School Specialty’s recent transformation of its Mansfield, Ohio, distribution center (DC) demonstrates how targeted software and control system investments can reinvigorate legacy facilities. Rather than building a new site from the ground up, the company opted for a measured, cost-conscious approach — one that began with a partnership with Alpine Supply Chain Solutions and Systems in Motion. Alpine led a comprehensive DC network optimization and software selection study that ultimately guided School Specialty’s decision to retain its two existing DCs. The outcome was a new software foundation — combining a WMS with Systems in Motion’s Warehouse Control System (WCS/WES – known as KOZ) — that brought greater visibility, data-driven decision-making, and control to daily operations.
With Alpine’s guidance, the Mansfield DC implemented these platforms in 2024, setting the stage for significant performance improvements, while Systems in Motion’s WCS offered near real-time visibility into carton movement and automation activity. The KOZ WCS/WES quickly identified scanning inaccuracies and inefficiencies in the conveyor and pick-to-light systems, allowing the team to correct problems and optimize flow. These insights revealed the value of blending Alpine’s strategic consulting with Systems in Motion’s execution technology — a collaboration that modernized Mansfield’s fulfillment foundation without the cost of a new facility.
Once the software program was in place, new fixed-position barcode scanners and programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were installed along key conveyor segments, boosting read accuracy from the mid-80% range to nearly 99%. This precision translated into smoother sortation, more reliable pick-to-light performance, and better visibility into the flow of work across the DC’s 10 pick zones. The improved system now helps balance workloads, predict bottlenecks, and sustain throughput that once lagged under the legacy setup.
These software and hardware upgrades delivered measurable results. The pick-to-light system’s average pick rate rose from 75 picks per hour to more than 125, restoring efficiency to a process that fulfills the majority of Mansfield’s orders for classroom staples such as erasers, glue sticks, and paper materials. More importantly, operators can now monitor conveyor activity and scanner status in real time, reducing downtime and eliminating the need for manual troubleshooting. According to Michael Harris, director of operations, the team now “trusts the data” coming from the WCS dashboards and can react quickly to performance anomalies, rather than searching the floor for jammed cartons. At the same time, the Software rollout gave School Specialty new analytical tools to drive decisions around inventory placement, racking design, and labor optimization across both DCs.
Together, Alpine Supply Chain Solutions and Systems in Motion have helped School Specialty revive its fulfillment operations from the inside out. The collaboration has enabled a once-aging DC to operate at a higher level of visibility, accuracy, and speed, all without massive capital investment. The Mansfield site now consistently meets service level goals, shipping most orders within three days, even during peak season. As Harris notes, “All of these improvements are working to drive higher on-time delivery and higher quality to customers, while creating efficiencies on the operational side.” The partnership between Alpine and Systems in Motion has positioned School Specialty to continue evolving — one data-driven step at a time.
See the complete article in the October Issue of Modern Materials Handling.
