The Gap creates square footage on demand

Unoccupied warehouse space still incurs lighting, heating and cooling costs, but by installing a modular, flexible thermal wall, the company slashed energy costs without disrupting business.
By Josh Bond, Associate Editor
October 02, 2012 - MMH Editorial

As a global retailer, the Gap was looking internally for efficiencies. Its distribution centers—with large scale and fluctuating inventory—represented a significant opportunity for space and energy conservation. Unoccupied warehouse space still incurs lighting, heating and cooling costs, but by installing a modular, flexible thermal wall, the company slashed energy costs without disrupting business.

As inventory levels fluctuate, so does floor usage. The retailer found that electricity alone accounts for 12% of energy consumption in its DCs. Sectioning off the unused portion of the warehouse could dramatically cut energy usage, but a permanent wall structure was not feasible.

The company needed a solution that was flexible and modular, and selected a customized thermal wall.

The wall was designed to work within the existing permanent walls without requiring any infrastructure upgrade or modification. It was designed, manufactured and installed just four weeks after the purchase and installation did not interrupt operations.

There are easy-access doors at the end of each aisle into the wall. The wall is quickly and easily moved as business conditions change. By producing $46,000 in annual energy savings, the thermal wall achieved an aggressive return on investment of just more than 14 months.

Randall Manufacturing
800-323-7424
http://www.randallmfg.com

Read more Casebook 2013.



About the Author

image
Josh Bond
Associate Editor

Josh Bond is an associate editor to Modern. Josh was formerly Modern’s lift truck columnist and contributing editor, has a degree in Journalism from Keene State College and has studied business management at Franklin Pierce.


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