Food Engineering logo
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • TOPICS
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • MEDIA
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
  • RESOURCES
  • EMAGAZINE
  • SIGN UP!
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Latest Headlines
  • Manufacturing News
  • People & Industry News
  • Plant Openings
  • Recalls
  • Regulatory Watch
  • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
  • New Plant Products
  • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
  • Alternative Protein
  • Automation
  • Cannabis
  • Cleaning | Sanitation
  • Fabulous Food Plants
  • Food Safety
  • Maintenance Strategies
  • OEE
  • Packaging
  • Sustainability
  • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
  • Plant Construction Survey
  • Plant of the Year
  • Sustainable Plant of the Year
  • State of Food Manufacturing
  • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • White Papers
  • EVENTS
  • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
  • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
  • eNewsletter
  • Custom Content & Marketing Services
  • FE Store
  • Government Links
  • Industry Associations
  • Market Research
  • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
  • eMagazine
  • Archive Issue
  • Advertise
Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Case Studies & Field Reports

ASRS minimizes energy usage, improves efficiency

March 1, 2011
Switching from manual cold storage warehousing to an automated storage and retrieval system improves inventory accuracy.

When the Dematic ASRS machine runs up and down the aisle, it can handle four-deep pallet storage lanes on one side, and on the other side, it can handle eight-deep pallet storage lanes. Source: Dematic.


J.T.M. Food Group (JTM), located in Harrison, OH, is a family-owned food processor producing meat balls, sausage links, pork chorizo, steak ranchero, beef stroganoff, chili verde and much more. All of the company’s products are cooked, packaged, frozen and distributed from its own plant. Since the late 1960s, the processor has grown exponentially into a prominent meat processor with sales exceeding $72 million in 2007.

“We had been building new storage freezers every couple of years since we started the business,” says Joe Maas, JTM vice president of operations. “We were getting tired of the same size and type of storage freezers, so this last time, we built a really big one with 10,000 pallet locations, so that it would  take care of our needs for many years. We were operating with two 700-pallet storage freezers and using outside storage, and wanted to increase our efficiency by consolidating the freezers into one space and manage all inventory internally on location at the plant.”

Forklifts were another problem. “Not only do forklifts let out a tremendous amount of cold air from the freezer, they also create a lot of damage to the racking, doors and product,” says Maas.

JTM selected Dematic Corp. to design and build the storage retrieval system, including control software, racking and associated conveying equipment.

“The roof square footage with an ASRS is small,” Maas says. “Most of our cold loss is going to occur in the roof, so the ASRS design minimizes that,” he adds. “Our ASRS doors are six feet high and four feet wide, and when the product is passing through the door, it blocks air from getting out. Then the door shuts immediately. A standard freezer with a forklift has an eight-foot by ten-foot opening, and the door closes some time after the truck passes through, but slowly, releasing a lot of cold air.”

Dematic designed the system with a double-load, remote pallet handling device that can carry two pallets at a time. When JTM’s storage retrieval machine picks up loads from manufacturing, it loads up two pallets at a time and simultaneously puts away two pallets at a time, which decreases cycle time and increases throughput. The system uses StagingDirector software for inventory management and pallet movement with the ASRS, part of the Dematic WCS (Warehouse Control System) IT Suite. This system connects with JTM’s order management system.

The ASRS eliminated the excess air exchange in and out of the freezer, making it more efficient. Forklifts, along with their maintenance and labor costs, vanished.

For more information: Lizbeth Tommy, 616-913-6622, lizbeth.tommy@dematic.com.

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    Latest headlines
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Manage My Account
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions June 2025

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Shalima Sreenath

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Celebrating Women in Engineering: Samara Heaggans

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

Food Plant Openings and Expansions May 2025

More Videos

Popular Stories

Cargill Cocoa Plant

Cargill Invests in its Cocoa Supply Chain

Campbell’s Utah plant

Going for Gold(fish): Inside The Campbell’s Company’s $160M Cracker Plant Expansion

Chicken Alfredo Listeria Products

Listeria Outbreak Connected with Pre-Made Chicken Alfredo Meals Results in 3 Deaths

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 17, 2025

Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ State of the Cold Chain

On Demand Kelley Rodriguez, Editor in Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, will be joined in this 60-minute webinar by industry experts to help unpack the latest research.

July 10, 2025

Smarter Innovation With AI: How the F&B Industry Can Stay Agile

Join our webinar to explore how practical AI solutions are helping leading brands reduce compliance risks, streamline reformulation and accelerate time-to-market.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • industrial energy management software

    Energy management improves business performance

    See More
  • Compressed air system helps save 'dough' in energy usage

    See More
  • Flexicon twin bulk bag dischargers

    Norwegian confectioner improves safety and efficiency

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • cleaning-in-place

    Cleaning-in-Place: Dairy, Food and Beverage Operations, 3rd Edition

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • July 24, 2024

    Illuminate & Innovate: Optimizing Lighting for Food and Beverage Facilities With Energy Efficiency in Mind

    On Demand This seminar will provide practical insights and actionable strategies to optimize lighting systems for improved efficiency, productivity, and sustainability.
  • May 22, 2019

    Key Essentials to Powder Handling: Increasing Consistency and Efficiency in High Shear Mixing

    ON DEMAND: Getting a consistent and seamless flow of powder ingredients from your powder handling equipment to your mixing equipment can be a challenge. Product quality, capacity and energy use all suffer as a result of inconsistencies in powder flow. Inconsistencies can affect future steps in the production process and lead to unnecessary down time.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!