Over four months in 2024, Velaspan and system integrator JCT Solutions partnered to design, install, and deploy a wireless network in Fedway Associates’ 650,000-square foot warehouse in Elizabeth, New Jersey.
It wasn’t our first collaboration, or our first time in the space. JCT had tapped Velaspan to design the first generation of the same network eight years prior, in time for the facility’s 2016 debut. Hurricane Sandy had irreparably damaged Fedway’s previous facility in 2013, prompting the wine and spirits wholesaler to do business further inland.
Design and deployment in 2016 were successful, and in the years following, we’d gone onsite a few times to make routine revisions and updates.
Flash forward to early 2024. As expected, the 2016 wireless network had reached end of life and was becoming unsupportable. JCT tapped Velaspan once again to team up on the Fedway facility.
Partnerships between Velaspan and system integrators come in many shapes and sizes; our team is willing to do as much or as little as a partner asks. JCT proposed the same arrangement as before: They would oversee system configuration, hardware installation, and end-to-end project management. Velaspan would once again handle RF survey and design.
There was just one caveat: The system had to be ready for installation during Fedway’s annual facility shutdown, less than four months away. Design, therefore, needed to be completed in time for all necessary network hardware to be procured, cabling installed, configurations prepped, and hardware staged – a tall order for a four-month window.
Velaspan mobilized – fast. Together with our valued partner, we pulled off a sizeable network redesign against all timing odds. Here’s the full story.
The Challenge
In 2016 and today, the lion’s share of Fedway’s purpose-built New Jersey facility is its warehouse – 550,000 square feet of racking and the utmost in warehouse management systems. The space includes a sophisticated conveyor system that picks beverages for Fedway customers: 7000+ restaurants, bars, and retail stores throughout New Jersey.
Reconnecting to discuss the new network, we were thrilled to hear: Fedway was so satisfied with their first Velaspan-designed network, they wanted a new network that would replicate its performance – i.e., that would perform from day one and then exceed expectations for the better part of a decade. Considering the tight timeframe, it would have been tempting to simply upgrade the existing network hardware 1-for-1 – a mistake we see all too often. However, upgrading a wireless network is never this simple. Eight years is a long time in wireless, an industry where any given year brings novel developments and ideas. Wireless standards, design methodologies, and devices themselves had all evolved. There had also, of course, been changes to the warehouse’s workflow and space usage.
These factors are easy to ignore but significantly impact design and require close review to ensure success, adding time to an engagement which didn’t have a moment to spare.
Chasing Time
That initial call from JCT came on April 17th, 2024. The job was formally approved on May 13th, at which point we dove in. Just two weeks later, on May 28th, Velaspan was onsite at Fedway conducting a data collection site survey.
Going into any logistics design, Velaspan considers what a space stores – in Fedway’s case, millions of gallons of liquid. Liquid attenuates RF signal to a high degree, i.e., doesn’t refract or reflect. Then there’s the matter of building material. Heavy metal infrastructure like Fedway’s tends to reflect and scatter RF signal. Like in 2016, our engineers approached design with a keen eye on these crucial factors, which impact aspects of RF design ranging from access point (AP) density and placement to antenna selection and alignment.
Velaspan delivered design documentation on schedule, in early June. However, design is just one piece of the puzzle. For WLAN design to be installed successfully during Fedway’s August shutdown, equipment needed to be ordered, with the utmost accuracy, for on-time delivery. Cabling and installation quotes would also need to be solicited and approved, among other accelerated logistics beyond our control – but safe in JCT’s capable hands. We doubled down on communication with one another and with Fedway to help mitigate unforeseen complications that could threaten the timeline. To further ensure timing, we brought in additional involvement from Velaspan senior engineering staff, including an onsite presence. While overseeing preparation, our team answered all Fedway questions that came our way.
The August shutdown arrived. JCT Solutions jumped into action, installing and deploying Velaspan’s design. With installation complete, our Velaspan team returned and conducted a post-installation site survey on August 22nd, inspecting for installation accuracy and equipment operation and ensuring that the network was performing as predicted in design.
To our delight, it was. Configuration had been installed as outlined and was operating as intended. We worked with JCT to make a few necessary adjustments efficiently and effectively, ensuring Fedway would going live with an optimized network.
Outcome
Impressive considering the accelerated timeline, Fedway’s redesigned wireless network debuted right on schedule, when facility operations resumed, with no downtime beyond the scheduled annual shutdown.
Today, the network is performing well and is poised to do so for many years to come.Fedway was very pleased with their experience. Not long after deployment, JCT Solutions leadership received a call from Fedway executives telling them that our teams had nailed it.
The success of this project is a tribute to the partnership of two highly competent organizations, JCT Solutions and Velaspan, who bring the specialization, experience, and care necessary to high-stakes, high-value wireless engagements like Fedway’s.
Whether you need full-service design or targeted expertise, Velaspan flexes to fit your wireless project needs. Let’s start the conversation.
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