BASTIAN SOLUTIONS

HOW E-COMMERCE IS LEADING THERISE OF AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

INNOVATION Bastian Solutions

HOW E-COMMERCE RISE OF AUTOMATIOBASTIAN SOLUTIE-COMMERCE IS DRIVING THE CHANGES IN THE INDUSTRY. INNOVATION IS DRIVING BASTIAN SOLUTIONS’ GROWTH.

As the demand for faster delivery of products

continues to reach the apex of possibility,

many companies and their supply chains are

struggling to keep up.

Automation and robotics are moving from

passing trends to necessities on warehouse

fl oors, but many of the companies interested

in utilizing the technology don’t know where to

start. Luckily, we know an expert.

BOSS Magazine introduced our readers to

Bastian Solutions in our March 2017 issue.

The material handling expert is committed to

optimizing warehousing and manufacturing

for its clients.

“The requirement from the industry to deliver

products directly to the consumer’s doorstep

has made problems more complicated and

systems and solutions more sophisticated,”

said Greg Conner, Vice President of Bastian

Solutions. “It challenges us from an engineering

perspective to provide critical solutions to

produce the business goals our clients require.”

IS LEADING THEON AND ROBOTICS:IONS PART TWO

April 2017 | thebossmagazine.com | 2

BORROUGHS CORPORATION

From heavy-duty industrial shelving to modular drawer cabinets, Borroughs Corporation has produced a wide variety of storage options for projects large and small. Through its 75-year history, the company has proven its willingness to keep pace with changing markets, business, and competitive challenges.

One such example is the company’s multi-level systems, which includes freestanding mezzanines and catwalk shelving systems. These solutions allow a facility to double or even triple its storage space and save costly building expansions or expensive moves.

Borroughs’ smart solutions start with better people and better products. Businesses like Bastian Solutions benefi t from a partnership with Borroughs Corporation.

INNOVATION

Conner attributes the growth in the industry

to rapid changes in the e-commerce market.

Today, technology is pushing boundaries

of manufacturing and distribution’s speed

of goods.

“In a distribution warehouse, it used to be that

operators would go down aisles, pick items,

place them on a conveyor that then led to a

pallet,” he said. “The operator was spending

the majority of his time traveling from one

location to the next.

“But today, automation and robotics are doing

the so-called heavy lifting. By utilizing a robot

or a shuttle to pick and deliver a product to

an operator, the time between picks is greatly

reduced, thus increasing overall effi ciency. This

technology is referred to as Goods-to-Person.”

And just like automation and robotics are

guiding the industry toward effi ciencies

that weren’t possible two years ago—let

alone a decade ago—this tech is also in part

responsible for driving the incredible growth

at Bastian Solutions.

On top of this, the company’s continuous

improvement strategies, and customized

client experiences and products—such as

ZiPline Conveyor and Exacta: Supply Chain

®

autostoresystem.com

Robots on top of things.Sophisticated Goods-to-Person Robotics

INNOVATION

Software—complete a balanced growth

plan designed to take Bastian Solutions

successfully into the future.

Innovation Driving Growth

“Our growth has come from how quickly we’ve

adopted and employed these new technologies

in our solutions for clients,” Conner said.

It’s not easy staying at the forefront of

innovation, but Bastian Solutions is an old pro

at it. Internally, the company employs a team

that focuses on the evolution of technology.

Research and development demand a lot of

time, money, and energy, but the organization

is committed to producing the best and most

advanced solutions for its clients.

Although much of the company’s research

and development is kept under wraps, Conner

was able to give us an insider’s look into

the types of technology Bastian Solutions is

currently pursuing.

5 | thebossmagazine.com | April 2017

IT’S NOT EASY STAYING AT THE FOREFRONT OF

INNOVATION, BUT BASTIAN

SOLUTIONS IS AN OLD PRO AT IT.

5 | thebossmagazine.com | April 2017

QIMAROX

Qimarox is a leading manufacturer of components for material handling systems. As a manufacturer of palletizers, product lifts, pallet lifts, packaging machines, and shielding systems, Qimarox distinguishes itself by its contemporary vision and approach, in which innovation, quality, and added value are of paramount importance.

Qimarox currently supplies more than 200 system partners around the world, active in various sectors such as logistics, machine construction, and end-of-line packaging systems.

Harderwijk, Netherlands, operates as Qimarox’s headquarters. Qimarox opened an offi ce in the United States in 2011 to quickly and effectively serve the North American market.

A stronger, lightweight, and longer-lasting

composite pallet could replace the standard

wooden pallet used since the start of material

handling. The company has also spent time

developing tracking tags for pallets, utilizing

the IoT for a better understanding of where

products are at any given time.

Conner and the leadership team at Bastian

Solutions believe augmented reality will play

a huge part in distribution centers shortly. The

company is currently beta-testing the Microsoft

HoloLens for a more advanced picking system

in distribution warehouses.

Currently, pick to light is a technology that is

widely applied. Lights and LED indicators direct

operators to every product. But you need to

have a light and an indicator for every location

in the warehouse.

“Augmented reality is a great fi t for our

industry,” Conner said. “HoloLens can direct the

picker to the right location in the warehouse, as

well as display the quantity needed and even an

image of the product.”

Automating the loading and unloading of

a semi-trailer and other monotonous and

sometimes dangerous jobs are also getting

the Bastian Solutions’ technological upgrade.

Continuous Improvement Driving Excellence

Bastian Solutions’ motivation behind its

signifi cant investment in R&D is more than

fi scal. Continuous improvement and lean

practices are incredibly important to the team.

ISO certifi cations, aligning its decisions with

Six Sigma principles, and safe practices within

the company and on the job help drive the

company’s commitment to constant evolution.

“Advanced technology drives our culture,”

Conner shared. “Our projects employ state-

of-the-art technology, which wouldn’t

INNOVATION

“ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DRIVES OUR CULTURE, OUR PROJECTS EMPLOY STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WOULDN’T BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.”

- GREG CONNER, VICE PRESIDENTOF BASTIAN SOLUTIONS

7 | thebossmagazine.com | April 2017

INDUSTRY LEADER IN THE AREA OF MATERIALHANDLING INSTALLATION FOR OVER 30 YEARS

2665 Pine Grove Road, Suite 200, Cumming, GA 30041 • info@asbeco.com • asbeco.comELECTRICAL INSTALLATION • MECHANICAL INSTALLATION • START UP SUPPORT • PROJECT MANAGEMENT

ASBECO

ASBECO is an industry leader in the

realm of material handling installation.

The company is ISO 9001 certifi ed

and has performed the electrical and

mechanical installation of complex

motor- and process control-based

systems for a variety of material

handling applications such as assembly

line conveyors, robot palletizers, high-

speed sortation systems, and bottling

machinery. Since 1986, ASBECO’s

key employees have successfully

installed these systems nationwide and

internationally. The company prides

itself on providing the highest quality

work, on time, and on budget.

be possible without our commitment to

continuous improvement.

“If you stand still in this industry, the competition

will pass you in no time.”

Customized Solutions Driving

Client Satisfaction

Bastian Solutions knows it’s all changing: how

products are made, batch sizes, how batches

are distributed, the quantities being distributed.

Automation and robotics are determining how

products move within the market, and every

single one of Bastian Solutions’ client’s needs

are different.

“Each project is unique,” said Conner. “Just

because a customer competes in the same

industry as another doesn’t mean the two need

the same—or even a similar—solution. What we

do brings engineering and creativity together.”

INNOVATION

Bastian Solutions’ experts consult with each

customer before providing a solution. The

teams learn about its client’s business, take

measurements, and apply analytics for how

effi cient the client’s current setup is. By working

with the customer to create a custom design,

Bastian Solutions’ customers can achieve their

goals, and Bastian Solutions can quantify how

the new solution saved on labor and/or money.

One of the company’s larger clients in the

electronics industry recently benefi tted from

Bastian Solutions’ customized user experience.

The company had an online presence through

which it received orders throughout the day.

To meet the company’s goal of processing the

order on the same day it was received, Bastian

Solutions helped improve how quickly the

company could complete picks. The company

is now able to process new orders in minutes

to keep up with the demand for overnight and

next-day delivery.

It’s only a matter of time until more companies

large and small will need to operate at this level.

As a leader in material handling automation,

Bastian Solutions knows it can continue making

an incredible impact on the effi ciencies needed.

“The growth of our company is facilitated

by our tremendous supplier network and

our incredibly committed and passionate

employees. There is no doubt our growth

would truly not be possible without our

customers pushing us to develop new and

better methods to get their goods to market.”

“THE GROWTH OF OUR COMPANY IS FASCILITATED BY

OUR TREMENDOUS SUPPLIER NETWORK

AND OUR INCREDIBLY COMMITTED AND

PASSIONATE EMPLOYEES.”

- GREG CONNER, VP OF BASTIAN SOLUTIONS

POWERED BY

BASTIAN SOLUTIONS

10585 N Meridian St. 3rd FloorIndianapolis, IN 46290

Ph: 888.725.3046Fax: 317.575.8596Email: info@bastiansolutions.com

www.bastiansolutions.com