DC Velocity - October 2014

The Problem: When M. Block & Sons Inc. began packaging products for its client Green Mountain Coffee Brewers Inc., it found that conditions in its Bedford Park, Ill., warehouse were less than ideal for the task. Among other services performed at the multiclient facility, M. Block packages Green Mountain’s Keurig K-Cups for retail sale, a process that requires a sanitary, temperature-controlled environment. Problem was, Midwestern heat and humidity as well as dust were threatening the cleanliness and efficiency of the operation.

To understand the problem, it helps to know a little about the K-Cup packaging process. The individual-serving cups arrive at the warehouse from the roaster in bulk.

The coffee cups go into a hopper device that arranges the K-Cup configurations for packaging. A packaging machine picks up the arranged K-Cups, constructs the appropriately sized retail box, and places the cups into the box. (M. Block & Sons has three of these machines: one manufactured by Schneider Packaging Co. and two by Schubert Packaging.) The packages are palletized and then sent to other distribution centers to be packaged with Keurig brewers before shipping to retailers.

M. Block’s challenge involved improving
the space utilized for this specific process.
Corporate Facilities Manager Don Ward
describes the 209,000-square-foot ware-
house as a “very old environment. [It was] a
typical Midwest warehouse: hot and dusty,
and not lit well.”
The combination of the relentlessly high
humidity of Illinois summers and the heat
emitted by the packaging equipment was
problematic. For one thing, it made the
temperature in that part of the warehouse
uncomfortable for employees. For another,
the heat sometimes disrupted the func-
tioning of the computers that control the
equipment.
M. Block’s packaging process was also
challenged by problems that are common in
warehouse environments,
like dust and other con-
taminants that threatened
the cleanliness of the area.
Cleanliness is crucial to
the handling of food prod-
ucts and so needed to be
maintained consistently.
Along with M. Block’s
need for a cleaner and
better temperature-con-
trolled environment, the
company also needed to prepare for expect-
ed business expansion. There was a clear
need for a remodel at the site. But, Ward
explains, M. Block was hesitant about mak-
ing permanent changes to this specific part
of the warehouse that might make future
alterations expensive and difficult.

The Solution: After evaluating possible remodeling options, such as hard wall, drywall, and lumber, M. Block decided that a modular wall system would be the most cost-effective and efficient. The solution was Insul Wall from Randall Manufacturing.

Insul Wall is an insulated curtain-wall system. It is installed in panels that are customized to fit the space. They are constructed with a vinyl exterior, which is easy to keep clean. The panels are connected with Velcro,

sealing the space between them to create problemsolved

Problem: Turning a hot, dusty warehouse into a cool, clean work environment

BY KELSEY BEDARD, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

THE PLAYERS CUSTOMER M. Block & Sons Inc.

Primary business: Providing third-party distribution and logistics solutions for customers from six warehouse locations. Services range from traditional warehousing, distribution, and logistics offerings to more advanced packages that include sales, customer service, and live inventory tracking.