Edward Don & Company is the world’s leading distributor of foodservice equipment and supplies. The key components of Edward Don’s continued success are their knowledgeable sales staff, unmatched product offering, strategic nationwide distribution network and the integration of new technology. These ingredients combine to make them the preferred supplier for all types of food service businesses including: independent restaurants, national chains, healthcare, hospitality, schools and universities, government institutions, and foodservice management.

Hytrol and the integration partner worked with Edward Don & Company to create a system that was user friendly, energy-efficient and customized to fit the company's specific type of product. With an inventory of 12,000 unique items available for shipment, it is easy to see why integrating new technology was critical for Edward Don & Company.

The new facility, which houses the corporate headquarters, is located in Woodridge, IL. When compared to the old facility, the new facility is 55,000 square feet larger in space with increased ceiling clearance. The taller ceilings and facility design allowed for an increase in cubic space, which increased the overall storage capacity. This increase means they can store twice as many reserve pallets, while picking and shipping up to six times more product using new picking methods allowed by the new system.

Mark Zabloudil, vice president of operations, was pleased with the competitive advantage delivered by the new system. “We looked at putting the conveyors in, which really afforded us an opportunity to make ourselves more efficient in how we process orders today, but then also afforded us the opportunity to bid on other business that we couldn’t compete against because our cost structure, based on our old method of processing orders, was too high.”

Zabloudil also commented on their decision to work with an integration partner. “In researching the best industry practices, we decided to leverage the experience of a Hytrol integration partner. During the early design process, the integration partner took the time to learn every detail behind Edward Don & Company’s operation and designed the most efficient system possible.”

“We walked the facility, and I pointed out the different types of materials we store, the different types of processes on a given night, not only just from the size but also the wide variety. From liquids to bulk-type items, they really worked with us to come up with the right solution for our facility.”