Hy-Ko's WMS Eliminates An Order Fulfillment Step

Hy-Ko Products manufactures and distributes house numbers, letters, "For Sale By Owner," and other types of signs, key chains, and accessories to large retailers such as Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, and Ace Hardware. The company produces and ships close to 4,000 different items within its warehouse environment.

"The challenges associated with printing, distributing, and keeping track of the huge number of paper pick tickets were becoming overwhelming," says Bill Ashby, information systems manager at Hy-Ko Products. "Our paper-based fulfillment system inhibited our growth."

To supply its customers more efficiently, Hy-Ko approached Sedlak, a company that specializes in supply chain consulting and system design, to help come up with a solution. After reviewing WMS (warehouse management system) offerings from five different vendors, Hy-Ko selected PowerHouse/WMS from Quality Software Systems Inc. (QSSI). Hy-Ko also implemented Psion Teklogix 7535 handheld computers and a Cisco wireless backbone.

A Phased WMS Rollout Ensures User Adoption, Success
Hy-Ko rolled out PowerHouse/WMS and the mobile computing solution in two phases. At the same time, the company moved into a new warehouse building. During the first phase, Hy-Ko used the system to handle products shipped only to Wal-Mart. Gradually, the manufacturer ran tests and rolled out the WMS to accommodate shipments to all customers.

"It took some getting used to, but now our warehouse staff prefers to carry around the rugged 7535 mobile devices rather than handfuls of crumpled paper," says Ashby. "Having all the necessary data at their fingertips lets them know what they have to do and where they have to go to fill their orders."

With its WMS in place, Hy-Ko is able to pick orders directly into cartons, eliminating the manual order separation and repacking process. "In the past, after an order was picked, it had to be rechecked and repacked before shipping," says Ashby. "Using wireless bar code scanners ensures we pick the right products the first time." Deploying the RFID (radio frequency identification)-ready Psion Teklogix 7535 handheld computers also helps Hy-Ko prepare for future WMS upgrades.