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Koen Book Distributors Achieve New Heights in Warehouse Productivity with MIDAS Koen Book Distributors, Inc., a full service book wholesaler located in Moorestown, New Jersey, has provided the best titles to thousands of bookstores across the United States for more than twenty-five years. Koen recently introduced a process to weigh and measure their incoming books to help streamline the outbound order/shipping process and comply with customer requests to provide advanced shipping notices (ASN). The weight and dimensions of newly arriving books are recorded using a custom built dimensional scale designed by KG systems of East Hanover, New Jersey. The scale can process books as small as 1/4-inch thick and is directly connected to the application software. The MKS Integrated Distribution and Accounting Software (MIDAS) stores weight/measurement specifications in the inventory database to compute shipping box size requirements based on the type and number of books to be shipped. Picking lists are individually printed based on box fill limits and warehouse picking flow requirements. When the picking tote reaches the shipping area, the books are packed in the predefined box and an ANSII Standard ASN label is put on every box. For quality control purposes, the actual box weight is compared to computed weight on the pick ticket and any shipment not meeting the predefined weight variance is flagged for review. The ASN is electronically sent to the customer in X.12 format while the books are in transit. "Customers using the ASN's have significantly reduced their receiving time by just scanning each box label to receive the entire box of books," says Chuck Lehman, the MIS Manager at Koen. "We have also dramatically increased our warehouse productivity." The company has been using the MKS integrated business software for the past five years running on an Alpha/UNIX system. Standard book industry EDI software works in conjunction with the phone center to process incoming orders. The warehouse uses Norand radio frequency equipment supplied by Peak Technologies to manage the receiving and stock transfer functions. The MKS software is UPS approved for freight rating. Multi-trucking agency delivery scheduling is handled with the MIDAS Wave Picking feature. The ASN bar coded labels are integrated with the pick ticket forms, which are printed using an Olympus PagePlex 24 laser printer. MKS has been working with Koen and other international companies for over 10 years, developing and supporting business software to track and deliver products and support services. "Our firm develops business intelligence and knowledge-management software solutions to help industry leaders compete more effectively," says Victor E. Hansen, President of MKS Inc. "We work energetically with our clients to integrate leading edge hardware and software technologies to achieve innovative results."
For more information about MIDAS and V4 software or our success with Koen, contact MKS today at 888-PICK-MKS. |
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MKS,
Inc. • 987 Old Eagle School Road • Wayne, PA
19087-1708 |
