ProCat Distribution Technologies
ProCat: Providing Picking, Loading, Shipping and Receiving Solutions for Distribution Centers

Being an industry veteran with over three decades of experience in managing distribution centers, Steve Stomel was moved by the challenges that distribution companies faced attempting to achieve higher accuracy rates and productivity in the fulfillment of customer orders. Combining next generation software with the latest technology, Steve established ProCat Distribution Technologies to help distribution companies meet those challenges.

“I firmly believe there is nothing you can do that will have a bigger impact on your distribution process than improving your picking process, which is your core functionality,” says Steve. Shrinking warehouse budgets, rapidly increasing SKU’s along with warehouse customer’s demands for personalization are requiring unique solutions. “What today’s warehousing operations need are solutions that respond rapidly with customized options that fit their supply chain process,” Steve continues. ProCat Distribution Technologies addresses these issues. From receiving and stocking to picking, loading and delivery, ProCat has developed a complete line of cost effective turnkey solutions.

Incorporating hands-free operations with non-proprietary equipment, ProCat utilizes scanning technology to ensure virtually 100 percent accuracy of each step along the way. Not only does this scanning technology provide the accuracy required, but it also collects a wealth of data for management control, tracking, and reporting.

PickRight is one of the core offerings from ProCat, consisting of a wrist-worn touch screen PC and ring scanner. The hands-free picking solution has customizable features that can be used to meet the ever-increasing demands for individualized order fulfillment as well as collecting data for growing government regulations. PickRight uses affordable, non-proprietary, rugged hands-free hardware. PickRight's display provides quick, at-a-glance visual information, and a rich feature set that is unavailable in traditional voice systems. The on-screen picker productivity option affords immediate feedback to keep the pickers on target with their expected pick rates. Item color-coding provides customized highlights and enhances the visual display for rapid response. Features such as, substitute items offer customization for unique individual order requirements.

Case in point, Andalusia Distributing Co. (ADC) in Alabama was experiencing picking errors, incorrect order quantities and picker productivity issues which directly hurt their bottom line. They needed a picking program that would improve their order accuracy and efficiency as well as provide a good return on investment. Since implementing PickRight, ADC’s picking errors, productivity problems as well as training issues were no longer hindering its operation. Weekly picking errors were greatly reduced to an average of one per 120,000 pieces picked. Along with the numerous features and benefits, PickRight does not require a Warehouse Management System (WMS) in order for it to operate. “If you can print a pick ticket,” states Steve, “then you are more than likely ready for PickRight!” Implementation usually takes place within 8 weeks from the time the customer commits, with installation itself usually taking less than a week. Finally, the return on investment is usually less than one year.

I firmly believe there is nothing you can do that will have a bigger impact on your distribution process than improving your picking process, which is your core functionality. PickRight by ProCat is the solution to meet that challenge

Moving forward, ProCat continues to listen to its customers and develop software solutions that will help them stay ahead of the curve. “Our roadmap is to continue to bring our solutions and technologies to as many distribution centers as we can,” says Steve. LoadRight, ShipRight, ReceiveRight, ReturnRight, WeighRight, and StockRight are some of the other key offerings of ProCat that were developed with customer input. “We currently operate in almost 100 warehouses across the U.S. and strive to continue to grow our customer base by helping them meet their distribution challenges,” he concludes.