Coke Adds Printers To Its Warehouse To Automate Product Tracking

Coca-Cola Enterprises is the largest soft drink bottler in the world. Established in 1986 but with roots extending back to 1899, Coca Cola Enterprises is also the largest marketer, producer, and distributor of Coca-Cola products. The company is an impressive worldwide operation with 431 facilities in the United States, Canada and Western Europe. The company operates 54,000 vehicles and 2.4 million vending machines, beverage dispensers, and coolers. In 2005, the company distributed 42 billion bottles and cans of Coke products. This massive distribution effort requires effective automation procedures.

Coca-Cola Enterprises performs the warehousing and delivery for Coca-Cola products, stocking and delivering pallets of products to grocery stores, restaurants, and other retail locations. They were experiencing problems with their inventory control for tools used to repair fleet truck and inventory control of product leaving the warehouse. Tool replacement may seem like a minor issue, but for Coca-Cola Enterprises it was a major budget item affecting the company’s bottom line. Yearly loss of tools and other equipment was costing the company $3.5 million per year.

To read more about Coca-Cola Enterprise and the solutions to the major issues they were experiencing download this case study at the link below.