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Package Handling
DCS’s design and engineering team has more than 40 years of experience creating unique parcel handling systems for diverse customer applications. With installations including semi-automated handling in small city distribution centers and fully automated, integrated hubs with advanced conveyor and sorter equipment, DCS routinely thinks outside the box.
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E-Commerce and Multi-Channel Fulfillment
DCS designs and implements end-to-end warehouse automation solutions for e-commerce and multi-channel retailers that address numerous workflow challenges. This includes solutions for receiving, putaway, storage, replenishment, order fulfillment, picking, packing, sortation, and outbound shipping. Our custom integrated warehouse, distribution, and fulfillment systems draw from a deep pool of conventional, semi-automated, and automated material handling technologies.
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Various Distribution Applications
Whether an operation is considering the construction of a new distribution or fulfillment center, or a retrofit or expansion of an existing facility, it’s important to create a solution that fits the overarching supply chain strategy. DCS has four decades of experience designing and integrating comprehensive, end-to-end material handling solutions that meet a multitude of operational goals. Whether conventional, semi-automated, or fully automated, DCS can help your organization implement a custom solution that meets its goals while maximizing return on investment (ROI).
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Supply Chain Consulting
The DCS Supply Chain Consulting team offers a range of services to help your operations address the challenges it faces. Working in partnership with you, DCS consultants analyze your business data- existing workforce, workflow processes, inventory, order data, operations, and more- to determine a strategy that addresses your unique needs. Whether you need an operations assessment, process improvement recommendations, or distribution design services, DCS consultants will help guide you to the material handling system or operational solution that best meets your current and future needs, as well as your budget.
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Customer Support
Keeping your warehouse operations and material handling systems running smoothly and at the peak of productivity are the goals of DCS’ Customer Service Team. By partnering with DCS, your warehouse automation solution is supported from commissioning to end of life. You’ll receive comprehensive in-house training of your personnel, including specialized training of your designated internal system expert. Plus, DCS offers a complete package of spare parts and expert system troubleshooting support from qualified engineers dedicated to your installation.
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System Design & Integration
DCS offers a broad range of material handling equipment and automated system design, installation, and integration services for a multitude of projects. These include retrofits, expansions, upgrades, and more. While every project is unique, our system design and execution processes are the same, encompassing meticulous attention to detail, frequent communication, and a dedicated partnership with our clients.
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About Us
Designed Conveyor Systems (DCS) has 40 years of experience serving major clients in multiple industries by providing material handling, full-scale warehouse operations, and conveyor design solutions that are custom crafted for their needs. DCS does not sell ready-made conveyor systems but builds relationships that empower collaboration to craft custom warehouse designs together. DCS utilizes consulting, engineering design, project management, installation services, and client support to ensure our customers can keep their promises to deliver on time.
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Projects
With more than 40 years of experience providing automated system design, installation, and integration services, DCS has created solutions for companies throughout the United States in a broad range of industries and markets. We’ve completed more than 1500 projects ranging from greenfield facilities with completely new systems to expansions and retrofits of existing operations.
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Why A Mix of Material Handling Brands Is Often the Best Operational and Business Decision

Why A Mix of Material Handling Brands Is Often the Best Operational and Business Decision
Date Posted: 05.04.21

The market for material handling technologies and solutions has never before offered so much choice, as evidenced by the variety of equipment and systems showcased at ProMatDX 2021. Whether an operation is looking to revamp their entire process – receiving, putaway, storage, replenishment, order fulfillment, picking, packing, sortation, or outbound shipping – or just a portion of their current flow, the range of semi-automated and fully automated warehouse solutions has become virtually (pun intended) overwhelming.

With so many offerings from hundreds of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and vendors of all sizes, it can be truly challenging to wade through it all.

Some companies choose to work with a single, large solution provider to outfit and equip all of their locations. In some instances, it makes sense to single-source the equipment when the solutions provided by that supplier meet all of the operation’s needs. However, a single supplier may not always offer the optimal solution for a unique facility’s given needs. Or, their solutions for one area may not be as robust or flexible as their technologies for a different process. Further, their software and automation controls are often proprietary and frequently cannot be customized to match a facility’s specific requirements without involving the OEM – even to make a minor change.

Often, however, a mix of equipment and automated solutions from multiple equipment suppliers – integrated to work as a cohesive unit – can be a better fit for the end-user. That’s because, by selecting equipment from different manufacturers, operations managers can ensure they are getting the best possible solution for each portion of their process. Further, it frequently allows them the greatest flexibility in conveyor system design and control. In some instances, this might mean integrating technologies from as many as 10 (or more) different OEMs to achieve the optimal solution.

These same companies, however, typically do not staff an in-house engineering department to design, integrate, and support the installation of the systems (although a rare few do). For this reason, many engage a third-party consultant or system integrator to help with the design of an entire system and/or to help select equipment that addresses a specific, identified process improvement.

How a supply chain consultant/material handling integrator can help:

Working with an independent, brand-agnostic consultant or integrator offers a variety of advantages by delivering both operational and bottom-line business benefits. Depending on the engagement terms, these can include:

  1. Unbiased evaluation of an operation’s need. Engaging an unbiased third party to perform an operational assessment can help to pinpoint the opportunities for improvement in an existing process or operation. If an organization already has a good idea of where they need to improve, this unbiased evaluation can provide validation. An independent consultant or integrator will also offer recommendations for types (but not brands) of technologies and approaches for improvement, as well as budget ranges for each.
  2. Investigation of different prospective solutions. The third-party consultant or integrator can also be engaged to shop potential solutions. This includes assessing available technologies whose specifications and price tags best meet the established parameters (volumes, throughput rates, flexibility, startup deadline, budget) – regardless of OEM – and best fit within the entire system holistically. By outsourcing the evaluation of all the technological options to a third party who narrows them down for operations managers to choose among a final set of optimal solutions, a tremendous amount of time and expense can be saved.
  3. Project design and installation management. When the scope of the project includes a full, end-to-end design of a new system for a greenfield building or the integration of a new piece of warehouse automation into an existing system. For organizations that don’t employ a team of warehouse design engineers, a supply chain consultant, or integrator brings valuable expertise. Outsourcing the design and installation of a conveyor system and material handling equipment allows an organization to continue to do what it does best without requiring integration capabilities internally.
  4. Support for the integrated systems. Not many operations staff a maintenance department capable of troubleshooting or repairing every piece of equipment integrated into a solution. The third-party consultant or integrator can serve as the point person for triaging issues, then arrange for remote or in-person service and repair from the appropriate source.

Looking for more ideas about the different types of equipment and technologies that might address your distribution and fulfillment challenges? To learn more about working with DCS, we invite you to connect with us.