Leslie’s Pool

Leslie’s Pool Boosts Efficiency and Capacity With Warehouse Optimization from MHS Lift

When Leslie’s Pool, a world leader in residential and commercial pool supplies, needed to increase capacity and efficiency at its warehouse in Swedesboro, NJ, they turned to MHS Lift.

The solution? “Look up” and automate with warehouse optimization.

After meeting with representatives from Leslie’s Pool to fully understand the challenges of the current warehouse space, MHS Lift’s team of inhouse engineers created sophisticated CAD plans detailing the recommended improvements.  

Utilizing the building’s vertical capacity to its advantage, MHS Lift’s custom plan increased reserve storage capacity, increased the picking speed by 30% versus just walking, and improved safety by separating forklift and foot traffic.

“It was critical to streamline our space to maximize efficiency, profit and functionality, and MHS Lift was able to deliver,” said Odell McFarland, SVP-Supply Chain Distribution, Leslie’s Pool.

As a result of warehouse optimization, Leslie’s Pool’s e-commerce operation is more efficient. First, warehouse personnel pick individual items out of the top of open cases and place them into plastic totes. Once they pick an order complete, the tote is passed from an outside gravity roller conveyor to the inside powered belt conveyor. That belt conveyor takes away the tote until it is diverted down to one of two packing lines where a packer will prepare the orders for shipment. After packing and sealing the boxes, the packages are placed back on the power conveyor where they are taken to the docks to be loaded on outbound trailers.

MHS Lift supplied and installed the following for this customized project:

• pushback rack
• carton flow beds with internal knuckle 
• additional selective rack with wire mesh decks
• safety netting fall protection
• pedestrian protection guardrail
• powered belt and accumulating motor driven roller conveyor with 1 divert and 1 merge
• gravity roller conveyor
• conveyor motor controls and electrical wiring

“We’re proud to work with Leslie’s Pool and help them optimize and streamline their warehouse for greater efficiency,” said Andy Levin, President, MHS Lift.

Building upon the successes in their New Jersey warehouse, Leslie’s Pool partnered with MHS Lift to design and outfit their new Memphis distribution center that opened in January 2022. Leveraging MHS Lift’s North American footprint as their solutions integrator of choice was another win for Leslie’s Pool.