T he Glenmore Distillery has been a fixture in the Owensboro Community since the late 1800s . Originally called the Monarch Distillery , James Thompson re-named it The Glenmore Distillery after the Glenmore Castle near his birthplace in County Derry , Northern Ireland . During prohibition , The Glenmore Distillery was fortunate enough to be one of four distilleries in the country allowed to operate on a limited scale for medicinal necessity .
In March of 2009 the Sazerac Company purchased the Distillery and reprised the name The Glenmore Distillery . The Distillery boasts one of the largest and most modern bottling facilities in the country and continues to be a sizable employer in the city of Owensboro , Ky .
Challenge
A family-owned business since 1869 , Sazerac continues its commitment to its distilling companies with a $ 71 million investment in the state of Kentucky at its three distilleries : The Buffalo Trace Distillery , The Glenmore Distillery and the Barton 1792 Distillery .
Sazerac invested $ 65 million in both Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort and The Glenmore Distillery in Owensboro to support increased growth .
Solution
With expansion necessary due to growth , The Glenmore Distillery turned to automation as it constructed a new distribution center . The distillery is now one of the few spirits suppliers to use an automated storage and retrieval system ( AS / RS ). Included in the AS / RS design is an automated layer picking system , truck staging lanes and conventional selective racks .
Integrated with the AS / RS is an automated layer pick system to replenish stacks . The layer pick system is capable of moving 150 layers per hour and storing 255 SKUs . The layer pick system contains one robot on a gantry frame with 270 pallet positions and has the ability to pick a near limitless variety of products . The Glenmore Distillery ’ s automated layer pick system is equipped with a clamp and vacuum picking head capable of multiple layer picks , resulting in the movement of 80 layers per hour .
In addition , The Glenmore Distillery ’ s design incorporates a four-level high conventional selective rack with 1,554 pallet rack positions . Designed for slow-moving SKUs , there are 384 pick positions at the floor level with 1,170 pick or reserve storage positions on levels two through four .
Westfalia ’ s Savanna . NET ® warehouse execution system ( WES ) powers the AS / RS and layer picking system , providing optimal control of material flow , order picking and inventory management .
“ We ’ re pleased our business has grown enough to support such a highly advanced distribution center ,” said Chris Stout , plant general manager , The Glenmore Distillery . “ We look forward to being able to serve our customers in a more efficient manner and being prepared for potential future growth .”
Results
With Westfalia ’ s AS / RS and Savanna . NET ® WES , The Glenmore Distillery ’ s new distribution center is more efficiently storing , retrieving and managing pallets of finished goods . The automated layer pick solution improves picking efficiency while ensuring 100 percent order accuracy . The Glenmore Distillery distribution center will also improve traceability due to the flexible and compact layer pick system that has access to a large volume of inventory .
Dan Labell , president , Westfalia Technologies , said , “ Westfalia ’ s AS / RS , integrated with our Savanna . NET ® WES , will help The Glenmore Distillery achieve these benefits while providing additional operational efficiencies , cost savings and a competitive advantage .”
Features
Size
• AS / RS occupies 136,836 sq . ft . of the 223,000 sq . ft . distribution center
• 52 truck staging lanes
Capacity
• 1,554 pallet rack positions in the conventional selective racks
• 36,748 storage positions
• Layer pick system moves 150 layers per hour and stores 255 SKUs
• Input / output 90 pallets of finished goods per hour
Technology
• Westfalia ’ s Savanna . NET ® WES
• Automated layer picking system
• Transfer cars
• Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor
• 4 tandem Storage and Retrieval Machines www . WestfaliaUSA . com The Satellite Review 13