Case study · Distribution
Gloves stopped disappearing. Third shift got dinner.
A Southeast distribution center with 900 workers across 3 shifts deployed 3 Kava PPE Dispensers, 6 Kava Coolers and a Kava Kiosk micro-market. This PPE vending case study covers the first 6 months: less PPE used, no PPE stock-outs on shift after month two, and a breakroom that works at 2 a.m.
- PPE consumption
- −24%PPE consumption
- on-shift PPE stock-outs after month two
- 0on-shift PPE stock-outs after month two
- breakroom spend per worker
- +38%breakroom spend per worker
Two problems, one building: PPE that vanished and a breakroom that faded by night
PPE lived in supply cabinets. Supervisors held the keys, refilled shelves between their real work and still found gloves and glasses running out mid-shift. Nobody could say which roles used what, so every budget conversation started with a guess.
The breakroom had its own gap. First shift had choices; by third shift, what was left was mostly packaged snacks. For 900 workers across 3 shifts, that's a lot of people eating out of a spiral machine at 2 a.m., or not eating at all.
- Open cabinets with no per-role or per-person visibility.
- Stock-outs discovered by the person who needed the item.
- Food options that shrank as the day went on.
What changed
Badge in, take what your role needs, back to work
Three Kava PPE Dispensers took over from the cabinets. Each is a hybrid coil and locker unit for gloves, glasses, earplugs, respirators, cut sleeves, batteries and small tools. Workers badge in; the dispenser checks per-role and per-shift limits, charges the item to the right cost center and logs it. When stock runs low, Kava OS drafts a reorder through the site's procurement connector instead of waiting for someone to notice.
In the breakroom, 6 Kava Coolers and a Kava Kiosk micro-market brought fresh food to every shift. The coolers lock, recognize what was taken with vision and weight, and restock to forecasts, so the 2 a.m. selection looks like the noon one.
- Per-role and per-shift limits, set by the site and changeable any time.
- Cost-center allocation on every item dispensed.
- Usage reports by role, shift and department.
Rules first, then hardware, then the numbers
- Before launch
Write the rules down
The site defined roles, shifts, per-role limits and cost centers in Kava OS, so the dispensers enforced policy from day one instead of whoever held the key.
- Launch
Dispensers and breakroom go live
Three PPE dispensers went in where the cabinets had been, and 6 coolers with a kiosk micro-market opened in the breakroom.
- Month two
Stock-outs reach zero
With consumption visible by role and auto-reorder drafting purchase orders, PPE stock-outs on shift hit zero after month two and stayed there.
- Month six
The numbers settle
PPE consumption was down 24%. Breakroom spend per worker was up 38% after fresh food arrived. Supervisors had 5 more hours a week for supervising.
Where the gloves were going, and where they go now
| Open supply cabinet | Kava PPE P1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Whoever has the key, or anyone if it's open | Badge, with per-role and per-shift limits |
| Who took what | Unknown | Logged per item, per badge |
| Cost allocation | One overhead line | Charged to the right cost center |
| Reordering | When someone notices | Auto-reorder through ERP or procurement connectors |
| Supervisor time | Keys, counts and refills | Exceptions only |
Gloves stopped disappearing, and third shift finally has the same food options as first shift.
What we'd tell the next site
Limits beat locks
A locked cabinet stops everyone, including the worker who genuinely needs a second pair. A per-role limit lets that worker through and makes an unusual pattern visible to a supervisor.
Food is a shift-equity issue
If the good options are gone by evening, third shift notices. Forecast-driven restocking keeps the late selection close to the early one.
Set limits from data, then revisit
Start from actual consumption by role, not a catalog default. Review after the first month: the reports show which limits are too tight and which invite waste.
What does a pair of gloves cost when it isn't there?
The price of PPE shows up in procurement. The cost of a stock-out doesn't: a picker waiting, a line slowing, someone improvising with the wrong glove. Ask your supervisors how often they hunt for supplies mid-shift. Then ask what they'd do with those hours back.
Questions sites ask
Do workers need a new badge or app?
Kava PPE P1 uses badge-based access, and Kava OS maps each badge to a role, a shift and a set of limits. Breakroom coolers can accept employee badges and payroll deduct too, alongside cards and mobile wallets.
How are limits set and changed?
Per role and per shift, in Kava OS. A site manager can change a limit at any time, and the dispensers enforce the new rule from then on. Usage reports show where limits are too tight or too loose.
Can PPE costs go to specific departments?
Yes. Every item dispensed is allocated to a cost center, and reports break usage down by role, shift and department. Finance gets a real number instead of one overhead line.
Does it connect to our ERP?
Kava OS has API connectors for SAP, Oracle NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics, and low-stock auto-reorder runs through those integrations. See Integrations & API.
Do we have to do PPE and food together?
No. You can start with either. This site did both because the two problems shared a cause: the same workers, on the same shifts, with the same gap at night. Our manufacturing and logistics page covers both.
Where to go next
Find out where your gloves are going.
Tell us about your site: headcount, shifts and what lives in your supply cabinets today. We'll propose a dispenser and breakroom layout, and a fair way to measure it.