Category: Press Release

New client executive to focus on new business growth

HILLIARD, Ohio (May 7, 2020) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, has hired Brian Drees as a client executive, system sales.

In this capacity, Drees is responsible for planning, implementing and coordinating sales calls, presentations and other business development initiatives that lead to the sale of material handling equipment, conveyor systems and software solutions. He is part of a team that manages direct-to-consumer and business-to-business sales opportunities and analyzes customers’ complex fulfillment or distribution operations.

“We are confident that Brian’s extensive experience in e-commerce fulfillment and engineering will make a great impact on helping VARGO^® grow in the marketplace,” said Bart Cera, president and COO.

Prior to joining VARGO^®, Drees worked on the client side, most recently at Thirty-One Gifts, a direct-selling company that specializes in personalized bags, accessories and home décor. At Thirty-One Gifts, he worked as executive director of operations support, director of engineering and senior manager of engineering and systems. Drees brings almost 30 years of experience in engineering and distribution operations to his role. Prior to working at Thirty-One, he worked as a project manager for supply chain at Abercrombie & Fitch, a global retailer, and as a project manager for systems at Sygma Foods, a subsidiary of Sysco that provides food and non-food products to chain restaurants throughout the United States.

Drees earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from University of Cincinnati.

He currently lives in Hilliard, Ohio (ZIP 43026).

Together, companies will conquer supply chain complexity through latest WMS, WES, system design, MHE, and automation solutions

HILLIARD, Ohio (April 7, 2020) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, today announced an alliance partnership with Körber, the global supply chain technology leader from software to material handling automation.

This alliance provides a referral program through which Körber will offer VARGO^®’s Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE^®) warehouse execution system (WES) and other VARGO^® solutions in North America. In turn, VARGO^® will provide Körber’s warehouse management system (WMS) as part of its design solutions for customers.

“In designing solutions for its clients, VARGO^® provides a comprehensive material handling systems integration approach, which includes designing, implementing and supporting optimized solutions based on the customer’s needs,” said Bart J. Cera, president and COO of VARGO^®. “This partnership with Körber provides an integrated cross-selling model of products, which allows both of our companies to bring a total proven business solution to the industry.”

“Today’s supply chains are under more pressure than ever before,” said Chad Collins, chief executive officer for Körber Supply Chain – Software. “Partnering with VARGO^® exemplifies our dedication to providing the solutions and expertise businesses need to handle any complexity that comes their way. Be it more products, suppliers, distribution channels or competition, we provide a range of solutions to fit any business size or strategy.”

Körber’s industry-leading WMS, empowers quick and efficient tracking of all materials entering, being managed in and leaving the distribution center. The WMS uniquely handles the needs of small businesses to global enterprises. This includes handling diverse day-to-day operations, rapid growth, and complex workflows requiring personalized solutions.

VARGO^®’s COFE^® WES manages the elements that make up the outbound workflow. It synchronizes and sequences all work resources — equipment, devices and personnel — and keeps orders flowing by providing real-time visibility and controlling automation, labor and other elements. The ever-advancing growth of e-commerce has challenged companies to address both efficiency and expediency in their fulfillment centers. Just this past peak season, the top seven fulfillment centers powered by COFE^® experienced a 20-percent growth from 2018 to 2019 in the number of units they processed in one peak, seven-day period after Thanksgiving.

The Körber Business Area Supply Chain is part of the international technology group Körber. Formerly Körber Logistics Systems, this consists of Aberle, Aberle Software, Cirrus Logistics, The Cohesio Group, Consoveyo, DMLogic, HighJump, inconso, Otimis, Langhammer, Riantics and Voiteq. Based on 40+ years of experience, Körber uniquely provides an end-to-end offering for all supply chain needs, spanning software, automation, voice/vision/mobility, robotics, materials handling equipment, systems integration and consulting. The company already has proven success with thousands of companies worldwide.

About the Körber Business Area Supply Chain

Supply chains are growing more complex by the day. Körber uniquely provides a broad range of proven, end-to-end supply chain solutions fitting any business size, strategy or appetite for growth. Capable of delivering not just software, but automation, voice, robotics, and materials handling – plus the expertise to tie it all together. We are a global partner not just for today, but also as the needs of supply chains continue to evolve. Conquer supply chain complexity – with Körber. The Business Area Supply Chain is part of the global technology group Körber. Find out more on www.koerber-supplychain.com.

HILLIARD, Ohio (Feb. 27, 2020) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, has hired William Dillow as an implementation and quality assurance specialist.

In this role, Dillow works with the solution delivery, software and quality assurance teams to understand client needs and work with the team to ensure successful implementations for clients who are using VARGO^®’s Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE^®), the first waveless warehouse execution system (WES) software that organizes and optimizes order fulfillment by sequencing and synchronizing workflow. The WES, first developed in 1976, has been successfully installed in many different distribution environments. Dillow also will troubleshoot and assist with customer support and reporting.

“We welcome Billy to our team,” said Bart Cera, president and COO of VARGO^®. “We know that his experience on the retail and the 3PL side will be invaluable as he grows into his role in providing support and quality assurance for our customers.”

Prior to joining VARGO^®, Dillow worked as fulfillment operations manager at BonTon Inc., an online retailer, where he was responsible for inventory control and systems administration, among other things. He also worked for DHL Supply Chain in multiple roles, most recently  as a senior business data analyst and an operations systems analyst.

Dillow lives in Columbus, Ohio (ZIP Code 43228).

HILLIARD, Ohio (Feb. 27, 2020) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, has hired Janelle McCollor as an implementation and business analyst on the solution delivery team.

In this role, McCollor gathers software requirements, provides documentation and COFE^® training. She also helps to facilitate solution delivery to ensure successful implementations for clients who are using VARGO^®’s Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE^®), the first waveless warehouse execution system (WES) software that organizes and optimizes order fulfillment by sequencing and synchronizing workflow. The WES, first developed in 1976, has been successfully installed in many different distribution environments.

“We are excited to have Janelle join our team,” said Bart Cera, president and COO of VARGO^®. “Her experience as an analyst will be beneficial to our clients, and we look forward to seeing her grow in her role on our team.”

Prior to joining VARGO^®, McCollor worked as a business analyst and quality analyst at eRetailing Associates LLC, a Columbus, Ohio, company that provides start-to-finish service in the design, order and fulfillment of custom-printed apparel and accessories. Prior to that, she worked as a regional logistics planner in the New Albany, Ohio, office of MXD Group (now Ryder Last Mile), a company that specializes in final mile logistics solutions.

McCollor lives in Columbus, Ohio (ZIP Code 43202).

HILLIARD, Ohio (Jan. 7, 2020) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, was selected by Gap Inc. to design a robotics solution for its fulfillment centers in Phoenix, Arizona, and Rugby, England.

“In both facilities we implemented a solution to use VARGO^®’s WES to manage, direct and control workflows for direct-to-consumer order fulfillment, which included two primary continuous order release workflows,” said Art Eldred, client executive-system sales. “Multi-item orders are marshalled to a consolidation area that later feeds orders into VARGO^® Speedpack™ stations for final order matching. A similar process exists for single-item orders, however they flow directly to a packer or an auto-bagger packing machine.”

This lean-based system designed by VARGO^® uses some proprietary picking techniques and enables the retailer to meet its goals for fast order cycle times, according to Eldred.

The solution includes VARGO^®’s Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE^®), a Warehouse Execution System (WES) that works in real time to organize, sequence and synchronize all warehouse resources — equipment, people and processes. COFE^® is a waveless WES that enables continuous flow picking in order to minimize order cycle times, maximize efficiency and eliminate waves and buffers.

“VARGO’s solutions are flexible and help retailers scale with expected and unexpected changes,” Eldred said. “From inception to full production, retrofitting the Phoenix facility took only four months, and the facility in England was fully operational within nine months of its changeover.”

HILLIARD, Ohio (Dec. 2, 2019) — VARGO^®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions for major fulfillment and distribution centers, has hired Tate Westall as a software support specialist.

In this role, Westall provides on-site and remote software support for clients around the country. He assists with installations for new clients who are using VARGO^®’s Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE^®), the first waveless warehouse execution system software that organizes and optimizes order fulfillment by sequencing and synchronizing workflow. The WES solution, first developed in 1976, has been successfully installed in many different distribution environments.

“We look forward to seeing how Tate grows in his role at VARGO^®, where we will tap into his knowledge of software engineering to provide support and quality assurance for our customers,” said Bart Cera, president and COO of VARGO^®.

Westall earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science in May 2019 from Kent State University. He is certified as a Python Developer and, as a hobby, is a game developer with Wild Beard Games.

He lives in Mansfield, Ohio (ZIP Code 44907).