And, of course, new construction is hugely expensive. Another option that nearly every growing company utilizes to some extent is physical consolidation. By making more efficient use of existing space it may be possible to postpone indefinitely the date when physical expansion becomes necessary. This is often the least expensive and most timely solution. The trick is to ensure that business efficiency is not impaired in the process.
Vertical carousels are an important tool to facilitate an efficient physical consolidation.
They are commonly used in commercial and industrial supply applications, office filing and in retail. Micron Custom Manufacturing Services Inc. realized all of these benefits recently when it was faced with a need for new manufacturing space at its Boise, Idaho, facility. The company was already operating at or near its capacity, and needed to expand quickly in order to meet growing customer demand. By installing four vertical carousels from Remstar International Inc., Westbrook, Maine, Micron satisfied its need for additional manufacturing space without resorting to new construction. In doing so, Ray shrunk his department's floor space requirement from 8,900 square feet to just 2,000 square feet - a reduction of 78 percent.