New trucks solve old problems

With new trucks and improved fleet management, GI Joe's is keeping its DC humming 24 hours a day.

Modern Materials Handling - October 2, 2006

GI Joe's, a sports and auto retailer with 22 stores in the Northwest, needed a lift truck fleet to keep up with its busy 24-hour distribution center in Wilsonville, Ore.

Offering products that range from fishing flies to car top carriers, the company turns around 100,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) annually. And it needed a fleet of trucks that would withstand the demands of such volume.

In addition, the new trucks needed to address the company's 30-year old wire guide path challenge. The path was aging, but was still used for automated lift truck transport.

The new fleet of 26 trucks maximizes the company's unique materials handling needs.

Instead of installing a new system to improve the productivity, the new trucks are sensitive enough to read the paths better, and they've significantly reduced incidents of units jumping off track.

Another boost in operator productivity comes from the fact that the fleet of trucks is equipped with a pedal that allows for one-foot control of acceleration and direction, leaving hands free for steering and operating hydraulic levers.

GI Joe's relies on the dealer for 100% of its fleet maintenance. The service program includes a daily on-site technician who keeps the machines up and running and is on-site every morning for regular maintenance.

The technician also installs new parts, troubleshoots problems, and trains new operators when necessary. "GI Joe's has a program that delivers a high level of integrity, very little downtime and, most importantly, excellent safety, ergonomics and performance," says director of logistics Steve Oakley.