Case Study: Buffalo Trace Distillery achieves automated high‑density pallet storage and streamlined distribution with Westfalia Tech. Inc.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Automates the Handling and Storage of Pallets in New Distribution Center

Buffalo Trace Distillery, a historic family-owned spirits producer in Frankfort, Kentucky, needed to modernize distribution because its older buildings and dispersed storage created inefficient pallet movements, double-stacking of heavy loads, limited FIFO control and constrained space. To solve that challenge the distillery engaged Westfalia Tech. Inc. to evaluate operations and provide a high-density automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) integrated with Westfalia’s Savanna.NET warehouse execution system (WES).

Westfalia Tech. Inc. built an 83,000 sq. ft. distribution center with a 46,574 sq. ft. AS/RS (three S/RMs serving 10,619 pallet locations, storing pallets six high and five deep) and an integrated WES/ERP link; each crane can handle 55 pallets/hour (165 pallets/hour total) and the system includes 20 staging lanes (180 pallets). The Westfalia solution enabled FIFO selection, eliminated double-stacking with individually supported pallet positions, centralized operations and reduced footprint, labor, equipment and transaction counts while improving throughput, storage density, order accuracy and customer confidence.

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Charles Harrison

Distribution/Traffic Manager