Bealls Department Stores Case Study

Beall’s, Inc. is a family owned company that is a leading retailer of merchandise ranging from clothing to small furniture, with its headquarters in Bradenton, Florida.  Beall’s, Inc. distributes goods to over 560 Beall’s Department Stores, Inc., Beall’s Outlet Stores, Inc., and Burke’s Outlet Stores, Inc.  These stores are found across the Sun Belt, from Florida to California.

The fast-paced growth of Beall’s, Inc. required the consolidation of ­five regional distribution centers into one 300,000-square-foot location in Bradenton, FL.  This consolidation would allow Beall’s to be more cost-effective and ship products directly to the retail stores.

TriFactor performed an evaluation of current and future processes and volumes, which aided in the development of the design specifi­cations based on best practices.  In order to accommodate projected future growth, TriFactor designed an innovative solution tailored to Beall’s needs.  The case size being handled in the distribution center varied greatly, anywhere from 9 in. x 9 in. x 2 in. to 42 in. x 32 in. x 36 in.  The size and weight variance added another dimension of complexity to the system TriFactor was contracted to design and implement.

TriFactor designed a fully automated material handling system customized to meet each of Beall’s needs and specifications.  A merge and sortation system was implemented, as well as multi-level pick modules and shelving.  The use of pick modules allowed for greater order accuracy in a much shorter amount of time.

Beall’s realized reductions in delivery and transportation costs, in addition to signifi­cant savings associated with the redistribution of direct labor. One of the key outcomes was accuracy of shipments to the stores, which translated into savings and increased customer satisfaction.  TriFactor provided a complete turnkey system from design to implementation to operator training, and maintenance.  The Design-Build process enabled Beall’s to realize their return-on-investment goals as planned.

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