HOW TO MINIMISE COSTS WITH OPTIMAL MANUAL PICKING

Warehouse management and maintenance is undoubtedly an important source of costs for any business. Optimization measures should therefore be taken to improve work processes and productivity.

If we analyse the costs of each of the activities that are carried out inside the warehouse, approximately 65% if them are based around just one activity: preparing orders. Specifically, order picking, the sub-process which involves taking and collecting the product, is one of the most expensive activities. This figure is even higher in warehouses used to distribute products bought from e-commerce companies, where the rotation and variability of stock require a high degree of automation and staff.

What is order picking?

This term is used in logistics for any activity involved in taking and collecting items that are to be delivered to clients in the following stages of the commercial process.

Order preparation is critical and it needs to be addressed with the correct strategy, in accordance with the volume and average order value that needs to be managed.

Over the four decades that we have been involved in the sector, we have worked with several clients who specialise in different order picking activities, identifying productive management patterns and developing different solutions to optimise these processes. Below are some observations we have made about order picking:

-       The most important aspect is to guarantee error-free order picking. Picking the wrong products or damaging products slows down the logistics chain, freezes resources and causes process costs to shoot up.

-       Warehouses should be well organised. Each item should be grouped together and stored in a suitable location so that it is readily available depending on its degree of rotation. This stops workers from wasting time looking for items.

-       Storage systems must be adapted to the activity carried out. Our Manually Loaded Shelving system and accessories are the perfect solution for optimal stock management and represent a short-term return on investment. Configuration is customisable in line with the client's needs and our design can adapt to new requirements without needing to make a huge investment. We can add height, attach upper level walkways to create new storage levels or install a walkable overhead loft to the basic structure for multiple uses.

Find out more information about our customisable Manual Loading system.

-       Be flexible. Warehouses are instruments that need to be adapted to demand shifts and the priorities set out for order preparation. 

-       Vertical order picking. Vertical order picking systems are ideal for warehouses with limited space, as they take full advantage of the area's height. Find out more about our picking rack over floor

-       Items should be grouped together in a space that is equipped for order picking. This will increase worker productivity as they will not take so long to move from one place to another and pick orders much more quickly. 

We hope that these tips help improve productivity among your order picking teams. 

If you need any advice on implementing a storage system, don't hesitate to contact us on +34 900 466 888 or fill in our contact form.