Providing turnkey solutions for clients like Walmart, Tesla, ThermoFisher Scientific, Bergen Logistics, DHL, and Colgate-Palmolive, ABCO Systems is one of America’s leading experts in warehousing and distribution center automation.
A one-stop shop, ABCO’s team works with customers at all stages, from initial system design to construction, automation, tear-down and decommissioning.
Active in many areas of warehouse automation including Garment on Hanger (GOH) systems, distribution-center design, conveyor-system maintenance, pallet racks, permit facilitation, and stockroom optimization, ABCO Systems has earned its reputation as a respected systems integrator for material-handling equipment across the United States.
With its hub in Belleville, New Jersey and a location in Ontario, California, ABCO recently opened its newest facility in Pennsylvania. A staff of 44 across all locations, plus subcontractors, brings decades of experience to handle the distribution center needs of all customers.
Ultimate solutions
“We design and build distribution centers based on specific needs and specific requirements of each individual customer,” says Chief Executive Officer and Principal Seth Weisberg. “We don’t manufacture anything, but we’re with dozens of manufacturers to ensure our end-users are getting exactly what they need.”
Much more than a provider of automation systems, ABCO creates storage solutions that increase client efficiencies, and are custom-tailored to meet their specific needs.
As the company says on its website, “Even if your business has a storage solution currently in place, it might not be as efficient as it could be. It doesn’t hurt to revisit your options and see where improvements can be made.”
From warehouse automation to pick modules, from ABCO’s GOH Systems to Storage Solutions, and from warehouse mezzanines to warehouse safety, ABCO is there to help. The company often becomes engaged when clients are looking for a new building, helping them find the structure that will suit their purposes. And when customers are staying put but realize that their facilities need optimizing, they so often also reach out to ABCO.
Experience and more experience
Before Seth Weisberg came on board in 2003, ABCO was in business for over 30 years under the hand of Seth’s father, Michael Weisberg.
Prior to 2003, Seth had been working in project management in the IT Department of PricewaterhouseCoopers for about six years. One day, receiving a call that his dad was ill and that the business needed help, Seth’s career path took a new direction, and he came into the family business.
“We decided to rebrand the business and open up our services to provide greater and more in-depth opportunities for customers,” says Seth of the company, then in Carlstadt, New Jersey, which was renamed ABCP Systems LLC.
He found that his years of experience at PricewaterhouseCoopers were a tremendous asset personally and professionally. “It helped me immensely,” he says, adding that his time with the multinational professional services firm gave him real-world experience and confidence.
Soon after he joined the company, ABCO began broadening its services into automation. Until that point, the business had focused mainly on Garment on Hanger, which was stationary, but now it began providing customers with full-service solutions. These encompassed design and engineering, including e-commerce, multi-level pick modules, and a varied array of automated solutions such as print and apply, inbound sortation, outbound sortation, and product movement throughout facilities.
Today, ABCO’s wide range of services includes distribution center safety, design, automation integration, conveyor system design, preventative maintenance programs and conveyor repair, and pallet rack removals and purchases.
Rise of e-commerce
To customers, ABCO Systems is more a partner than a business. Working hand-in-hand with clients big and small, ABCO’s commitment to finding the right customized solutions remains unsurpassed. By helping customers maximize storage solutions through professional, streamlined distribution center design, clients not only operate much more efficiently than before but are of course more profitable.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, many sectors of ABCO’s business were on the rise. With more people doing online ordering over the past two years, the growth in the sector has become significant. E-commerce has skyrocketed. Taking on projects ranging from $250,000 to $2 million, ABCO’s services and solutions see clients realize their vision from inception to completion.
By taking on smaller projects, end users can enjoy some of the benefits of automation without breaking the bank, allowing them to see the value and benefits of these systems. And, of course, if they choose to do so the systems can be made larger. “Most times when we are building, it’s with the thought that we will be expanding into it,” says Weinberg.
Even with the rise of e-commerce, ABCO maintains that its focus remains on automation, with storage being part of the equation. “The focus of this company is working with the data and helping companies understand the best methodology for distribution,” says Weinberg.
“Most companies are really, really good at what they do, but they don’t necessarily have the experience with distribution that we have. So if we can help them reduce their costs and create efficiency at the same time, it’s a huge win for them.”
True sustainability
Many companies talk about sustainability and recycling for the good of the planet, but ABCO has been putting this into practice for years. Just by implementing a metal recycling plan, ABCO has reduced the amount of energy it consumes by a dramatic 72 percent, compared to virgin ore mining.
In 2019, the company recycled over 2.3 million pounds of steel; the next year ABCO recycled another 1.5 million pounds.
“We recycle probably 10 tons of steel a month,” says Weinberg of the company, which re-purposes older systems and recycles components as part of its eco-friendly business model. “That’s always been a focus.”
Recognizing that warehouses and distribution centers can be dangerous places to work, ABCO Systems also dedicates an enormous amount of time and effort to safety and safety protocols. This includes everything from the company’s safety specialists conducting complimentary assessment calls with clients to discuss their warehouse set-up and concerns, from rack backs and safety netting to warehouse safety products such as bollards, guard rails, and column bars.
“We have an in-house safety officer, safety protocols, and we’ve got our safety manual,” says Weinberg. The company also hosts safety meetings every Monday.
Doing it right
With next year marking the 20th anniversary of ABCO Systems, the company plans to acknowledge the milestone – and keep growing. Gaining most of its business through word-of-mouth referrals, ABCO recently hired a full-time marketing manager to promote its products and services.
Making the 2019 and 2020 Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing businesses, the team at ABCO looks forward to the future and continuing to serve the warehousing, storage, and distribution-center automation needs of all its customers. In 2021, the company did $63 million in sales. By 2025, ABCO expects to achieve $100 million in sales.
“Our focus is on full-service, full-design systems for our customers,” says Weinberg. “We want to be the company people call when they realize they can do it better. We’re not just going to help them install steel; we’re going to help them install it the right way to move product in their facility.”
