Easy Warehouse Expansion? Take the Creative Approach to Increasing Pick Slots

Are expanding SKUs pushing the limits of your operational effectiveness? Expansion may be your only hope… but perhaps not in the way you’re thinking. Taking a holistic look at your space and operations to evaluate space utilization is often surprisingly revealing. Often, all the space you need is already within your four walls. Converting underutilized full pallet storage rack into highly-efficient case-pick storage will exponentially expand your pick faces, improve order picking productivity, and reduce labor and equipment costs. Sound like a tall order? Let us break it down.

With small order fulfillment captivating the conversation these days, there are more and more options for supporting case and piece picking. Whether the fulfillment is coming from a 3PL, manufacturer, or distribution facility, reducing time and costs to fill those orders is crucial in competing in today’s hyper-competitive landscape. Finding the solution, or combination of solutions, that work best for your unique inventory and operations is made easier when you can compare the options. 

Popular Case & Each Storage Solutions

• Carton flow
• SpeedCell storage
• Industrial shelving
• Pick modules

It’s Time to Convert

There are a lot of small-piece and case-pick storage solutions that are designed to maximize SKU storage and pick faces. What these solutions all effectively do is condense the footprint and density, so picking is optimized, travel is minimized, and SKU volume is increased. Each system can be used alone, or as part of a pick module or within a mezzanine to take advantage of vertical warehouse space. These systems have unique qualities and benefits depending on SKU volume turn rates, and labor concerns, so let’s take a closer look.  

Carton Flow Rack

Carton flow rack, also often called gravity conveyor rack or case-pick, is ideal when managing cases, totes, boxes, and cartons. Carton flow is a dynamic storage system where inventory is loaded in the rear of the system and flows to the opposite aisle for picking. 

Choosing between roller or wheeled carton flow depends on your inventory specs. Roller carton flow is better for same-size or heavy inventory as the roller width is closely matched with the box or tote width, while wheeled systems allow for variation in inventory sizes. More SKUs per level can be achieved with a multi-wheel conveyor with no dedicated lanes vs. standard roller conveyor.  Often this adds 100’s or 1,000’s of SKUs to the typical warehouse.

Even if you have skate wheel carton flow, converting to the full-width design will dramatically increase your pick face capacity. Certainly, converting full pallet storage to carton flow rack can dynamically increase SKU lanes from a few hundred pallet locations to thousands of pick spots.

Carton Flow Benefits

• Increase SKU storage 50%+ vs. static rack
• Increase pick locations – up to 40 slots per bay
• Reduce travel time and equipment costs
• Decrease labor costs by as much as 50%
• Increase picking productivity
• Separate load & pick aisles reduce congestion in pick aisle and improve warehouse safety
• Compatible with automated picking technology

Carton flow rack can also be equipped with accessories to further improve effectiveness and support ergonomic picking. Tilt trays can be added to the pick-side to enhance visibility and reach for the worker which improves pick rates and accuracy. The tilt tray can be angled at variable heights to minimize bending and reaching. In addition, lane dividers can be added to ensure SKU lanes stay clearly separated.  Impact trays can also be added on the load end when stacked or heavy totes are sometimes dropped onto the conveyor.

SpeedCell Storage Rack

SpeedCell is a proprietary design of suspended textile columns. The sections move along a track to allow for deep, highly-organized, high-density SKU storage. The bins are lightweight & flexible yet sturdy and long-lasting. They are available in multiple sizes to accommodate small, medium, and large SKUs.

SpeedCell stores more SKUs in less space with greater picking efficiency.  SpeedCell can easily be added to existing racks. In most cases, the multi-depth design can utilize 100% of the available floor level of a pallet rack system. 

A SpeedCell system compresses 200′ of rack storage into just 40′ of pick area with more pick facings. The pick spaces can be clearly marked to ensure accurate picking and the design supports ergonomic picking.

SpeedCell Benefits:

• Increase storage capacity 60%
• Save 40% travel and labor costs
• Provides 100% SKU selectivity for picking & replenishment
• Customizable to meet inventory specs
• Ergonomic design
• Systems configured 1-3 rows deep & up to 12 columns wide
• Compatible with automated pick solutions

Industrial Shelving

Industrial or commercial shelving is economical and quick to assemble and install. It is ideal for SKU storage that doesn’t require deep levels of ready reserve inventory. It keeps SKUs ergonomically accessible while keeping them individually organized. It is typically used for hand-picked order fulfillment or assembly and the modular design can change and grow as needed. Shelving systems can be optimized with accessories to help keep SKUs neat and orderly to improve both pick accuracy and speed. Full-width, high-density drawer systems can be easily added to existing or new shelving systems.  Drawers can be sectioned and are available in various sizes.  These systems are typically used in plant maintenance storerooms, car dealership parts departments, and maintenance tool cribs. 

Benefits of Industrial Shelving

• Cost-effective small-item storage solution
• Ideal for slower moving inventory in boxes, bins, or bundles
• Modular design quickly and easily grows as needed
• Available in medium to extra-heavy-duty capacity (300-1300 lbs.)
• Compatible with automated pick solutions
• Flexible add high-density drawer storage
• Adaptable for multi-level, high-rise storage

Pick Modules

While pick modules are not a single storage system, they are in fact a strategic combination of small-piece and full-pallet storage… and no optimization discussion is complete without at least a mention. Pick modules condense the pick space using one or more of the systems mentioned above, add full pallet storage usually to the rack levels above the pick area and then often run conveyor lines from the pick area to pack and ship. Pick modules are highly-efficient order selection areas that can boost productivity and reduce processing costs. Situate pick modules above or below mezzanines and really take your space to a new level.

Pick Module Benefits:

• Improve vertical space use up to 50% vs. selective rack
• Reduce travel time & labor costs
• Consolidate SKUs for faster pick rates and pick efficiency
• Increase pick locations

Picking the Optimized Space Configuration

Want to talk about ideas and creative solutions to meet your order processing challenges, then give the Warehouse Optimizers, Inc. (WOI) team a call. No obligation and no-cost consultation. WOI is committed to our 5 Step Total Satisfaction Experience™ that guarantees we will listen and execute your project with laser focus on your unique application, project timelines, warehouse safety, and appearance of the finished product. We will walk you through each stage of the process and offer expert customer service and peace of mind. Contact a member of our team today and chat, Zoom, or call us at (865) 540-4004 for a prompt response. We proudly serve customers in Tennessee, Alabama, and throughout the Southeast.