Driving Efficiency and Growth Through Warehouse Automation and a Customer-Focused Approach

Sheila Dooley | 5 June 2024

How do companies navigate the complexities of material handling and warehouse automation to meet today's demands and anticipate tomorrow's challenges?

The answer lies not just in automation technology but in the partnerships that bring these solutions to life.

Our cornerstone is a commitment to being customer focused. This core value shapes every aspect of our automation and system integration approach, ensuring that we provide meaningful solutions and foster enduring relationships that empower our clients to achieve and exceed their operational objectives. Our philosophy is to understand each client's unique needs and challenges, provide personalized service and stand beside them as they evolve and grow.

A Customer Focus in Material Handling Automation

The significance of building a strong relationship with a system integrator like Bastian Solutions extends far beyond the initial implementation. Such partnerships lead to solutions that adapt and evolve in line with your business's changing landscape. The continuous support, from troubleshooting to upgrades, ensures your operations maintain peak efficiency and competitiveness. Moreover, collaboration fosters innovation, leveraging insights from across industries to push the boundaries of what's possible in automation technology.

This underscores the importance of choosing a partner who sees beyond the project to the potential possibilities, and partnership that propels your business forward. A perfect example of our customer commitment is our work with SMC Corporation, a manufacturer of automatic control equipment.

SMC’s Journey with Bastian Solutions: A Case Study

A 1.1 million square-foot facility, picking at twice the speed of previous operations and allowing for 93% of orders to be shipped same-day, SMC Corporation is leveraging advanced automation solutions that are not only meeting their current operation needs but has plenty of room for growth. 

Bastian Solutions and SMC’s relationship extends well beyond the development and integration of their current state-of-art-facility. Collaboration between the two companies started in the early 2000s with small conveyor projects. In 2007, we started working on intralogistics software system projects. As a result of this long-standing history, when SMC started to rethink their building layouts and supporting operational system solutions, they reached out to Bastian Solutions for assistance.

“The previous central warehouse was limited in size and space available for upgrades. The throughput in that building was kind of maxed out. We were trying to become more efficient by doing small upgrades, but once they reached the capacity of that building, we started looking at this new facility.”

 – Austin Trusty, Sr. FAE, Bastian Solutions.

Continuous conversations led to their latest facility and system which features the following key technologies:

• AutoStore red line
• Exacta intralogistics software: WES (warehouse execution system), Touch to manage the inventory within AutoStore, Illumipick to illuminate picks within bins, AOR (automated order routing software) to direct cartons traveling through the facility on conveyor and controls the various print and apply, inline scales and dimensioner machines.
• Hytrol conveyor and sortation
• End of Line automation like sealing, weighers, labelers and scanners.

Read the entire case study and watch the video here.

Key Elements of Customer-Focused Success

Several elements in Bastian Solutions' approach were pivotal to SMC project's achievements including: understanding the industry and SMC’s needs, open communication, strong project management and an overall partnership beyond a vendor-client dynamic.  

Deep Understanding of the Customer's Needs and Industry Challenges

“[The] individuals that we’ve worked with at Bastian actually understand how our business operates and it’s made it a really good partnership to bring the right solutions to us for what we need to continue to grow our business.” – Jennifer Fleming, Director of Logistics, SMC Corporation

Developing an automation solution that has a positive impact and offers customer’s years of potential growth to support their business’ growth goes deeper than an initial analysis of current operational data. It requires diving deep and understanding the past, present and future objectives. This might include some day-to-day actions such as ensuring the right subject-matter-experts are in meetings and discussion, as well as foundational understandings like:

• The company’s terminology and business
• Known and expected challenges
• Considered and potential solutions

Strong Communication

Communication is crucial in numerous aspects of business, in general, but for automation success, this means strong, open communication between various groups, including:

• Between operations and IT (internal) for planning changes
• With Bastian teams and the right members of the company’s team

Frequent notes back and forth, about what is needed, what is going well and what is not, operational input, and more help make the final solution successful. But, the most important aspect of great communication, is taking all feedback seriously. In all communication with SMC, Bastian took all issues and concerns seriously; taking the time to listen and understand first.

The last thing we want to do is force a solution that simply does not work for the customer or the situation at hand.

Project Management and Team Dedication

The dedication of Bastian Solutions' project management team and the entire staff was the foundation of the project. Their commitment to SMC's success was evident in every phase, from planning to execution and beyond. This team spirit and dedication ensured that challenges were met with solutions, deadlines were respected and the project's goals were achieved.

Partnership Beyond a Vendor-Client Dynamic

The most distinctive aspect of Bastian Solutions' approach was building a relationship that surpassed the conventional vendor-client dynamic. Viewing the project as a partnership, Bastian Solutions aligned closely with SMC's objectives, working as an extension of their team rather than an external service provider. This partnership belief fostered a collaborative environment where innovation, trust and mutual respect could flourish, setting a foundation for continued success and growth.

These critical elements combined to create a successful technological implementation and operational efficiency project and build a lasting relationship that continues to drive forward-thinking solutions and advancements for SMC.

“Had we not installed the AutoStore and the pick and pass operation and moved into this operation when we did, we would not have been able to hit the sales goals that we’ve had. We would not have been able to gain market share because we would have been gridlocked in the other building,” said Fleming.

A Customer-Focused Journey Towards Automation Success

The journey of SMC with Bastian Solutions underscores the importance of a customer-focused approach in the automation industry. It demonstrates how understanding and aligning with client needs and a commitment to partnership can achieve far more than possible through a traditional vendor-client dynamic. Bastian Solutions embodies this value, leveraging it to foster innovation, efficiency and growth for their clients.

Author: Sheila Dooley