Project will fully automate new Michaels Northwest distribution center in WA State

FKI Logistex' announces it has won a major contract from Michaels Stores, Inc. to supply a turnkey picking, cross-docking, and automated sortation system at the company's new Northwest retail distribution center in Centralia, Washington. The 715,000-square-foot facility will be the fourth Michaels distribution center for which FKI Logistex has provided a fully automated material handling solution. The company's work for Michaels exemplifies the seamless integration between equipment and systems that FKI Logistex material handling solutions offer clients across a wide range of industries.

As of August 3, Michaels Stores, Inc. owns and operates 906 Michaels stores in 48 states and Canada, 165 Aaron Brothers stores, 11 Recollections stores, and four Star Wholesale operations.

"FKI Logistex and Michaels have built a long and successful partnership to optimize the Michaels supply chain by creating a series of sophisticated automated material handling systems for its distribution centers," says Bob Duplain, president, FKI Logistex Warehouse & Distribution North America. "Michaels is an example of how close collaboration with FKI Logistex material handling experts can help maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of the world's leading distribution facilities. The award of this project is a continued vote of confidence in the ongoing relationship between our companies and in the FKI Logistex team that has worked so successfully with Michaels to accomplish its strategic goals."

The new contract covers the implementation of a wide array of FKI Logistex solutions, including 23 Accupass' pick-and-pass transfer conveyor systems; 45,900 feet of conveyor, featuring 12,100 feet of Accuglide' accumulation conveyor with patented cartridge-bearing rollers; a high-speed vhswEDGE' merge; as well as two UniSort' XV high-speed sliding shoe sorters offering throughput rates of more than 220 cartons per minute.

The Centralia system also features the newly upgraded FKI Logistex BOSS' PC-based material handling controls solution, a series of FKI Logistex truck loaders, and the implementation of 6,900 FKI Logistex EASYpick' Trak3' six-digit pick-to-light devices at more than 9,000 pick locations. EASYpick Trak3 six-digit units offer Michaels complete picking control and accuracy up to the innerpack level.

Construction of the new Michaels distribution center began in the fall of 2005 and will be completed by September 2006. Implementation of the FKI Logistex integrated system is scheduled to start soon after and be completed by mid-2007.