and guidelines. In case of a rare visit to site, we kindly ask you to share your internal guidelines in advance.
We would like to share a number of internal Pcdata guidelines;

Stay at home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms such as a cold or a light flu! This also applies, if one of your family members, or anyone you have been in contact with, has any of these symptoms
Employees that are at increased risk, such as sensitive health, will work from home in any case, even if they don’t have any symptoms
Even if you do not have symptoms, please work from home as much as possible
If you do not have any symptoms, and wish to work from the office, please strictly adhere to the following instructions;
Do not shake hands
Wash your hands frequently and follow the instructions shared
Maintain social distancing, at least 2 meters
Customer visits, supplier visits, or visits from any other external parties will be reduced to a bare miminum
Frequent and increased cleaning and disinfecting of rooms will be conducted
We ask our employees to deploy the same sanitary precautions when they’re at home and to try to adhere to the social distancing instructions for the time being

We hope to have informed you properly with this. Once more, we would like to reassure you that our goal is to maintain service levels and not to delay or postpone any projects; instead we are trying to use alternative methods and means to be able to offer 100% quality within the restrictions that apply.

Should you have any questions or remarks, please do not hesitate to contact your main Pcdata contact person for further information.

All the best to anyone affected. Get well soon.

For everyone else; stay healthy!

Your Pcdata team

Pcdata finalist innovation award

By Projects

Material Handling Industry & ProMAT 2015 – Pcdata has been selected as one of the finalists for the ‘MHI 2015 Innovation Award – Best New Innovation Category’ for Distrib AR – Smart Glass. The award winners for this New Product and Existing Product category will be announced on the evening of Wednesday, March 25th which is part of the ProMAT 2015 show.

American Society of Baking – Pcdata has been selected as a winner of ASB’s inaugural Innovation Awards Program in the category of Operational Excellence for Distrib Performance Manager and Dashboard. The trophy will be accepted during Baking Tech 2015.

mhi finalist PCdata
ASB Innovation Awards 2015 PCdata
Holland & Barett

Holland & Barrett chooses Pick-to-Light again

By Projects

Pcdata modernises and optimises logistics process

EUROPE’S largest retailer of vitamins and herbal food supplements once again chose Pcdata, the expert Dutch Logistics Analysts, to modernise and expand their “Pick to Light” order handling system at their main UK Burton on Trent distribution centre.

Nature’s Bounty NBTY is a global supplier of nutritional supplements with 650 Holland & Barrett shops in the UK and over 100 De Tuinen stores in the Netherlands. Their distribution Director, Mark Kendrick reflected on the excellent service experience they had enjoyed with Pcdata over the years since their first system was installed at the turn of the century. He referred to the NBTY mission statement “highest quality products on time, first time, every time”. ‘The Pcdata “Pick to Light” system is the most crucial component of our Logistics process where a system stoppage just cannot be tolerated.’

The “Pick to Light” system is used to select orders for single items for their stores, whereas they use Voice Picking for the simpler picking of web orders and bulk picking (large items and full cartons).

There was a 5 week window to complete the installation. With the exception of the flow racks Pcdata as System Integrator, replaced all the old hardware. The Pcdata solution has the advantage that it can be implemented onto older existing racking. With in-depth knowledge of the Holland & Barrett operation, Pcdata optimised their processes at the same time upgrading “Distrib PTL”, the order picking software, to the latest version with a view to handling their plans for future growth. The number of picking zones was expanded from 24 to 28 with the capacity to handle almost 4000 SKU’s at single item level, up from their previous level of 3300 different items.

This major installation programme was minutely detailed and closely monitored on an hourly basis. These preparations paid off with a smooth implementation which their customers did not even notice.

As their System Integrator Pcdata optimised the logistics process by incorporating further new features. An integrated lid-closing machine, an automated in-line label applicator and a sorting unit for all picked orders were introduced replacing hitherto manual operations saving time and streamlining the process. Once collected in the order picking zones on the mezzanine, the order cartons are conveyed on belts to the ground floor and sorted into different trolleys prior to transport to the stores.

Pcdata’s sorting system shoots the order totes automatically onto the correct chute. Ten trolleys, enough for 10 stores, are filled per chute. After scanning an order carton, a display lights up above the correct trolley telling the operator which store the order should go to.

The display indicates the status of the order. When completed the trolley is replaced and a new order released by the “Pick to Light” system. Only those orders for which locations have been allocated in the sorting zone on the ground floor are collected by the system.

Reflecting on the successful conclusion of this very large project, Mark Kendrick said “six permanent staff members have been reduced to two. Walking distances have been dramatically reduced with the work area much smaller, and we now have a markedly more structured system.”

First Distrib Site at Canada Bread goes live

By Media

Pcdata has successfully implemented Distrib at a first Canada Bread distribution center. As the pilot system exceeded pre-established efficiency and accuracy parameters, the decision has been made to rollout Distrib to additional sites. Dependent on the individual site’s size and operational complexity, different Distrib configurations will be implemented. Larger facilities will deploy the full Distrib WMS suite and functionality while at smaller depots, Distrib XE might be best suited. The rollout is planned to be completed in 2015.

About the customer:
Canada Bread is a leading manufacturer of daily fresh bread in Canada. Eastablished in 1911, Canada Bread has operations in Canada, the US and the United Kingdom.
For more information about Put to Light click here.

canada bread

Modern Bakery Moscow successful

By Media

‘‘For pcdata, this year’s Modern Bakery exhibition was all about meeting existing customers who recently implemented a Distrib paperless picking solution. It was great to meet with these customers and understand their experiences and benefits from implementing the system. Next to this, a lot of potential customers visited the joint Anton Ohlert booth and expressed their interest in implementing a warehouse solution specifically designed to their requirements and distribution processes.

Overall, Modern Bakery 2015 has been a very successful exhibition with a lot of follow up work to be done. We want to express our gratitude for visiting our booth and will look forward to further successful cooperation.’’

3D animation Distrib WMS and Put to Light

By Media No Comments

Please find our latest 3D animation about integrated solutions with Distrib WMS and Put to Light. This animation clearly demonstrates the strength of Distrib WMS across sites, whether these sites are production only, production/distribution function or distribution only (depot).

Bakker Schat

Bakker Schat optimizes distribution process using Pcdata’s Distrib Put to Light

By Media No Comments

In order to optimize their entire distribution process Bakker Schat has chosen Pcdata’s Distrib Put to Light system. Bakker Schat is a major industrial bakery located in Soest, the Netherlands. With respect to their internal general improvement process Bakker Schat has chosen to implement Distrib Put to Light. Due to this process improvement both the entire flow of finished goods and the complete distribution process will be optimized. In collaboration with Pcdata consultants the layout of the distribution warehouse is revised and optimized. Preparations are going well and the completion of the project is scheduled for the end of June.

De Tuinen

De Tuinen chooses Pcdata to collect their Webshop-orders

By Media No Comments

Since 2015 retailer De Tuinen collects web orders using paperless Pcdata systems. Due to the growth of their
e-commerce business De Tuinen will set up a new logistic system within their distribution center in Beverwijk. Pcdata will install the entire system ensuring that all online orders will be processed as quickly and efficiently as possible. Since parent company Holland & Barrett has been using Pcdata order fulfillment systems for years now and with great success and due to Pcdata’s expertise in e-commerce and web shops De Tuinen also selects Pcdata.

de tuinen logo

In the coming months De Tuinen will change its name to parent company Holland & Barrett. Essenza the Belgian sister company will do the same. Also all Essenza Web orders are processed using the Pcdata system in Beverwijk.

Currently De Tuinen uses Pcdata Pickcarts to pick all web orders. PickCarts are easy to integrate with an existing operation and at the same time support picking multiple orders concurrently. This makes it the perfect order pick technology for many E-Commerce operations.

Pcdata PickCarts will once again be part of the order fulfillment system. This time they will be used in combination with a pick to light zone picking system for frequently picked products (> 1,000 products). Pcdata also delivers the warehouse racking systems to keep over 10,000 different items in stock. The various pick zones and technologies are connected using an intelligent conveyor-belt system. After the orders are picked the conveyor belt system transports the orders to another level where the orders will be sorted to the right packing table and packed making them ship ready.

For more information about De Tuinen click here.