Longtime PathGuide Technologies customer Southern Marketing Affiliates (SMA) is seeing impressive results from its investment in warehouse automation. Featured in Packaging World, the agricultural parts distributor has reduced packaging material costs by 30–35% by integrating PathGuide’s Latitude WMS with Packsize’s on-demand corrugated packaging technology. The investment paid for itself in just six to seven months.
Using Latitude’s Pre-Cartonization capabilities, SMA automatically calculates the optimal case dimensions for each order and communicates those specifications directly to a Packsize EM7-35 machine, which produces right-sized shipping cases in seconds. This integration eliminates manual case selection, reduces packaging waste, and frees up valuable warehouse space previously occupied by more than two dozen stocked case sizes.
“Latitude already had the product, order, and cartonization data needed to drive the process,” explained Isaac Ostrom, Senior Software Engineer at PathGuide. “By connecting Latitude with Packsize, we were able to put that data to work in a new way, automating another critical step in SMA’s fulfillment operation.”
Beyond cost savings, the integration has also helped SMA improve shipping accuracy and reduce packaging-related issues. By producing right-sized cases for each order, products are better protected during transit, minimizing shifting, damage, and missing items. The streamlined process has also reduced manual handling and customer service inquiries, helping SMA deliver a more consistent and reliable experience for its customers.
The results speak for themselves. In addition to reducing average case volume by 31.6%, SMA has freed up approximately $80,000 in annual labor capacity, allowing employees to focus on other warehouse operations.
With more than 25 years as a Latitude WMS customer, SMA continues to demonstrate how smart technology investments can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience.
Read the full Packaging World article for additional insights and a closer look at the factors driving SMA’s success.