Optimizing manufacturing and order fulfillment operations requires more than keeping up with supply chain demand. It’s only one of the primary challenges today’s supply chain professionals face. Adapting warehouses to efficiently use space and maximize time continues to be one of the biggest hurdles manufacturing and order fulfillment teams work to overcome.
Even a smoothly operating facility meeting market demands will struggle with maximizing all of its available space. Operations that invest in carton flow can see a 25% increase in available storage and, depending on the application, that number can climb even higher. These savings become monumental to folks in industries such as manufacturing, retail, order fulfillment, and logistics. Improvements can easily be achieved with the right carton flow setup, but it is important to consider a number of factors when selecting which carton flow options will yield the greatest results for your unique situation.
One of the first decisions to make when selecting carton flow tracks for your racks is capacity. By selecting the right capacity for your carton flow storage, you can increase space utilization and ensure efficiency and safety for your labor force, all within your existing footprint. We’ve done a deep dive into the advantages of light-duty carton flow to explain when and why it is the right choice; you can read that article here. But what about other capacities like heavy-duty? In this article, we will discuss when to consider heavy-duty carton flow for your facility and how it can improve operations across the supply chain.
When to Consider Heavy-Duty Carton Flow
Carton flow applies angled conveying tracks to pallet rack shelving to create a fully dynamic FIFO storage solution. Carton flow allows cases, totes, products, and parts, to be stocked from the back of the rack and flowed to the front where order or part picking takes place. This provides a continuous feed of parts or products to pick facings to speed up manufacturing or order fulfillment processes, among other benefits like improving worker safety.
Operations specializing in storing and flowing oversized and weighty items should consider heavy-duty carton flow. Heavy-duty carton flow employs steel rollers with ball bearings designed to handle products upwards of 100 lb., unlike those products under 100 lb., which would be better suited for standard or light-duty carton flow. Heavy-duty carton flow improves operations that may be more destructive to racks while using the same methods as standard carton flow.
Some industries that may consider heavy-duty carton flow in their applications include:
- Automobile manufacturing
- Auto parts distribution
- Construction and farm vehicle manufacturing
- Construction material distribution
- General Manufacturing
- Furniture manufacturing or distribution
- Beer keg distribution
Whether you’re manufacturing, storing, and/or fulfilling orders for items like heavy car parts, beer kegs, or furniture, heavy-duty carton flow can dramatically increase efficiency in your operation with a solution so durable, it can stand the test of time.
Learn how automotive supplier Diversity Vuteq completely overhauled their plant with heavy-duty SpanTrack carton flow rollers that accommodate large loads of constantly changing components.
Benefits of Implementing a Heavy-Duty Carton Flow System
Implementing a new carton flow system offers a number of benefits for operations, large and small. Applications requiring heavy-duty carton flow will experience many benefits, such as the following:
Decreased Labor Costs and Increased Worker Comfort
In manufacturing and fulfillment operations, heavy parts and products that can be very abusive to equipment still need to be stored and picked. The benefit of a heavy-duty carton flow system in these applications is that the track does the bulk of the labor for the worker by conveying the product to them. Over time this can reduce labor costs by reducing the time spent between each pick. This is also a huge plus for workers’ overall comfort because it reduces the overall effort required to move parts and inventory.
Increased Space Utilization
Lanes of carton flow tracks situated side-by-side use far less space than any static storage system. If you require heavy-duty capacity for storage of products or parts, heavy-duty carton flow is your best bet for ensuring the best use of space within your facility.
If you’re storing heavy beer kegs, UNEX offers SpanTrack Keg Flow. This heavy-duty carton flow solution keeps kegs off the ground and gives beer distributors room to grow by maximizing all available space within your racks. This high-density keg storage solution replaces palletized storage, consolidates floor space, reduces bending for workers and improves stock rotation.
Whether you’re a manufacturer with a need for heavy-duty lineside racks or industrial workstations, an order fulfillment operation storing heavy products, or a beer distributor looking to improve keg storage and order picking, heavy-duty carton flow will maximize your space by utilizing the most height and depth in available shelves.
Improved Safety
Worker safety is paramount to any successful operation and is especially critical in applications where heavy-duty equipment is in play. Heavy-duty carton flow lanes can be designed to an optimized level or location to assist in the picking process, which helps prevent workplace injuries caused by lifting larger items. Because of this, facilities that implement heavy-duty carton flow can expect a significant increase in worker comfort and safety.
Get The Definitive Guide to Carton Flow Storage and The Ultimate Order Picking Checklist. Download the guide today!
UNEX Heavy-Duty Carton Flow Solutions
SpanTrack solutions from UNEX are engineered to help manufacturing and order fulfillment operations overcome common challenges like poor space utilization, inefficient picking, and product handling limitations. With configurations tailored to specific product types and weights, these solutions turn static rack space into dynamic storage that drives productivity and safety.
SpanTrack Lane
SpanTrack Lane is a heavy-duty carton flow option ideal for facilities that handle bulky, weighty items requiring consistent, controlled movement. Its dedicated roller lanes create organized flow paths that manage inventory smoothly from restock to pick face. By reducing the need for excessive walking and manual handling, SpanTrack Lane helps boost pick speed, improve worker ergonomics, and increase space utilization—perfect for industries like automotive manufacturing and industrial equipment storage.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed
SpanTrack Wheel Bed offers unmatched flexibility for facilities that manage a wide variety of SKUs in different shapes and sizes. Its full-width bed of staggered wheels allows for random carton placement across the shelf, eliminating the need for fixed lanes and simplifying slotting. This is especially beneficial in operations where product lines change frequently, such as general manufacturing or fulfillment centers. SpanTrack Wheel Bed provides adaptability ensuring that space is used efficiently and inventory is always easily accessible.
SpanTrack Keg Flow
SpanTrack Keg Flow is purpose-built for beverage distributors that need to store and handle heavy beer kegs. Replacing traditional palletized storage, this solution utilizes heavy-duty rollers to create smooth, gravity-fed lanes that keep kegs off the floor and in FIFO rotation. SpanTrack Keg Flow dramatically increases vertical storage capacity, reduces bending and lifting for workers, and improves overall safety while helping distributors reclaim valuable floor space.
Maximize Space and Efficiency with UNEX Carton Flow
Whether you’re just starting your research into carton flow and considering various capacities, or you’re ready to start designing your tailor-made solution, UNEX is here to help. From streamlining order picking to maximizing vertical space and supporting heavy, high-volume products, UNEX carton flow solutions offer tailored systems that optimize efficiency, enhance worker safety, and make the most of every inch of available storage. Contact us today to start building a solution that meets the unique demands of your operation.
