The Client

An American multinational healthcare company that owns a 9000+ retail pharmacy chain in the US, a pharmacy benefits manager; and a health insurance provider, among many brands.

The Challenge

Legacy conveyor systems caused frequent downtime and high maintenance costs in their Northeast U.S. distribution center. Due to high daily order fulfillment volume, they were unable to easily replace and upgrade their systems. Expensive and obsolete spare parts and aging components created reliability risks.

The Solution

The Retail Pharmacy Chain engaged the KPI Solutions LifeTime Services team to develop a plan to modernize their conveyor systems while not impacting live operations. After reviewing the features and benefits of different approaches, a Motor Driven Roller (MDR) retrofit was selected as a low disruption, cost-effective solution to improve operational reliability and reduce maintenance issues. The installation was completed in a phased, modular approach with pre-engineered sections for rapid integration. Conveyor was replaced by zone to maintain operations with no production downtime. Plug-and-play ethernet controls allowed quick implementation, faster communication, easier remote monitoring, and is scalable for future growth. Low-voltage wiring simplified the install and reduces maintenance safety risks.

Solution Highlights:

• MDR upgrades were completed during weekends, holidays, and off shifts with no production downtime
• Standard MDR components have high availability and shorter lead times
• Quieter operation for an improved work environment, noise reduction of 15-20 dB

The Value

• 1,200 ft of conveyor replaced in 5 weekends
• Zero safety incidents during installation
• Seamless production continuity throughout project
• Improved reliability, throughput, and noise reduction
• Fast installation, lower overall energy usage, measurable ROI