Material Handling Consulting

Strategic Design Services provides all the information, direction, and services you need to implement a fully integrated supply chain solution. We take care to ensure we understand your overall network strategy and that our recommendations support your objectives, while focusing on life safety during every step of every project. You can select specific services from our full suite of offerings or engage in a full unbiased consulting partnership, where we bring in the right services and resources at the right time. From sizing your facility to engineering the most efficient processes for your distribution needs, Strategic Design Services provides a comprehensive, proven process that ensures solutions of any size are implemented successfully.

Below are the customizable products we offer that ensure projects of any size are implemented successfully and efficiently.

Site Selection

When you consider purchasing, leasing, or building a facility, Strategic Design Services helps select the right site or validate a site you have identified. We conduct a transportation analysis to help project your inbound and outbound costs and evaluate the implications of intermodal importation, exportation, and free trade zones. We also outline the demographics of customers and vendors in the area and assess the local labor market to determine the availability of skilled workers.

Facility Sizing

After identifying the optimal location for a facility, Strategic Design Services determines the best facility size for your distribution or manufacturing process. In any sizing effort, the size of the facility is determined based on the process that must be accomplished. It is critical we understand the business rules associated with your operation before we start to apply the proper technology to best support and provide the right justification for your business.

To do this, we evaluate the inventory, height limitations per local codes and building restrictions. We develop the best processes for inbound, outbound, and any additional items to determine the spaces needed and evaluate the best storage model for your individual needs. We make sure to understand your facility lifecycle, planning horizon, and the connection to growth expectations.

Inventory Analysis

Strategic Design Services evaluates your warehouse inventory storage strategy to shed light on potential opportunities. We perform a detailed analysis of the current state of the inventory, while taking into account historical data and future forecast data to determine potential trends. We look for opportunities that current and future states of inventory may present, such as new storage strategy, picking and replenishment labor reductions, minimizing or eliminating old inventory, and automated storage potential. Strategic Design Services looks at the inventory as an opportunity for you to reduce costs through many different opportunities.

Software Solutions

To control the movement and storage of materials and process the associated transactions, Strategic Design Services provides consultation and guidance for a variety of software solutions. We work in conjunction with your management and IT group to understand your current platforms. Our process manages vendor selection, project management, functional specification, training, and information structure. Strategic Design Services also partners with other best-in-class providers to offer the best software and technology solution for you, and our team supports the system to ensure the software solution is fully integrated into your warehouse floor.

Simulation Services

To bring vision to reality, Strategic Design Services develops sophisticated simulations that provide representation of the material handling solution. These simulations process data and proactively identify challenges, obstacles, and bottlenecks and allow for “what if” planning. By comprehensively predicting the processes, the simulation is best used as an enhanced tool to demonstrate the potential of the solution.

Feasibility Studies

Strategic Design Services establishes the feasibility of potential solutions by analyzing return on investment and your organizational strategies. We compare solutions to industry benchmarks to determine potential opportunities. The goal of this service is to validate your decision to proceed with the best solution—a critical step in mitigating risk and solidifying a value proposition. We conduct a detailed analysis and develop timelines to implement the solutions that include the next steps after the solution approval has been granted to ensure a successful implementation.

Functional Specifications

When you feel confident in the final design and process, documentation is the key to a successful implementation. The functional specification is the roadmap for decision making throughout the project, maintaining the focus and identifying results. In short, functional specifications ensure success. Rather than dismissing a critical step for the sake of speed, Strategic Design Services defines and documents all of the processes, which allows your operations to define key performance indicators and create your standard operating procedures.

Industrial Engineering Services

AHS Strategic Design Services provides comprehensive engineering consulting, truly becoming an extension of your internal teams. Leveraging our experienced engineers and our vast network of specialized professionals, we provide end-to-end services to meet your needs. We conduct industry benchmarking and develop contingency plans that include services such as time studies, material flow, work measurements, efficient workforce models, capacity planning, constraint analysis, and ergonomics.