Laddawn.com : slats and corrugated

After speaking with Rich, Corey, Tina and Meme, and after taking into consideration Judy’s data below… Here is what I have concluded, backed up by what I have learned:

Layer with slats

• There is no longer a need for any 000 or 127 comment regarding layering with slats.  Layering with slats is Production’s standard practice for all boxed or cradlepacked rolls. (Everyone agreed that where the comment existed, it was intended to apply just to rolls – not anything else.)
• There may be a need for customers to indicate they prefer we NOT use slats.  Rich recalled an order that needed to be returned because it used non-treated slats on a heat-treated pallet for export. Seems we don’t need a comment for that – either we just don’t put slats on export pallets w/rolls (or we need to begin stocking heat treated or plastic slats J).  I’ll follow up.

Layer with corrugated

• It is Production’s standard practice to place layers of corrugated between stacked square boxes for stability. They do not do this for rectangular boxes, where changing direction per layer provides stability.
• We are pretty certain ULine and Fisher ($287K) have this comment because they want all stacked boxes layered, not just square boxes. Rich says the layers serve as “slip sheets” which makes it easier for the distributor to pull boxes off the stacks one at a time. Fisher adds its own twist – they want 2 slip sheets on the bottom layer as well. Tina says this is for cleanliness.
• We’re talking about 3 customers: There are two in my 000 data (Uline and Fisher); Judy found another I don’t have in my 000 data: “209425 (custom orders) (Distribution Inc)”.
• At least for ULine, we probably need to figure out some way of carrying out this instruction. I don’t know – is it worth asking Judy to determine how many orders had the 000 corrugated comment?  There were 144 ULine orders with the 113 comment, but that was probably for 40 x 48. It does sound like it is something Production does routinely for ULine. Not sure about the others.

Judy's data

113 – LAYER W/CORRUGATED:

• Only Uline has this comment#113, but the text says ‘USE 40X48 PALLETS’ instead of LAYER W/CORRUGATED – this comment may have been reused????
• 3 customers have 000 comments w/CORRUGATED in text: 014127 (Uline), 005041 (Fisher Container), and 209425 (custom orders) (Distribution Inc)o
• Since 10/1/12, looking through 221,906 orders, only 144 had comment#113 – all 144 were for Uline

127 – LAYER W/SLATS

• No customer had this comment#127
• 3 customers with 000 comments w/SLATS in text: 014127 (Uline), 64658 (Askew Enterprises), and 19748 (cradlepacked) (NPS/Liberty)
• No orders since 10/1/12 had comment#127

Susan's data