Ideas
In Motion
Flostor
Engineering has a reputation for thinking, designing and building outside-of-the-box
solutions.
FloStor Engineering Inc. of
Hayward, California has proven that the combination of outstanding people
and quality products will support consistent growth in material handling distribution. The company's success
is repeatedly depicted in its customers' reports of increased productivity.
If automation is the key to FloStor customers' enhanced productivity,
then the ideas and knowledge generated by FloStor's long-tenured employees
are the keys to the proven performance record required for sustained
growth within the material handling industry.
 |
| FloStor
Engineering's Bob Weeks (left) and Bob Meigs, QSC Director
of Operations, at the opening of a new in-process manufacturing
system for QSC Audio Products. |
|
Based in the San Francisco Bay
area, FloStor was founded in 1983 with a vision of providing creative
solutions to both simple and complex material handling challenges. Robert
Weeks, FloStor president, began the company in a spare room, not unlike
another West Coast pioneer, Bob Packard, co-founder of Hewlett Packard.
Ever the innovator, Weeks realized that there was a growing market for
systems integration. He combined his marketing knowledge with a mechanical
aptitude to create a company whose drive was and continues to be the
creation of new solutions to old problems.
Mentored by Tom Loberg, founder
of Hytrol Conveyor Company (Jonesboro, AR), and Sam Leone, then Hytrol's
vice president of sales & marketing, Weeks continued to learn the business.
Today, FloStor counts Hytrol Conveyor as one of its major product lines.
Weeks says, “Much of what I learned during my early days from pioneers
like Tom and Sam is evidenced in how my company functions today.”
Putting Ideas
to Work
The communication of ideas
and information is an important key to the success of FloStor's 35 employees.
All FloStor employees attend a monthly meeting in which management discusses
how the company makes its money. If the prior month was a good one,
lunch is served. For 30 minutes, financial information is shared as
gross sales, gross profits, costs of operations and net profits are
discussed. Weeks says, “I try to teach each employee the basics
regarding company finances. It does not matter what an employee's job
responsibility is. Each employee can impact the company's profitability.
If we succeed as a team, we're all better for it.”
The FloStor
Team
FloStor prides itself
on the longevity of its workforce. Its employees bring imagination,
creativity and enthusiasm to the company. In fact, while many companies
find recruitment of qualified personnel to be a challenge, potential
employees often seek out FloStor. The company posts job openings on
its Web site (www.flostor.com)
and utilizes the services of various placement agencies. “Our philosophy
dictates that we provide the best work environment money can buy,”
says Weeks, “and we strive to equip our personnel with the latest
that technology has to offer in order for them to work more productively
and efficiently.”
Flostor
employees bring imagination, creativity and enthusiasm to the
company.
|
According to FloStor employees, “It's the people who make FloStor special.” Still, no company
can base its success on the fact that its employees are nice people.
As a team, FloStor employees are committed to the philosophy of “promises
made, promises kept.” As a result, the company is often awarded
large projects without having to participate in the usual bidding processes.
Doing the right thing is a company
mandate. The size of the order is irrelevant, and all customers are
treated with respect, honesty and fairness. Since its establishment
in 1983, FloStor has been able to attract and retain talented, independent,
driven mavericks who are led by a management team who provides an opportunity
for independent thinking, while setting an expectation for customer
care at any cost.
The
Executive Committee...
In 1996, company president Bob Weeks formed an executive committee to
help him make decisions about everything from quality control to staffing
and all things in between. The committee meets monthly, and each member
contributes a unique insight to the decision-making process. In addition
to Bob Weeks, president, the committee includes management from the
following departments: sales, systems sales, finance, engineering, systems
assurance, installation and service.
Systems Sales...
The Systems Sales
Group consists of FlosStor's most experienced people who are knowledgeable
in all phases of material handling. From this group, teams representing
the specific skills needed for success are assigned to each project.
Eight sales engineers have responsibility for all phases of material
handling systems integration, including system design and coordination
with project management, and installation and service. Their success
record is enviable. Each and every project over the last 18 years
has been successfully completed to the complete satisfaction of the
client. The team has a thorough knowledge of conveyors, carousels,
ASRS systems, software controls and management software.
Dealer Sales...
Three Hytrol Conveyor specialists
are responsible for serving over 200 dealers in Northern California
and Northern Nevada. FloStor provides Hytrol conveyors on a resale basis
and offers product expertise and engineering services when required.
Dealer schools are held on a semi-annual basis for product training.
 |
|
Journeyman
Dave Gonsalves fabricates a custom structure for Dole Fresh
Vegetables. The company maintains a complete metal working
facility.
|
|
Engineering
and Project Management...
A structural
and pneumatics engineer, a robotics specialist and three design engineers
provide customers with accurate and detailed mechanical and electrical
layout drawings. FloStor was one of the first material handling integration
companies to embrace the use of CAD technology to provide clients with
accurate and detailed designs of their projects. FloStor project managers
are specialists trained in material handling systems and bring projects
in on time and on budget.
Installation
and Service...
FloStor has
enjoyed a successful partnership for almost 20 years with the Northern
California Millwrights, a team of skilled, knowledgeable craftsmen.
Outfitted with a fleet of company-owned vehicles and the correct tools
for the project, FloStor's installation crews can accomplish the job
properly, the first time, on time. They perform installation, warranty
service, preventative maintenance and emergency services. To provide
custom integration and meet various parts requirements, FloStor maintains
a full fabrication shop.
Electrical
and Controls...
The Electrical
Group consists of licensed electricians who have specific experience
in industrial automation. They have “hands-on” experience
with PLCs, field busses with PC controls, motion control, RF and barcode systems, and installation of all of the above. Services provided include
electrical design, panel design and fabrication, project management
for large installations, and field installation.
Operations...
Operations
personnel coordinate sales, engineering, installation and service assuring
FloStor customers that the quality standards promised by FloStor are
delivered.
Seal of Approval
What do IBP Foods,
New United Motor Manufacturing (Toyota/GM), Dole Foods, Peet's Coffee & Tea, Byer California, International Game Technology, Gymboree Corp.,
FedEx Corp., Walgreen's Co., Illuminations Co., Carquest Auto Parts,
Sun Microsystems, QSC Audio, Lucent Technologies and C&H Sugar have
in common? They are all repeat FloStor Engineering customers.
 |
| Millwrights
Hal Hansen (left) and Tom Mangin prepare for the installation
of a new major west coast distribution center for CARQUEST
Auto Parts. |
|
Why? According to FloStor's
sales team, there are several reasons: the competence and an ability
to provide solutions exhibited by each member of the FloStor team; an
ability to get the job done, on schedule; quality products combined
with quality workmanship; and performance with integrity. Weeks says, “We like to think that our customers are our friends when we're
through with them.” With last August's backlog of $12 million in
sales, FloStor has many friends.
Market
Diversity
FloStor continues
to penetrate different markets that demand sophisticated solutions.
FloStor engineers do not simply “throw equipment at a customer's
problem hoping that the problem will solve itself.” They have developed
a reputation for thinking, designing and building outside-of-the-box
solutions.
FloStor sales engineers have
developed a diversified background in manufacturing, distribution, automated
storage, and other arenas. When some markets tend to slow down, other
markets are quickly identified and pursued. Reaping the benefits of
a team that is willing to share information and ideas, the FloStor sales
engineer is capable of moving from high-tech to food, to auto parts,
even to art work in developing systems and integration projects.
Internet
Strategy
FloStor uses
its Web site as its primary marketing tool. Weeks says, “Prior
to contacting our references, prospective customers review the company's
Web sites to verify credentials, get a sense of who the company is,
and examine past projects.” The number of visitors who seek FloStor
via its Web site continues to grow, as evidenced by an increased number
of requests for literature and an increased number of responses to various
company promotions.
FloStor adopted LAN and Internet
technologies in 1995, instituting a Web site, email and Internet access
for all employees. Today the company maintains four Web sites:
The Internet has become an integral
part of the company's design engineering, project management and marketing
activities. The technology provides tools for collaboration between
employees, customers and FloStor's partners. With its proper use, company
executives believe projects can be completed more efficiently and with
greater quality control. FloStor will continue to support and expand
its Web sites for one simple reason: they are a resource that customers
have become dependent on. As an example, www.teamflostor.com continues
to be enhanced. Weeks says, “Our Web sites are a significant competitive
advantage. They provide a comprehensive source of information for materials
handling automation, available immediately, online.”
The
Future: More Ideas
FloStor is
currently expanding its infrastructure to support the increase in gross
revenues. These improvements include a state-of-the-art job costing
accounting system and a new project management workflow tracking system.
The fact that FloStor has no long-term debt provides the company with
a platform for future growth that is ripe with possibilities.
Since its establishment
in 1983, FloStor has been able to attract and retain talented, independent,
driven mavericks who are led by a management team who provide an
opportunity for independent thinking, while setting an expectation
for customer care at any cost.
|
Bob Weeks comments that the
possibilities are endless. “FloStor continues to entertain ideas
that can only benefit our growing base of customers. Growth via acquisition
is certainly a possibility.” Other opportunities for future growth
include an opportunity to stock conveyor on the West Coast in order
to support FloStor's dealer sales efforts, along with the provision
of consulting services. The company is entertaining the prospect of
entering the data collection barcode arena. In the future, FloStor may
expand its sales force to serve a larger geographical region. Says Weeks,
“Our customers know that they can call me at any time. We will
guarantee solutions that will work for them. Any future growth will
be for the sole purpose of creating solutions for our customers.”
As a regional company, FloStor's
team is working farther from home these days. Weeks says, “We are
doing jobs in Sioux City, Iowa; Louisville, Kentucky; and Emporia, Kansas.
We're also working in Los Angeles and in Bakersfield, California.”
 |
| Keith Hiyama (left), manager of installations and service, and Dave Rebata (right), VP sales, review final plans for new system at Kraft Foods with Senior Sales Engineer Ed Bialashewski. |
|
Members of the FloStor Executive
Committee have traveled internationally since the late 1980s. They attend
the Hannover Fair every two years and have also visited Japan on two
occasions to gain insight into material handling automation practices
from a global perspective. Weeks says, “There is nothing worse
than automation that doesn't work. We learned early on that it is necessary
to constantly move forward while reviewing our progress.”
Moving Forward
FloStor places a lot
of emphasis on continual learning and personal growth. Weeks is currently
reading a book called it's not the BIG that eat the SMALL... it's
the FAST that eat the SLOW by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton. “Each chapter contains an important piece of information that we
as business owners can learn from. Ideas are our foundation. We must
constantly seek new ideas to serve future markets, and we must look
for new technology that will allow us to serve our customers more efficiently.”
Evidenced by past successes
and future plans, immensely committed and qualified employees, and a
strong drive and vision, it is very certain that there are more ideas
in FloStor Engineering's material handling future. Stay tuned.
|
