Global electronics distributor Mouser Electronics Inc. will add vertical lift modules (VLMs) and other sorting systems to increase the automation capabilities at its global distribution center in Dallas.
Beginning in the spring of 2022, Mouser will install 120 VLMs — what it claims to be the largest VLM installation in the world.
VLMs are giant vertical filing cabinets — with shelves and an automated extractor — that bring the components to the employee’s workstation. Mouser said this increases efficiency, floor space and can reduce employee walking time by 45% or more.
Mouser’s Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, facility will feature multiple Ultipack and I-Pack machines. These are automated systems for sealing and labeling shipments and can process up to 14 orders per minute.
The goal of the investment into automation in its global distribution center is to increase order processing, accuracy and speed to help reduce time-to-market for customers, Mouser said.
Mouser’s global distribution center is located on the 78-acre campus of its corporate headquarters in Dallas-Forth Worth. The campus handles more than 1 million unique SKUs for products from more than 1,200 brands. The facility can process tens of thousands of orders weekly.
