Tote Conveyor System Upgrade Transforms Facility Workflow and Safety in Charlotte, NC

Challenge: Manual Tote Handling Created Safety Risks

The facility’s operation required staff to move totes between the main warehouse and a specialized processing room. Because of an elevation change, employees had to climb a set of five steps while carrying totes, opening and closing doors along the way. This repetitive manual process was time-consuming, physically demanding, and presented multiple risks:

• Safety Concerns: Carrying totes on stairs increased the chances of slips, trips, or back strain.
• Lost Productivity: Staff spent valuable time shuttling totes rather than focusing on higher-value tasks.
• Inconsistent Workflow: Manual transport created bottlenecks and delays, especially during busy periods.

Management wanted a safer, more consistent method of tote movement that would reduce labor demands and increase throughput without compromising the integrity of their specialized processing space.

Solution: Custom Automated Tote Conveyor System

After carefully evaluating the site, Bart Lassiter and the AEC team engineered a conveyor system that would automate the movement of totes in both directions, bridging the elevation gap and eliminating the need for stairs. The system consisted of two coordinated flows:

• Infeed from the Warehouse
  • Totes entering the specialized processing room are carried by a powered zone conveyor feeding into a gravity conveyor.
  • The gravity section holds up to four totes, while a photo eye ensures smooth staging by signaling when the conveyor is full.
  • Up to five additional totes can wait in reserve, meaning the warehouse can continuously send totes forward without overwhelming the room’s receiving area.
• Return from the Specialized Processing Room
  • Outbound totes are carried up an elevation change on a Hytrol 190-BZI belted-over-roller incline conveyor, which provides secure handling even at an incline.
  • The incline feeds into a Hytrol 190-E24 conveyor, where up to 15 totes can queue safely before being returned to the warehouse.
  • This high-capacity return ensures that completed totes never cause backups and allows the processing room to maintain a steady pace.

By integrating powered conveyors with gravity staging and zone control, Bart’s design gave the facility a safe, automated system tailored to their exact layout.

Result: Safer, Faster, and More Reliable Operations

The impact of the new conveyor system was immediate and measurable.

• Improved Safety: Staff no longer carry totes up and down stairs. The risk of slips, trips, and muscle strain has been eliminated, creating a safer and more supportive work environment.
• Higher Throughput: Multiple totes can now be staged and moved at once. Instead of depending on the pace of manual handling, the conveyors provide a continuous, reliable flow that keeps both the warehouse and processing room operating efficiently.
• Product Protection: Smooth transitions, photo-eye sensors, and zone control prevent totes from colliding or being dropped. This reduces the chance of product damage and preserves the integrity of the facility’s sensitive operations.
• Labor Savings: Staff time once spent on repetitive lifting and stair climbing can now be redirected to higher-value tasks. This shift improves overall productivity and reduces fatigue.
• Operational Consistency: The conveyor system standardizes tote movement. Regardless of staff levels or shift changes, the facility now has a consistent, predictable process that keeps workflow steady.

The project also delivered peace of mind to management, who no longer had to worry about staff safety on stairs or workflow interruptions caused by manual transport. By designing a closed-loop tote conveyor system, Bart Lassiter and Advanced Equipment Company provided a lasting solution that supports safety, efficiency, and scalability.

AEC’s Commitment to Customer Success

Since 1960, AEC has been a trusted partner for businesses across North Carolina and beyond. With decades of experience integrating Hytrol conveyor systems and designing solutions for unique operational challenges, AEC continues to help facilities of all types streamline processes, protect staff, and prepare for future growth.