2017
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ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIAL HANDLING
As for the facility’s handling systems, REI worked with its
material handling systems integrator, W&H Systems (now
DMW&H), and material handling equipment supplier
Knapp to install productive, energy-sipping equipment.
This included 24-volt conveyors with motor-driven rollers
that shut off when no items are present to convey. Knapp
supplied an efficient “pocket sorter” and an OSR Shuttle
system. The pocket sorter stores products in bags that are
sorted and delivered to workstations for processing.
The OSR Shuttle system provides REI with what the
co-op calls “one-touch production” because it requires little interaction with the product other than loading it onto
the conveyor and at goods-to-person
workstations. This automated storage and picking system uses individually powered shuttles to store and
retrieve totes of products. Shuttles
and conveyors then work together to
deliver products to automated picking stations.
The goods-to-person stations are
staffed by a small number of associates who can complete 4,000 unit
picks per hour, compared with about
500 units per hour in a manual environment. Holding down the head-count in the fulfillment operation has translated to less
demand on the cooling system, restrooms, and other building systems. On top of that, the shuttle machines, unlike
human workers, do not need lighting to carry out their
work in the racks.
The LED lights that illuminate other parts of the building operate on occupancy motion sensors, so they shut off
when no workers are present. In addition, skylights were
strategically positioned over the main travel paths and over
mezzanines to allow natural sunshine to brighten the work
areas.
To further reduce its environmental impact, REI’s
Goodyear facility operates an extensive recycling program.
There are individual streams for recycling plastic, paper,
wood, and cardboard, Bingle says. In addition, paper
plates and food products from the cafeteria are composted. Overall, some 97 percent of all materials are recycled,
meaning that less than 3 percent of materials and waste is
sent to landfills.
THIS IS A DESERT, AFTER ALL
In a desert environment like Goodyear’s, water may be the
most precious resource. So it’s no surprise that REI’s new
facility was built with an emphasis on water conservation.
Besides choosing an air conditioning system that minimizes
water consumption, REI took a number of other steps to
conserve water wherever possible throughout the building.
For instance, restrooms feature no-water urinals and low-
flush toilets.
That thinking even carried through to the building’s
landscaping. Working in conjunction with the Phoenix
“You will never see this at another warehouse. We made a choice
to build a botanical garden for our
employees and the community. It
allows them to enjoy the outdoors,”
Bingle says.
REI chose vegetation that is
drought-tolerant and requires little watering. An underground drip
irrigation system provides what little water is needed.
Underground irrigation is considered far more efficient
than aboveground sprinkling systems, where water would
quickly evaporate under the hot Southwestern sun.
Employees are encouraged to use the walking trail and
to eat in the garden when weather permits. In addition, the
facility’s cafeteria has large glass garage doors that look out
onto the garden. On pleasant days, the doors are rolled up
to turn the inside and outside areas into one large seating
facility.
REI believes part of its corporate mission is to educate
others on sustainable practices. It shares insights with other
distribution operations on how a facility can be made both
highly productive and environmentally friendly. For Bingle
and his team, creating a sustainable distribution process
and sharing it with others is just a natural extension of the
cooperative’s mission in providing quality outdoor products. “Our approach is, we want to bring people into the
learning experience of what we have created in this sustainable building,” he says. c
DAVID MALONEY IS CHIEF EDITOR AT DC VELOCITY.
