May 1, 2008-St. Louis, MO: FKI Logistex now offers extensive training opportunities at its state-of-the-art Technology & Education Center (TEC) in Cincinnati, OH. The 31,000 sq ft. facility provides companies with an effective new way to train maintenance and operations staff off-site, avoiding costly system downtime.
Combining classroom and hands-on training, the TEC allows customers to use their own products on the center’s fully functional systems, which include automated sortation, conveying, AS/RS, order fulfillment, and software and controls. Classroom sessions are held in a glass-enclosed conference room that overlooks the TEC, so instructors can move quickly from a classroom setting to demonstrations on the systems themselves. TEC instructors can even set up simulated problem situations on the equipment, challenging trainees to troubleshoot and determine the appropriate corrective action under controlled conditions.
Some of the world’s retailers have already begun moving maintenance and operator training programs into the TEC. “We have received rave reviews from the companies we've worked with about the difference between holding training at their facilities and doing it at the TEC,” said Chris Roach, vice president of customer service and support for FKI Logistex North America. “With the ability to work with any piece of equipment at any time, the possibilities are limitless. We have a captive audience, free from the day-to-day responsibilities that typically interrupt training sessions held at customer facilities.”
Because the TEC is located in a large engineering, design and manufacturing facility, training session attendees have access to FKI Logistex engineers with expertise in a variety of areas. “One of the shortcomings of on-site training is that whoever we send to a location must be an expert on all parts of a system, which is not always possible,” said Bill Rudd, regional service manager for FKI Logistex North America and one of the lead TEC instructors. “At the TEC, if a customer needs controls training, we can provide a specific controls expert. Whatever they need, we can cover it here.”
Current training offerings at the TEC include maintenance training, operator training, technology-specific training, system design workshops and customized training programs. For more information about training programs at the TEC, please call 513-881-5303, e-mail tec@fkilogistex.com, or visit www.fkilogistex.com/tec.
