Business Challenge

When CEO Sung Moon joined SMH in 2021, the company was growing – but it was still managing operations with Excel. His team didn't have a way to track items in the warehouse efficiently. Additionally, cycle counts were time and labour-intensive, requiring employees to come in on the weekend to move inventory from the 18 foot racks in the warehouse for counts, and then put it back in designated locations.

Implementing a warehouse management system (WMS) topped the list of changes Moon planned for SMH. He also wanted to barcode locations throughout the warehouse and deploy scanners capable of long-range scanning to make cycle counts and other inventory management tasks easier and more efficient.

The Solution

SMH selected a WMS, and, upon its recommendation, chose Levata for its barcode scanning and labelling solutions. After consulting with Levata SMH chose mobile computers, backed by premium service and device support, for its long-range barcode scanning needs.

Moon explained that the company initially tested a combination of smaller handhelds and long-range scanners but found that the SMH team worked more efficiently and productively with devices capable of scanning longer distances.

"The scanners work flawlessly, and we can scan everything from the floor," Moon said. "Levata partners with our WMS software provider, so deployment was fast. We wanted a turnkey scanner solution, and that's what we got."

SMH also decided to use preprinted labels from Levata "We wanted heavy-duty, professional labels on all of the racks," Moon said. "We told Levata the format we needed, and they made it easy."

He said SMH chose easy-peel vinyl labels, which allows his team to peel and reapply the label if a beam is damaged or a rack is changed. "They're fantastic," Moon commented. "I don't know why someone wouldn't purchase them."

Benefits and Results

Moon said one of the biggest advantages of SMH's new system is how it has helped improve customer relationships. "You don't instil much confidence in larger customers by using Excel," Moon commented. "With barcode technology and WMS, now our customers have access to their data – locations, receipt dates, lot numbers, and more – 24/7. There's a huge benefit to a business to be able to see if a pallet is at a location or not. We put that information at their fingertips."

Overall, barcoding solutions from Levata are contributing to the progress that SMH Logistics is making toward its business goal of creating a high-end boutique warehousing operation. "We were playing catch-up with the competition. Now we're exceeding them," Moon said.