UNEX Blog | Space Optimization Insights and Trends

Carton Flow (That Actually Works!)

Written by UNEX | Aug 27, 2014 2:55:43 PM

Everybody has heard the saying “Time is money.” At UNEX, this is a phrase that our Pickologists take to heart. Our products are not only made with the best materials, they universally make your warehouse more efficient by saving your employees time. A great example of a time suck that many people don’t consider is sitting in your carton flow systems. Many shelves use traditional plastic wheels in their rails. These wheels have a very small surface area, which causes pressure points on the boxes or cartons. Because of these pressure points, very often the contours of the wheel are “imprinted” into the carton. This is the crumpled, dimpled look you see when you pull the box off the shelf. These “imprints” vary by the weight of the load, time spent on the shelf and quality of the carton, but everybody who has used the plastic wheel system will be familiar with them.

But the imprints are more sinister than just being aesthetically ugly. They can actually inhibit the flow of the boxes by acting as a brake and causing the carton to get stuck on the rail. Pickers have to stop and get a shepherd’s hook or in some other way get the boxes flowing properly again. This is a huge time waste! Our Pickologists have heard the pleas for a better system and introduced Shelf Track.

As you can see the Shelf Track evenly disperses the weight over a larger contact area, ensuring smoother flows and no imprinting. If you’re interested in learning more about Shelf Track, call a UNEX representative. We can send you a free sample lane and you can see the difference for yourself. Upgrading is easy:

1)      First, measure your shelves. For Shelf Track, measure from the inside ledge of your shelf to the inside ledge. Shelf Track is cut to fit your shelves, so just let us know the measurements and we can do the rest.

2)      Call a UNEX Pickologist. Not only can they demonstrate the UNEX difference, they can also send that sample lane for you to try.

3)      Once you’ve received the sample, install it on a shelf. We’re confident that once you’ve experienced Shelf Track, you won’t ever want to go back.

4)      Once you’ve made the decision to upgrade your shelving and increase your pick rates, remove your existing plastic rails from your shelving

5)      Install the new section that has been custom fitted to fit your shelves. You are now on your way to faster and more accurate picking!

Make imprinting a thing of the past with Shelf Track.