How robots zooming at 20 mph and new technology are key at Louisiana's Imperial Trading Co

At the dead end of Viking Drive in Bossier City is a 140,000 square foot distribution facility that exists to make sure 1,000 convenience stores in six states never run out of your favorite snacks — hot dogs on the spit, M & M's, gum, potato chips, peanuts, pickles or the nearly 10,000 other items that fill the aisles, shelves and coolers.

The fact that the towering Imperial Trading Company shelves stacked with boxes could be a stand-in for the warehouse where Indiana Jones' Ark of the Covenant was hidden is testament to just how many products are shipped out of the building every 24 hours.

The distribution company manages to keep the product pipeline flowing and it does so with some of the most advanced technology available and big and impressive numbers.

First is the 10,000 square foot AutoStore, a pod that sits inside the massive distribution center. Robots tied into the AutoStore zoom to the 22,213 bins filled with different products at speeds up to 20 mph. The products are raced to six human "pickers," who, with the robots’ help, can fill up to 1000 "totes" (containers) per hour. It is fascinating to watch, sci-fi and fantasy come to life.

The facility, once owned by the Harrison Company, is now one of seven warehouses, part of the nearly 20-state distribution network of Imperial Trading Company, a family-owned and Louisiana-based business owned by John Georges of Georges Media, owner of the Advocate group.

On Friday, June 14, Georges, President & CEO Wayne Baquet, VP of Operations Richie Duhon and Director Office of the President Nike Georges came to Bossier City to show the difference technology has made to the processes and bottom line of the business.

"My company, my father, my uncle, my grandfather, we embraced it," said Georges of technological changes. "When I was growing up, a guy would stand in the middle of a room and somebody would yell, "‘six Reese's Pieces’ and someone would grab them. 'Six Payday', someone would grab them." From that, he said, the process advanced to an employee wearing a wrist computer to fill orders but still walking to get the products. "Now, the robots are bringing the product to them," he said.

The change has been a blessing to many of the company’s 200 Bossier City employees, Duhon said, because the job is now physically much easier. "We had slow moving products that took up so much of our time. It would take a guy five extra minutes just to go pick up one item." No more.

"Before, an employee here might walk two miles a night going down aisles," Georges explained. "Now it brings a product to them so they’re able to stay in one place." The increased efficiency and speed also mean the local distribution center can double its sales.

Georges’ son, Nike, served as the project manager for the technology installation. "See how much air is in between all the items?" he said gesturing to the pallets of boxes on the giant racks. "Now it’s condensed into grids."

Baquet says the new technology is helping human workers in other ways. "We measure productivity everywhere," he said, "but I think this helps us with a better work environment. More accountability, but with things that are better for you in the workplace." It has also expanded the pool of possible employees to those who no longer must be able to walk two miles per shift.

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate asked why only a portion of the facility was automated. "We moved the slowest movers in there (into the AutoStore)," Georges explained. "They’re the more labor intensive." The Bossier City facility was also Imperial Trading Company’s technology prototype. Next up is a warehouse in Indiana that will be fully automated.

It is not beyond the realm of possibility that automation will assist the company in becoming larger. Out of the 500 distributors in the U.S., Imperial is number five and Nike Georges confirmed that they are "always looking to expand."

The northwest Louisiana location makes sense for Imperial Trading, John Georges said. His company is Louisiana-based, the headquarters is just outside of New Orleans. "These facilities can ship to six different states, so this facility could be in Texas, Arkansas — but because we’re Louisiana-based we wanted it right here in Louisiana."

Nike Georges agreed. "It’s really good for our reach, we can get all the way up to Kansas from here." He said they have also had positive experiences with local subcontractors and the workforce is good.

There is, however, concern — what the elder Georges calls a lack of local and state government support, and no offer of assistance. "We had to build our own water tank because the city’s water pressure wasn’t high enough for the fire sprinkler system," he shared. "It’s important when we look to incentivize Amazon and others coming into the state that we not lose focus on Louisiana companies."

By the numbers: Imperial Trading Company

The Bossier City Distribution Center is 140,000 square feet on 25 acres.

Trucks loaded with product load and leave Bossier City 24 hours a day.

If Imperial had expanded the warehouse traditionally, it would have required 60,000 square feet instead of the 10,000 square feet needed by the AutoStore.

Two employees feed products into the AutoStore system while six are picking or packing them for shipment. Any of the slots can switch to the other job.

Imperial has about 200 employees in Bossier City, 2000 nationwide.

John Georges started working in his dad’s factory when he was 11.