PROJECT PROFILE
- Company: Phoenix Metals
- Industry: Metal Service Center
- Project Location: Peachtree Corners, GA
- Partner: CH Steel Solutions
- Ross Products: Dexco® Heavy Duty Wide Span Racks
- Application: Metal Coils
Challenges: Increase Floor Space and Manufacturing Efficiency
Dealing with storage constraints and inventory damage are common problems facing many industrial companies. Phoenix Metals faced these industrial storage issues within their Atlanta-area metal fabrication facility. To overcome these challenges, they determined that placing the coils in vertical rack systems could resolve the storage and damage issues.
Phoenix employees researched racking solutions to store coils inside and outside of the building. One potential solution was to have the racking designed and fabricated locally. The cost for this option, however, was more expensive than the project budget. Additionally, further investigation revealed that the racks would not meet the required load ratings, and that they would not necessarily be designed using industry-accepted engineering principles. A second option considered was pallet racks. Phoenix employees quickly discovered that these types of racks also could not support the necessary loads. After this initial investigation, Phoenix reached out to Ross to review Dexco® racking solutions.
Initial Consultation:
The consultation with the Dexco® sales engineer, Tracy Buck, confirmed that Phoenix Metals had several significant storage space issues:
- Coils were stored on the floor, in multiple locations.
- Some coils easily moved and rolled across the floor, causing damage and creating a safety hazard.
- Inventory management was problematic. To access the inventory, many coils had to be moved and shifted, utilizing valuable production time and risking damage to the material.
Solution: Dexco Heavy Duty Wide Span Racks
After the consultation, a proposal was provided to Phoenix Metals for a multi-bay Dexco® wide-span racking system for use both inside and outside the facility. The proposal was approved, and Ross partnered with CH Steel Solutions to install the racking.
Results: Custom Industrial Storage Racks Reduce Damage and Improve Inventory Control
The entire project required only 8 to 10 weeks from quotation to final installation. “Ross provided a quote, and the delivery of the racking was right on schedule,” comments Ken Ertel of CH Steel Solutions. “Ross is known for its on-time deliveries, which is critical during a construction project. We don’t have to worry about holding up other parts of the project to wait for the racking to show up.”
After the racking was installed, the facility realized several benefits as the result of the changes:
- Improved safety
- Better inventory control
- Increased accessibility to coils
The installation and inventory configuration went smoothly and resulted in dramatic visual changes in the facility. The positive results motivated Phoenix Metals to complete a Dexco® racking project in another facility in Florida.
Check out the full project bio.
About Phoenix Metals: Phoenix Metals was founded in 1980 and is a leading metals service center in North America. Phoenix Metals is committed to offering customers unsurpassed quality and service with metal products cut to specification.
About CH Steel Solutions: CH Steel Solutions offers warehouses and Metal Service Centers unmatched expertise from over 40 years of experience in racking, equipment and material handling. Regardless of the plant size, they have the knowledge to offer the best solution custom tailored to needs and budget.
About Ross: Ross manufactures a diverse line of public safety and physical security solutions designed to protect people, property and products in a wide range of applications including heavy-duty industrial storage, anti-terrorism / force protection, and infrastructure access. Based in Leola, Pennsylvania since 1962, the company supports ground-up construction and capital improvement projects throughout the world. Ross specializes in creating products that are engineered and tested to meet the highest standards for safety, quality and reliability within their respective fields.
