In many warehouses and distribution centers, each picks - items picked individually from a master case - are stored in an inefficient manner that stretches pick times, eats up your valuable floor space, and costs you thousands in lost productivity. What’s the best way to optimize your storage for each picks in your order fulfillment operation?
Most commonly, order fulfillment startups store product in static industrial shelving, with enough spacing between shelf levels to reach in and pick eaches. This is a very inexpensive way to get your order picking business up and running, and is most often seen in small or medium warehousing or fulfillment operations.
This is a great place to start, but this basic layout will create several challenges for you as your business begins to grow.
Why Static Industrial Shelving Only Works for So Long
As your order fulfillment business begins expanding, you’re going to require more space. Due to the challenges presented by things like omnichannel retail, SKU proliferation, and re-shoring, your space will most likely start shrinking pretty quickly. Instead of expanding your footprint, you can better utilize your existing warehouse space by implementing a dynamic storage solution like carton flow.
Static industrial shelving is cheap upfront, but it comes with a hefty price tag over time. Perhaps the biggest drawback is that it’s just plain inefficient. The space required between shelf levels that allows workers to make their picks will drastically lower your storage density.
There is also a lot of unused space in the unreachable back of the rack, which wastes a lot of valuable space. In addition to being inefficient in terms of space utilization, static industrial shelving is also ergonomically inefficient. It forces order pickers to bend, reach, and strain more than they need to. It's hard to see actual products or out of stocks, so pickers must rely on barcodes. All of this creates a lot of little inefficiencies that add up very quickly.
Another huge con of relying solely on static shelving is that shelving units are only so tall and any open space above is wasted. In warehouse environments, the ability to store above can easily double, triple, and even quadruple the space utilization with no other changes. Bottom line: the lost space and time from static shelving WILL accumulate, and create massive growing pains for your burgeoning business.
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Advantages of Upgrading to Carton Flow in Each Picking Operations
As your business grows up, so too should your storage optimization. One of the best and most cost-effective ways to increase space utilization in your each picking operation is to convert your static storage into dynamic storage using carton flow.
In this example, we replaced static industrial shelving with pallet racks and installed knuckled carton flow track, with pallets stored via forklift above the carton flow.
Converting to this layout unlocks the vertical storage potential of your operation. Being able to store pallets vertically in the same space where you are picking out of boxes down below is an excellent use of space. This improved layout using carton flow drastically reduces the space you need for both your each picks and your pallet storage above. Additionally, this layout provides improved sightlines - the knuckled carton flow tracks are critical for improving SKU visibility as items are clearly presented to workers for easy each picking. A gravity-fed system like carton flow is also much more cost-effective than its AS/RS counterparts, so it's a great next step for newer businesses experience rapid growth.
Advantages of Upgrading to Carton Flow in this layout:
- Pick path is reduced by 18%
- Floor space is increased by 3%
- Pallet storage is increased by 108 positions
- Pick labor is reduced for top-level picks, eliminating unnecessary bending and reaching.
Using this alternate layout with dynamic carton flow will free up valuable floor space and give your operation the room it needs to grow.
UNEX Carton Flow Solutions for Optimizing Each Picking Operations
As order fulfillment operations grow, the limitations of static industrial shelving become evident. Inefficiencies in space utilization, time-wasting search processes, and ergonomic challenges can hinder productivity and increase operational costs. UNEX SpanTrack Lane and SpanTrack Wheel Bed offer carton flow solutions designed to address these exact issues, helping businesses unlock the full potential of their warehouse space while improving order fulfillment efficiency.
SpanTrack Lane
SpanTrack Lane is designed to replace static shelving with a gravity-fed system that significantly improves both space utilization and worker efficiency. Unlike traditional shelving where workers have to reach into the back of racks to pick items, SpanTrack Lane moves products forward automatically, ensuring they are always within easy reach. This reduces the need for bending and stretching, improving ergonomic safety for workers while simultaneously speeding up pick times.
The full-width rollers in SpanTrack Lane provides up to 300% more product contact than standard wheel rails, ensuring smooth, reliable flow for eaches, minimizing the delays caused by product hang-ups. The system’s drop-in design integrates easily into existing pallet racks, eliminating the need for complex installations or additional hardware. With the knuckled end treatment, products are angled toward the picker, enhancing visibility and reducing the time spent searching for SKUs, which in turn boosts overall picking speed.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed
SpanTrack Wheel Bed offers a highly adaptable carton flow system that accommodates various SKU sizes and weights, making it perfect for operations that frequently re-slot or deal with varying product dimensions. The system’s adjustable wheel beds allow for easy left-to-right movement of SKUs, giving warehouse managers the flexibility to reconfigure storage as needed without significant downtime or disruption.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed ensures that products flow smoothly to the front of the rack, just like SpanTrack Lane, but with added versatility for dynamic environments. Its hex hub wheel design further guarantees consistent flow, reducing the risk of products getting stuck, which helps improve productivity. By dropping directly into existing pallet racks, SpanTrack Wheel Bed streamlines installation while maximizing space efficiency and improving access to products.
Boost Picking Efficiency with Carton Flow Systems
When you implement a dynamic storage solution like carton flow, you save space. When sightlines and ergonomics are improved you save time. This adds up to big cost savings and profitability for your budding business.
When your operation is ready to scale, our experts at UNEX are here to help you design and implement a customized solution that will drive long-term efficiency and profitability. Contact us today to learn how our carton flow systems can help your business grow.
