You have to start somewhere, right? Well, it all starts with the integrator—a systems integrator. A partner that will work with you and for you through every aspect of a project to fulfill your material handling needs and challenges. And to do just that, a systems integrator requires an extensive and comprehensive knowledge of material handling equipment and facility operations to navigate through a design and implementation. They understand the complexities that may contribute to the daily functions of a facility.

A systems integrator will walk the customer through an array of options, based upon their unique needs, to efficiently and effectively determine the best suited equipment to maximize precision and productivity throughout daily operations.  In order to do so, it is imperative that an integrator establish and develop a mutual trust and partnership with both vendors and customers alike.  For it is in these partnerships and the ability to promote and secure current and future growth of a customer’s operations that a successful implementation of solutions occur.

What to Look for in a Systems Integrator?

Understanding your Operation
A key component, paramount to determining the right material handling equipment, is understanding the customer’s operation. This information helps to equip the integrator with the appropriate vendor resources to complement warehouse operations. To do so, an integrator will observe and assess daily activities and processes and gather information in order to properly obtain a data analysis on overall operations.

Providing all the Options
Evaluating both a return on investment (ROI) and the growth of your warehouse operations can take a leading role in determining the appropriate material handling equipment. With an influx of innovative technologies, evolving year after year, an integrator will always take into consideration warehouse footprint, to include vertical and horizontal space, and operational capabilities. They will explore an array of material handling possibilities to meet your needs based on space and equipment functionality while promoting accuracy, efficiency and productivity on all daily operations. It is then, after a review of all options, that a systems integrator is able to implement and execute a well-developed and articulated plan.

Passing on the Savings
Not only is it important to find the right solution (s) for a facility, but it is essential to evaluate the cost effectiveness of that solution. Budgeting is a necessity when it involves multiple components in a material handling solution. Gathering various vendor prices allows an integrator to not only assess efficacy, but also the ability to pass along any savings, monetarily, that will benefit all parties involved. Providing cost effective savings on solutions and sharing any extended discounts with the customer will help nurture a trust and business accoutrement between the parties. 

From start to finish, from conceptualization to post implementation, an integrator is there to ‘get the job done.’ They find the right material handling solution (s) to successfully meet the most difficult challenges.

Author: Heather Connors, Director of Marketing, Conveyor Handling Company