Tag Archive for: Storage Solutions

TJ McManus

New Hire Spotlight: TJ McManus

TJ McManus

 

Welcome, TJ McManus!

At Storage Solutions, we are always working on growing our team to better assist our valuable customers. Most recently we welcomed TJ McManus as a Project Manager out of our Kansas City office. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas, where he studied Communications. In his previous position, TJ managed a team of seven that assisted healthcare providers in streamlining their internal processes. In addition, he has previous sales and manufacturing experience, through working in shipping and receiving as well as rack installation. We’re pleased to have you, TJ!

When he’s not working, you can find him spending time with his family and friends rooting on the Kansas City Chiefs. TJ also loves to travel and often heads to Northern Colorado with his girlfriend. They love to hike and visit the Mishawaka Amphitheater for concerts.

What excites you the most about working at Storage Solutions?

“I’m excited to be able to work with all different types of companies and customize our solutions to their specific needs.”

We look forward to sharing more about TJ with our customers as he dives into upcoming projects. Interested in becoming part of the Storage Solutions team? Apply here today!

2019 IFDA

Wrapping Up the 2019 IFDA Conference

IFDA Logo

The 2019 International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) Distribution Solutions Conference offered a great chance to connect with the industry’s top organizations. Also, it provides the opportunity to learn from some of its best minds with a number of educational presentations. As they represent a $300 billion industry, IFDA leads the growth, development, and success of the foodservice distribution industry. The organization focuses on advocacy, research, education, and networking opportunities.

To that end, the event’s mission is to be:

“… where leaders in operations, transportation and technology gather with renowned speakers, innovators, and disruptors to chart the future of foodservice distribution.”

The conference is the perfect occasion to share how we can support growth through simple, smart, and strategic solutions. Because of our expertise in warehouse optimization, Storage Solutions has the staff and knowledge to address challenges head-on.

While we were there, our team was able to connect and learn to keep up with the latest trends in the trade.

“The event gave us a great chance to see some old faces and meet some new ones. We were excited to share our background of working with companies in this industry,” explained Steve Ponsler, our Used Equipment Division SVP. “As a result, we were able to bring back an updated knowledge base of the challenges these businesses face.”

To see more, visit their website or see their social media posts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. After all, you’ll want to follow these accounts to stay informed about next year’s conference!

In closing, Storage Solutions supports the efforts of the IFDA and its members. We look forward to connecting with even more people and businesses at next year’s show!

Project Spotlight Smart Slotting

Project Spotlight: Smart Slotting

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You may have heard us mention our new Smart Slotting tool recently. In this project, the customer came to us looking for an answer to their low storage utilization percentage of 20% across the entire facility. With Smart Slotting, we were able to provide a practical answer to this problem, while also increasing productivity and efficiency.

By collecting some preliminary data, our experienced team uses Smart Slotting to provide a layout that best suits your needs. This new layout provides you lower operating cost, while also increasing the daily throughput of your facility.

In this example, the customer saw over a 12% decrease in their daily labor costs. They were able to find a location for all of their SKUs, and raise their storage utilization numbers over 70%. In addition, they were able to cut their storage mediums in half after the Smart Slotting evaluation. The new location types and sizes designed for stored items is much more efficient and simple.

This project had a significant impact on the customer’s operation by improving space utilization, reducing labor costs, and increasing throughput to lower operating costs. The new storage configuration also set the customer up with space for product growth for a minimum of five years.

Interested in learning more about the methodology and analysis behind this project? View the full case study here and contact us today to see how we can assist with your operational needs.

Pallet Rack Pushback Dense Solutions

All You Need To Know About Pallet Racks

Want to learn more about the pallet racks that we store in our 330,000-square-foot warehouse in Westfield, IN? Keep reading to learn about our products and what our team can do for you!

What is Pallet Racking?

There are four main components of pallet racks. Those components are uprights, beams, pallet supports or wire decking, and row spacers. These are always kept in stock at Storage Solutions. Moreover, they can be used with different pallet rack designs.

There are also four different types of pallet rack construction/connection types. The most common type is a roll-formed pallet rack, which is typically manufactured in the “teardrop” style and has a rivet connection where the beams connect to the upright. Another type is a structural pallet rack, which is made of thicker steel c-channels and the beams are always bolted to the upright.

Pallet Rack Types and Designs

Pallet RacksHere at Storage Solutions, we stock different pallet rack types and designs. These different pallet racks can serve many purposes throughout your warehouse.

Some of the rack types include selective pallet racks. This is the most common pallet rack used, it has low density but high selectivity(accessibility to each item). In addition, we also stock the double-deep pallet rack, which is constructed back-to-back to allow for higher storage density, utilizing fewer forklift aisles. Another design is a push-back pallet rack, which uses gravity flow and inclined rails to make the placement and retrieval of pallets easy.

Drive-in/drive-thru pallet rack has a high density and low selectivity which allows for fewer forklift aisles. Forklifts can drive directly into the rack to drop off and pick up pallets. In addition, we also stock pallet flow racks. This design, which is driven by gravity, is equipped with wheels on sloped rails. This unique design allows the pallets to flow forward from the entry side of the rack to the opposite side of the rack for picking. The cantilever rack utilizes cantilevered arms to store long and narrow items.

If you are interested in learning more about our pallet racks give us a call at 866.474.2001.

Labor Day

Storage Solutions Celebrates Labor Day

Labor Day

Storage Solutions Office Closed for Labor Day

Labor Day is a holiday to commemorate American workers and their achievements. It is typically celebrated the first Monday of September. This year, it will fall on Monday, September 2nd. Although this holiday is seen as a symbol for the end of summer, it was once much more.

Labor Day originated in the late 1800’s during the peak of the Industrial Revolution. During this time Americans faced harsh working hours under poor conditions. Many labor unions formed strikes until their voices were heard. By 1894 more than 23 states had adopted the holiday. Because of this, congress passed an act, and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law, making it a legal holiday.

Next Monday, September 2nd, Storage Solutions will be closed in observation of the holiday. Normal business hours will resume on Tuesday, September 3rd. Whether you’re relaxing at home, enjoying a parade or hosting a backyard cookout, we hope you take advantage of your day off. Have a happy Labor Day, from all of us at Storage Solutions! If you have questions in the meantime, feel free to contact us and we will make sure to assist you when we return!

Intern Maria Carlson Headshot

Intern Spotlight – A Day in the Life of Maria

Intern Maria Carlson Headshot

About the Job

As the Marketing and Communications intern, I have many responsibilities. I run Storage Solutions’ social media accounts, write and publish blogs. In addition, I also work in Salesforce Pardot drafting external emails, creating company newsletters, and building landing pages for the Storage Solutions website, just to name a few! Storage Solutions has allowed me to grow personally and professionally and I am very grateful for my time here. As an intern, I have gained new perspectives from my coworkers and more knowledge on the material handling industry as well as my field of study.

More About Maria

I am from Indianapolis, IN but I go to school at Loyola University Chicago. This fall I will be a junior studying Marketing and Supply Chain Management. During the summer I love to travel with friends and family. For the first half of this summer I studied abroad in Rome, Italy at the John Felice Rome Center. I had an incredible experience and I learned so much both in and outside of the classroom.

During the school year I serve as the Director of Operations for my sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma. To stay active I participate in intramural soccer with my friends. I also participate Loyola’s Dance Marathon that benefits Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. On the weekends, I love to spend time with friends and if the weather is nice, we hangout by the lake at Loyola beach. Working at Storage Solutions this summer allowed me to gain real world experience that I will be able to apply in my future endeavors.

Interested in becoming part of the Storage Solutions team? Apply here today!

advantages of buying used equipment

Advantages of Buying Used Equipment

There are many advantages of partnering with Storage Solutions to purchase used equipment. Our purchasing team has a system to make sure that all the equipment we re-sell is up to par with industry standards. If the equipment does not get a passing grade from our team, we send it to be scrapped. At Storage Solutions, we believe that if it is not up to our standards, we don’t expect it to be up to your standards either.

Our headquarters, located in Westfield, Indiana, is home to our 330,000 square foot facility. Our warehouse stores and protects all of our equipment which ensures the structural integrity as well as ensuring that the equipment never faces inclement weather. We also offer power washing and painting services to customize the equipment to fit your needs.

One of the main advantages of buying used equipment is that it is typically more cost-effective, allowing you to get more for your money. In addition, our quick response on quotes and minimal lead time is great if you need a quick turnaround. We ship the equipment from our facility to yours, no delay!

Why partner with Storage Solutions?

Working with Storage Solutions also has its advantages. Our knowledge of the industry and our solution-centered attitude will provide you with peace of mind. We specialize in the sale of both used and new material, seeking to give customers a variety of options. Along with this, our team provides quick and thorough responses on all proposals, allowing you to operate on the shortest project schedule possible. Our AutoCAD team can assist you with any needed initial blueprints or layouts. Once completed, our project management teams will complete the project execution and oversee the in-house installation, all while providing you with one source and one result.

Storage Solutions receives new shipments of equipment daily, so inventory is constantly changing. For questions about our inventory or how we can help with your next project, call 866.474.2001

Not sure what type of solution is right for you? Learn more about the different new and used storage solutions we offer, including simple, dense, picking, and specialty solutions.

SSI Family Night 2019

Family Night at the Indianapolis Indians Game!

Storage Solutions celebrates family night at the Indianapolis Indians game! This was our 8th annual company outing. Every year Storage Solutions holds a company-wide outing and this year families were invited.

Founded in 1902, the Indians are Indianapolis’ professional Minor League Baseball team. Tuesday night, we all headed over to Victory Field to watch the Indians take on the Syracuse Mets. Furthermore, this was a great opportunity for everyone to meet and mingle with each other’s family members.

Though it was a bit rainy throughout the night, our team was able to relax with their family and friends with some peanuts and crackerjacks. Here at Storage Solutions, we value teamwork, competitiveness, and camaraderie, all of which we saw on and off the field.

This year’s event was a homerun! Even though the Indians lost, we enjoyed seeing Tim Tebow at bat for the Mets.

We are looking forward to our next company-wide outing next year!

Looking to join the Storage Solutions family? Take a look at our career openings here.

Andrew Barber

New Hire Spotlight: Andrew Barber

Andrew Barber

 

Welcome, Andrew Barber!

Our team has grown! We are thrilled to welcome our newest team member, Andrew Barber. Andrew works as a National Accounts Sales Representative in our Kansas City office. He was born and raised in Springfield, IL where he lived with his mother, father and sister. Andrew is a graduate of the University of Missouri. While there, he studied Health Sciences and Business. He has spent the last six years selling marketing solutions to a wide variety of companies, though his primary focus was in the sports radio industry. We are pleased with the knowledge and creativity he’s brought to his new role here at Storage Solutions.

Outside of the office, Andrew is very active. When he’s not at a sporting event, you can find Andrew training, running and swimming outside with his black lab, Herbert. He loves the outdoors and is always planning his next camping, hiking or fishing trip. Some of his favorite outdoor experiences include backpacking the Grand Canyon and exploring Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula.

What do you want to gain from working at Storage Solutions?

“I want to gain a professional home, complete with a wealth of professional and personal development. I’m excited to grow at Storage Solutions.”

Interested in becoming part of the Storage Solutions team? Apply here today!

4th of July

Happy 4th of July from Storage Solutions!

This 4th of July marks America’s 242nd year as an independent and free country, which calls for a nation-wide day of celebration.

Whether you attend a parade, watch fireworks, or host a cookout, there are so many ways to celebrate our freedom! In the midst of all the celebration, it is important to remember what Independence Day truly signifies. The 4th of July commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. Our country, that began as only 13 colonies, has grown considerably since then. We are so thankful for all the men and women in the past, present, and future who fought and will continue to fight for our freedom and independence.

In honor of the holiday, Storage Solutions will be closed Thursday, July 4th. Normal business hours will then resume on Friday, July 5th. While we are gone, feel free to take a look at our Strategic Optimization Solutions. We will be sure to answer any and all questions upon our return! For those of you celebrating the holiday, we wish you a relaxing, and enjoyable 4th of July!