Mouser Electronics
Mouser Electronics, a Mansfield-based distributor of semiconductors and electronic components, is expanding its distribution center, recently breaking ground on a 416,000-square-foot, three-story building at its headquarters in Mansfield.
“With a larger warehouse space and continuing investment into automation and staffing, Mouser is preparing for the future while ensuring the highest levels of customer service today,” says Pete Shopp, Mouser Electronics’ senior vice president of business operations. “The tools and systems we’ve put in place offer another way we can help shorten our customers’ time to market.”
When finished, the distribution center will consist of almost 1.5 million square feet to accommodate Mouser's inventory of 1 million unique SKUs for products and technologies from more than 1,200 electronic component manufacturers.
The new building will feature a triple-mezzanine floorplan, advanced automation, and a skybridge connector to the existing distribution center building.
This spring, Mouser completed installation of 120 vertical lift modules, the largest VLM installation in the world, according to the company. VLMs are essentially giant vertical filing cabinets, complete with shelves, and an automated extractor to bring the components to the employee’s workstation. This increases efficiency and floor space and can reduce an employee’s walking time by 45% or more.
In addition to the VLM installation, Mouser’s distribution center features multiple Ultipack and I-Pack machines — a sophisticated automated system for sealing and labeling shipments that can process up to 14 orders per minute — as well as an OPEX Perfect Pick system for consolidation and an AutoStore system.
Though the adoption of state-of-the-art automation acts primarily as a means of boosting efficiency, productivity, accuracy and speed, the systems also enable more sustainable operations and improved customer satisfaction, according to the company.