To meet the growing needs of its customers, Hummelstein Steel of Jonesboro, Arkansas purchased a new burning machine and saw, and increased its inventory. As a result, it faced severe space and storage problems. The service center considered three options: expand its plant, purchase stacker racks with side loaders: or purchase and install Space Saver Roll-Out racks manufactured by Steel Storage Systems Inc.. Commerce City, Co. Although the first option was logistically possible (the company owned propety adjacent to its facility), management preferred to improve the plant storage capabiIities. Plant superintendent Larry Gibson was assigned the task of determining which of the two remaining choices would best fit the company's current and future requirements. Gibson visited other service centers to see both systems installed and in use. After six months of research, Gibson decided the Steel Storage Systems' SpaceSaver Roll-Out racks best met Hummelstein's needs. "SpaceSavers, he said, were the most economical. and would provide the best storage density in our warehouse." Also, the racks could be immediateIy installed without any preparation to the building. In addition, the SpaceSaver Roll-Out racks permitted Hummelstein to implement smoother operating procedures for receiving material and order filling.

Hummelstein installed 18 SpaceSaver units which can store approximate1y 500 different line items (amounting to over 600 tons of inventory). The roll-out racks have five levels and measure 10 ft. high, to complement the existing building height. Material stored includes 12- ft. to 20-ft. bar stock, 40-ft structurals, and 20-ft. to 40-ft. tubing. Racks with 24-in. wide receptacles (or drawers) store bar and structural stock. wbile 36-in. racks are used for steel tubing. Receptacles for the 12 storage racks reserved for bar stock are equipped with four-space peg dividers to increase storage density. The peg dividers allow each drawer to be used for more than one size material, and offer flexibility for future storage arrangements.

Results achieved by Hummelstein with the SpaceSaver Roll-Out rack system are reported to be even better than anticipated. The SpaceSaver system occupies 4,260 sq. ft., approximately 40% less space than the previous storage system took. Labor hours related to storage and handling have been related to storage and handling have been related to storage and handling have been reduced by 20%, Gibson reports. "Physical inventory and safety have improved greatly, too." says president Sam Hummelstein. "Our former rack system [made it] difficult to maintain consistent locations and to access material.' The Space- Saver Roll-Out rack system will be able to fulfill the service center's future needs as it has the capacity to double the quantity of inventory it currentlv stores."