A floor care leader and recognized name in household appliances engaged FORTE to design a system that would increase efficiencies and accuracies in picking and shipping.

The company’s Texas facility was a conventional warehouse with virtually no automation. Workers built pallets using pick lists and manually delivered them to the dock where they were broken-down for individual carton labeling. Each SKU or product label was then manually cross-checked with the shipping label to ensure accuracy. After the pallet was rebuilt, it would sit on the dock awaiting shipment the next day.

• Increase accuracy in shipping
• Improve operating method efficiency through picking
• Accomplish the above objectives using a minimum amount of dock space.

FORTE developed a new pick-by-wave system with an automated print and apply station. A new U-shaped induct conveyor moves the cartons through a scanner and down one of three divert lanes directly into a truck. FORTE strategically developed the shipping layout to double as a receiving system. Using the same equipment, product can be received and immediately palletized for storage.

An added advantage of the new design is that it allows for easy cross-docking. Cartons being cross-docked simply remain on the conveyor through the print-and-apply station and divert for immediate shipment. Equipment utilized includes an extendable receiving conveyor, U-shaped accumulation conveyor, a print-and-apply unit with a scanner, belt conveyor, pop-up wheel diverts, and three drive-out truck loaders.

• Increased accuracy through automatic print and apply
• Lead time reduction through cross-docking and batch picking
• Number of touches per carton was reduced from 7 to 2 if cross-docked and from 7 to 4 if batch picked and shipped
• Less dock congestion—picking by batch allows for synchronization with truck arrival, eliminating the need to stage pallets on the dock
• Increased customer service levels.

“The project’s ROI met payback period requirements and had the added benefits of increased accuracies and heightened customer service levels.”

- Project Manager, Floor Care Leader