Euclid Beverage Sets New Beer Distribution Standards with Priya Voice-Driven Warehouse Management System

28/06/07 Euclid Beverage, a major beer distributor in suburban Chicago, set a new standard in warehouse distribution using Priya voice-driven warehouse management system (WMS) to improve inventory accuracy to near perfect levels and cut load back times by half.

"Euclid Beverage's visionary approach in applying technology to solve problems raises the bar on industry performance," said Coreen McCorkendale, Motek project manager. "With Priya, the company has the ability to provide highly accurate, real-time data to suppliers and customers, to ensure beverage needs are met throughout the trade."

Euclid Beverage maximizes Priya throughout its operation, using it to manage 500+ SKUs, cycle counts, picking, and dunnage. "Priya helps us control our inventory, improve picking accuracy, and handle a rapidly growing number of SKUs, all with less training," said Dan Roschman, Euclid Beverage warehouse manager.

The Priya based WMS, which includes RF scanning and voice technology, replaced a paper-based system. The picking process is made more efficient by directing warehouse employees with voice prompts to select product based on location, rather than requiring staff to keep current on changing product locations or subtle nuances of product packaging. In addition, Priya is easy to learn which enables new employees to be immediately productive. Using Priya, Euclid Beverage loads trucks and transmits notices or labels that detail shipments, including add-ons, to customers as the truck leaves the warehouse. When trucks return at the end of the day, Priya manages the inventory load back process, tallying every return, damaged or undeliverable product in real time, giving the company absolute load back accountability.

"Priya's made a tremendous impact across our operation," said Larry McGrail, Euclid Beverage's vice president of operations. "In receiving alone we saw an immediate improvement. Using the RF scanning technology with Priya, shipments are received into the system in real time, reducing errors, and identifying and documenting discrepancies immediately. We have seen a dramatic improvement in inventory control"

Euclid Beverage intends to standardize on Priya, expanding its implementation to all of its warehouse locations.

Ann Price, Motek's CEO, commented: "Euclid Beverage is the only distributor in its market to use a sophisticated WMS with integrated voice technology. By replacing the paper based era of beer distribution with Priya, Euclid Beverage has built the new industry technology model for beer."