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MINYARD SET TO ENLARGE FACILITY, ADD RF DEVICES

COPPELL, Texas -- Minyard Food Stores here is adding 280,000 square feet of space to its distribution center and implementing a warehouse management system and a labor standards program.The expansion of the facility, to a total of 730,000 square feet, is expected to be complete by Jan. 1, and will allow for handling of dry groceries as well as retail services materials, said Prudencio Pineda, Minyard's

COPPELL, Texas -- Minyard Food Stores here is adding 280,000 square feet of space to its distribution center and implementing a warehouse management system and a labor standards program.

The expansion of the facility, to a total of 730,000 square feet, is expected to be complete by Jan. 1, and will allow for handling of dry groceries as well as retail services materials, said Prudencio Pineda, Minyard's senior vice president of warehousing and distribution.

At the same time, Minyard's is now debugging and preparing to use a warehouse management system to track inventory in the facility. Eventually, the system will make use of radio frequency technology to monitor receiving and shipping processes and other key variables in a virtually real-time scenario.

The RF technology, mounted onto forklifts, will allow operators to scan pallet bar codes and track all product slotting and picking in real-time. It will also track variables such as pallet and product location, age and rotation history.

Under the system, as soon as a product hits the receiving dock, RF technology will be used to scan the bar code and, if appropriate, "tag" the product as immediately available for shipping, Pineda told SN.

The system, from Worldwide Chain Store Systems, Charlotte, N.C., should generate substantial productivity gains within three to six months, it was said.

Minyard is also about to implement an engineered labor

standards program, also from WWCSS, to measure employee activity and productivity within the warehouse.

The program would provide operators with specific assignments and recommended completion times. "The system monitors where the pallet was placed, how long it took to complete the task and who completed it. It also monitors if the operator is above, standard or below the average efficiency level for that task," Pineda said.

The labor standards program will result in a 20% productivity increase in 1997, Pineda predicted. He added that the program is designed to boost worker productivity, not cut jobs.

Both the labor standards system and RF technology enhancements are scheduled to be in place within a year, he said.

Pineda also said the expanded warehouse facility would include a wide range of ergonomic features.

"Heavy items will be elevated 18 inches from the floor, so workers don't have to bend down too far to properly pick them up. Also items weighing more than 40 pounds will be placed no higher than a person's waist," he said.

Minyard hopes to see at least a 15% reduction in personal injury claims. "Currently, we work in somewhat crowded conditions, but once the conditions are changed we will have a brand new warehouse with an even greater emphasis on safety," he said.

A greater number of safety signs, training tips and rules are being posted throughout the warehouse to encourage a safer work environment. "These methods are effective and keep safety in everyone's mind. I'd rather overdo it than underdo it," Pineda said.