International Brokerage Firm Sets New
Standards
One of the world’s largest retail brokerage organizations used to provide
detailed millwork specifications for mail sorters every time they moved,
renovated an existing branch office or opened a new one. Local contractors
would offer a variety of sorters made to order for the specification. In
addition to the time and expense of designing custom mail center
furniture, production time for custom work was long and nothing was
reconfigurable.
 Sal Dassaro,
Vice President of Datamation Systems, helped the firm's inhouse architects
develop a selection of standard mail sorters on a national account
program, making the specification process simpler and saving a substantial
amount of money for the firm.
By using a range of Hamilton Sorter mail modules, standard, legal and
oversize depth units could provide wall-through or counter-mounted sorts.
A variety of sizes accommodated virtually any office configuration.
Modules are available with plexiglass doors and all come with adjustable
shelves and full-length label strips (on two sides for wall-through
applications).
By specifying a Hamilton Sorter product, the customer accomplished several
things:
• Reduced
time and cost in specifications
• Uniform
standards of construction and materials
•
Freestanding sorters can be moved and used in other facilities
• Quick ship
program speeds up delivery and assures timely completion
• National
account pricing saves money
•
Manufactured products have limited lifetime warranty and can be repaired
with factory replacement parts
• Additional
shelves are easy and inexpensive to purchase
Branch Distribution Challenges Mail
Center
When a mail center has to sort for distribution to 2,226 branch stores and
offices, space and workflow are critical issues. Accumulating reports,
forms and correspondence for efficient distribution makes good management
sense. But it creates a tremendous challenge for efficiency and effective
space utilization.
Meldisco, a leading
division of retail giant Footstar, was moving to a new headquarters in
Mahwah, New Jersey. The innovative building design left the mail
center with an odd-shaped space and a difficult challenge to provide
sorting capacity for an annual growth rate of five percent.
Working with Datamation Systems Vice President, Paul Jenssen, Meldisco
came up with a sort station design that not only fits the space, but
provides an efficient sorting work flow.
Prior to their move, Meldisco sorted into flat rotary sorters. The
sorters provided the number of sorts they needed but took up a great
deal of floor space, had to be loaded evenly and were cumbersome to
empty into envelopes.
Using Hamilton Sorters mail sorters and consoles, Meldisco set up
sorting bins that gives each mail clerk access to hundreds of
branches. The arrangement of the stations not only met the challenge
of fitting sufficient sorting capacity into the space allocated; it
put enough bins within reach to allow sorting and quick close-outs
with the current number of personnel. |
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Hamilton’s stations provide openings large
enough for Priority Mail envelopes provided by the Postal Service.
Meldisco’s mail clerks sort directly into the envelopes, which saves a
step at the most critical time of day. According to the client, the mail
gets out in a faster and more efficient manner.
 The mailroom
supervisor set up a color coding scheme for each opening to show the
stores in each of Meldisco’s regions. With its attractive design and
laminates, Meldisco’s mail center has an appearance consistent with the
executive office design of their facility. The stations are also covered
by Hamilton’s lifetime limited warranty, a commitment to their durability.
In addition to the sorting stations,
Meldisco uses anti-fatigue mats to improve the comfort and productivity of
their personnel. Since so much of their work is done from a seated
position, they also use special mail stools at appropriate stations.
One final challenge was Meldisco’s requirement that the new facility be
installed after hours so their staff would not be inconvenienced. The
project was completed on time and with minimum inconvenience to Meldisco’s
operation. |
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