Fueling Peak Performance: How EAS Supplements Built an Order Fulfillment Powerhouse with System Integration

The Client: EAS Supplements

EAS is a company synonymous with individual peak performance. They specialize in crafting nutritional supplements designed to empower athletes and active individuals to achieve their best. Just as their products help customers optimize physical output, EAS recognized the critical need to achieve peak performance within their own operations, particularly in the vital area of getting their products from the warehouse into the hands of customers.  

The Challenge

Imagine your business is thriving. Orders are pouring in, demand is soaring, and you’re ready to scale. But your internal operations are running on a system built for a smaller scale. This was the situation EAS faced.

Their distribution center, the engine of their order fulfillment, was operating with outdated infrastructure. Picture this: a vast space served by just one forklift and a single, basic conveyor line. Every order, destined for customers across North America and around the globe, had to be moved and tracked predominantly through manual effort.

This manual approach, while perhaps sufficient in earlier days, became a significant bottleneck for a rapidly growing company. It was like trying to navigate a bustling freeway with a horse and buggy – slow, prone to errors, and simply incapable of keeping pace with the speed and volume required by modern e-commerce and distribution. The system lacked the speed, accuracy, and scalability EAS needed to meet current demand, let alone accommodate future growth. Furthermore, heavy manual handling posed risks of injury to their valuable workforce, an issue antithetical to a company dedicated to physical well-being. EAS needed a fundamental shift, a way to transform their warehouse from a manual handling point into a dynamic, high-performance order fulfillment machine.

The Solution

Recognizing that their outdated system was holding back their potential, EAS sought a comprehensive solution. They didn’t just need more equipment; they needed a complete transformation of their order fulfillment workflow. This is where the power of a materials handling system integrator comes into play.

Think of a system integrator like the architect and general contractor for your warehouse’s internal landscape. Instead of buying individual pieces of equipment – conveyors from one vendor, scanners from another, racking from a third – and trying to make them all work together yourself, an integrator looks at the entire process. They understand how each component needs to interact seamlessly to create an efficient, cohesive system that moves products logically and rapidly from receiving through picking, packing, and shipping. They design the blueprint and manage the complex construction project, ensuring everything fits and functions together perfectly.

FloStor partnered with EAS to be that architect and general contractor, designing and implementing a state-of-the-art distribution center tailored to EAS’s specific needs and ambitious growth plans. The result was a new, modern 141,000 square-foot facility in Golden, Colorado, a dramatic leap from their previous setup.

Designing the Seamless Flow

The core objective was to create a reliable and continuous flow of products. FloStor and EAS collaborated closely, like skilled engineers designing a complex machine, to map out the optimal path for orders. The solution wasn’t a single piece of technology, but an integrated series of carefully selected materials handling components working in harmony:

• Gravity Conveyors: Utilizing the power of incline to move products efficiently between zones.
• Horizontal Power Conveyors: Providing controlled, powered movement along flat sections.
• Live Roller Conveyors: Enabling accumulation and precise movement of products.
• Power-Pivot Diverters: Automated traffic cops, directing order boxes to the correct downstream paths.  
• Ball Transfer Tables: Allowing easy manual rotation and movement of boxes at workstations.

This diverse set of equipment was chosen and configured not as standalone pieces, but as interconnected elements of a single, intelligent system designed for maximum throughput and accuracy.

The Technology at Work

The human element was empowered by intelligent technology. The new system integrated the latest scanning equipment and sophisticated computer controls. This wasn’t just about moving boxes; it was about moving the right boxes to the right place at the right time.

The process begins in designated “7-Zone Production Lines.” Here, operators are guided by touch-screen computers and hand-held scanners. This guided picking process ensures accuracy from the very first step. Orders are picked into boxes placed on gravity conveyors. For multi-box orders, the system allows operators to keep them together as a “train” moving from zone to zone. Once complete in a zone, they are released onto a central takeaway conveyor.

From there, the system takes over much of the heavy lifting and decision-making. Boxes pass through an AccuSort scanner, which reads the order information. This scan triggers the power-pivot diverters, automatically sorting and directing the boxes down one of four lanes based on the required shipping method (like FedEx, USPS, LTL, etc.).

Each order then proceeds to a verifying station for a final check, filling, and sealing before moving to the manifest stations. At these stations, equipped with ball transfer tables for easy handling, operators perform a final scan and prepare the order for the specific carrier.

Prioritizing People and Performance

A key driver for EAS was creating an operation that was not only fast and accurate but also safe and comfortable for their employees. The integrated system significantly reduced the need for strenuous manual handling and excessive walking that characterized the old facility.

• Ergonomic Lifting: The system was designed so that virtually all necessary lifting occurs within the “ergonomic target zone” – between the shoulders and the bottom of the hands – minimizing strain and reducing the risk of injury.
• Reduced Walking: Personnel on the picking lines now only need to cover a distance of 16 feet, dramatically cutting down on walking and fatigue throughout the day.

By automating the repetitive and physically demanding tasks, the system allows the EAS team to focus their energy on value-added activities, leading to higher morale and increased productivity.

A Partnership for Success

One of the most remarkable aspects of the transition was the seamless installation process managed by FloStor. A common fear with large-scale system overhauls is significant operational downtime. FloStor meticulously managed the project, allowing EAS to continue shipping orders using their existing line while the new, complex system was being built and integrated alongside it.

“The installation and operation has gone extremely well,” says Shelly Phillips Metz, Vice President of Logistics and Distribution for EAS.  

This meant EAS could transition to their new, high-performance facility without interrupting their business or disappointing customers – a testament to careful planning and expert project management by the integrator.

The results speak for themselves. The new facility is currently processing 1,800 cases a day, with ample capacity for future growth. The integrated solution has delivered significant benefits:

• Higher shipping volume capability.
• Noticeably better order accuracy.
• A significant reduction in wrongly shipped orders.
• The ability to ship any order received by 2:00 p.m. the same day, accurate and complete.

By partnering with FloStor, EAS successfully transformed their warehousing and order fulfillment from a constraint into a competitive advantage, ensuring their internal operations perform at the same peak level as the athletes who trust their products.