| Richard Estalella, senior vice-president at Arbonne, | | | | of quality and accurate shipping. Mispacks are running |
| shared that there has been a natural progression to | | | | about one in 50,000 cartons shipped. Warehouse |
| the warehouse control systems that is used in Irvine, | | | | Control Systems (WCS) often require proof of |
| California, then Greenwood, Indiana, and now in | | | | concept according to Jerry List, vice-president of QC |
| Calgary and Toronto. Estalella explained the | | | | Software. Management teams in direct-to-consumer |
| progression, “Most distribution centers start as | | | | distribution centers usually turn to improved |
| manual picks until volume grows and automation is | | | | warehouse technology solutions when one of two |
| needed because the head count has “maxed | | | | circumstances occurs: rapid growth requiring improved |
| out.” With rapid growth the choice is either to | | | | throughput capacity or serious quality-control issues |
| increase head count to achieve fulfillment or | | | | (such as “mispicks” or error-prone shipping). |
| automate. The first round of automation in our Irvine | | | | Both these challenges will produce lower customer |
| distribution centre involved conveyors, carton flow, | | | | satisfaction if the correct products are not received |
| order entry fulfillment...pick, pack, and ship.” | | | | in a timely manner. |
| In the current issue of Canadian Management | | | | List notes that, “Whereas previously each |
| magazine, manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler, | | | | carton at Arbonne had to be hand-checked for |
| authored a feature titled, “WCS: Proof of | | | | content accuracy against the merchandise pick list, |
| Concept.” regarding Arbonne’s new | | | | the WCS has allowed specific weight tolerances to |
| Canadian distribution centers. The Calgary Arbonne | | | | be established and scales on the conveyors allow the |
| distribution center opened this year to accommodate | | | | company to know that if the right products were |
| the company’s accolade as the fastest growing | | | | selected the weight will be correct ... the need for |
| organization in the Direct Selling Association (DSA) for | | | | hand-checking quality assurance has been dramatically |
| the second year in a row. As independent consultants | | | | reduced with this quality control aspect of the WCS |
| work to earn their new white Mercedes as a sign of | | | | technology.” The effort that Arbonne exerted |
| achievement in the company, the capacity to ship | | | | during the initial WCS proof of concept, entering |
| product accurately, promptly, and efficiently had been | | | | these weights and tolerances, has paid off, as the |
| well tested; the proof of concept verified. When | | | | process expanded to Indiana and now in Canada. QC |
| companies are shipping palates of similar content, a | | | | Software developed specific accuracy reporting |
| generic WMS (warehouse management system) may | | | | functionality for Arbonne that allows the company to |
| be suitable; when there are complex inventory | | | | track the fill rate by order unit and line level. These |
| control and order entry issues for business. When | | | | data are critical to continued process improvement |
| companies are shipping palates of similar content, a | | | | and a lean operation. |
| generic WMS (warehouse management system) may | | | | The WCS solutions provided by QC Software |
| be suitable, however consumer products that must | | | | enables companies to streamline their warehouse |
| be individually cartonized in high volumes, the WCS is | | | | operations with the lowest total cost of ownership in |
| most often the better choice. | | | | the industry ensuring increased corporate |
| Dave Lovegrove, director of operations for the | | | | profitability. QC Software ( is the leading provider |
| Calgary Arbonne distribution centre further clarified, | | | | of Tier 1 warehouse control systems to the |
| “WMS is inventory control, not pick-to-light, RF | | | | warehousing and distribution industries. Since 1996, |
| (radio frequency - bar codes) for high-volume | | | | QC Software, utilizing state of the art technology |
| distribution centers.” The Toronto operation is | | | | combined with extensive research, development, and |
| slightly different because it is operated by a 3PL | | | | rigorous testing, has developed the QC Enterprise |
| (third party logistics provider) and handles a different | | | | suite of products. Designed to be modular in nature, |
| volume and slightly different process than the new | | | | easily configurable, and platform independent, this |
| Calgary distribution center, yet the WCS makes the | | | | highly scalable solution satisfies the needs of any size |
| operations all completely transparent to all. Handling all | | | | warehouse. |
| this rapid growth has not diminished the requirement | | | | QC Software, Inc. |