We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • Parcel Forum 2022
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • MATERIAL HANDLING
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • LIFT TRUCKS
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • Webcasts
    • Blogs
      • One-Off Sound Off
      • Global Logistics and Risk
      • Empowering Your Performance Edge
      • Analytics & Big Data
      • Submit your blog post
    • Events
    • White Papers
    • Industry Press Room
      • Upload Your News
    • New Products
      • Upload Your Product News
    • Conference Guides
    • Conference Reports
    • Newsletters
    • Mobile Apps
  • DCV-TV
    • DCV-TV 1: News
    • DCV-TV 2: Case Studies
    • DCV-TV 3: Webcasts
    • DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
    • DCV-TV 5: Solution Profiles
    • Parcel Forum 2022
    • MODEX 2022
    • Upload Your Video
Home » leader of the pack
equipment & applications

leader of the pack

September 1, 2005
David Maloney
No Comments

For third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) that specialize in order fulfillment, life is never dull—unpredictable, perhaps; but never dull. Unlike their counterparts at, say, an engine manufacturer or a textile mill, the third party's staffers might find themselves picking lipstick one day, electric guitars the next.

A prime example of a 3PL company that has to be ready for whatever its clients might throw at it next is New Jersey-based Capacity. This five-year-old company, which runs two distribution facilities in North Brunswick, N.J., serves more than 60 different clients. Half of Capacity's distribution business is for cosmetics companies, like Bliss and Tarte, so it has to be ready to deal with small products. But the facilities also must be prepared to handle music CDs and larger items, like textiles, garments and electronics. "We actually handle everything from K-Mart uniforms to yoga mats to electric guitars," says Thom Campbell, chief strategic officer and a founding partner of Capacity.

To give it the flexibility it needs to process both pallet loads and single-item orders, Capacity actually uses two warehouses. The smaller 60,000-square-foot facility processes mostly full case orders, while its 130,000-square-foot building handles pick-and-pack needs. Of course, managing two different systems in two separate facilities poses challenges for the software that automates the whole process. For Capacity, the answer was a warehouse management system (WMS) customized by Foxfire Technologies to accommodate Capacity's multi-facility, multi-product design. The WMS controls all picking and packing processes, including paper picking and radio frequency (RF)-directed picking from pallet racks, flow racks and shelving. In addition to order fulfillment, RF is used to direct receiving and shipping functions. The WMS also allows clients to view their inventories in real time.

Take your pick
Most picking tasks take place in the larger pick-and-pack building. In that facility, the majority of products are placed into reserve pallet racks upon receipt, where they remain until needed. Some full pallets and full cases, like cosmetics that ship directly to stores, may be picked from the pallet racks, but most of the items pulled from there are destined to replenish Capacity's pick modules.

"Our picking strategy really depends on the client," reports Campbell. "We currently process everything from a single Internet order with one piece to a full trailer of products."

The facility's pick modules consist of case flow racks and shelving. Takeaway conveyors run through these areas to facilitate efficient picking of orders. The flow racks hold fast-movers, while the shelving contains slower-moving products and irregularly shaped items not suited to the flow racks. Most products for a particular client are grouped together to speed up selection, as processing is typically waved a client at a time.

Items are picked by order into totes or cartons according to the client's specifications. The fast-movers are selected from their flow racks using either pick tickets or RF-directed assignments (Capacity is currently in the process of migrating more of its clients to the RF processes). Items are also gathered from the nearby shelving and placed into the cartons or containers before they're pushed off onto the takeaway conveyors. Since picking is performed by discrete order, some cartons or totes are filled to the brim with products, while others, such as those for Internet orders, may contain only one item.

Slower-moving items, odd-shaped products (such as the electric guitars) and select merchandise for less-active customers are located in shelving away from the conveyors. These items are picked to wheeled carts.

Once all selections have been made, the items are either conveyed or carted to 16 pack stations. Typically, 10 to 15 of these stations are active at any given time, depending on the volume being processed that day. Workers remove the items from their totes and cartons, conduct quality checks to verify proper order selection and then repack the items into shipping cartons.

"Different clients have different pack regimens," says Campbell. Some use custom boxes with identifying markings. Some require value-added services, such as gift wrapping. Dunnage, the protective material placed around the product in the shipping carton, is added according to the clients' preferences. Some prefer air bubble wrap, while others use kraft paper to protect their products. Cartons are also weighed and packing lists are created, again based on customer preferences. Once all items have been repacked, the cartons are sealed and then sent to a staging area to await shipment.

The facility processes 2,000 to 3,000 orders a day, consisting of about 10,000 packed items. And in case you were wondering, Capacity has not yet reached its name.

gearing up to pick ...

There's no shortage of equipment and systems on the market designed for use in picking and packing operations. Here's a look at some of the most common types of equipment:

Pick tickets and labels: Although they represent a decidedly low-tech approach, pick tickets are still the most widely used method of picking orders. Typically, a list of required selections is printed onto a sheet of paper that a worker takes with him into the picking areas. The worker simply pulls the needed items, then crosses them off the list. Similarly, pick labels are used in many facilities. The labels contain printed information on which items are needed, with many also doubling as shipping labels. Workers pick required products, deposit them into a carton, then place the label on the carton's side.

Radio frequency-directed systems: At sites that use RF systems, workers use radio-frequency data terminals/scanners to direct their picking. Instructions for which items are needed are relayed to the display on the workers' terminals. Typically, items are scanned with the units to confirm their picks.

Voice-directed systems: Workers wearing headsets are given audible computer-generated instructions on which items to choose. The software that drives the system has voice-recognition capabilities so that the workers are able to speak responses back into their headsets to confirm their selections.

Light-directed systems: Beacons installed on racks next to storage locations light up to guide workers in selecting items contained in the racks. Number displays adjacent to the lights show how many of each SKU are required. The worker selects the proper items, then hits a button on the pick-to-light system to confirm that picking has been completed.

Storage systems: While not true picking technologies, many storage systems are designed to facilitate order selection. These include flow racks that rely on gravity to move products to the front of the rack faces where they are easily accessible. Carousels and mini-load automatic storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) are similarly designed to collect stored items and then present them directly to workers located at picking stations.

... and to pack

Corrugated cartons: Corrugated is still the material of choice for packing products, especially for one-way shipments. Corrugated is relatively inexpensive, recyclable and easy to store and assemble.

Returnable containers: Companies that have a closed-loop distribution system find economic advantages to using returnable containers. These shipping boxes—typically constructed of plastic, although they may also be made of wood, steel, aluminum and other materials—provide greater protection than most corrugated cartons and are reusable, making them economical and environmentally friendly. Even companies that do not have their own backhaul transportation mechanism for returning containers to their distribution center can benefit by joining a pooling organization that shares returnable containers among a large number of clients.

Dunnage systems: Dunnage is the protective material placed inside a carton or container to cushion products in transit. There are a variety of different types.

  • Air-filled bubble material can be purchased either already inflated or in flat form so that the user can inflate it as needed and cut it to length at the packing stations using specialized machines.
  • Kraft paper can also be distributed by machines at pack stations. In many systems, the paper can be folded into a protective "mattress" that is placed around items within the cartons to provide cushioning and to fill voids. Foam peanuts are also widely used to protect items.
  • They are small enough to fill empty carton space easily, and are lightweight and reusable.
  • Chemical foam offers a high level of protection and is often used to cushion electronics and other products that could be easily damaged by shifting during transit. Typically, two chemicals are injected into plastic bags to form this type of dunnage. As the chemicals mix, they interact to create a foam that quickly begins to expand. The bags are then placed around the product within the carton. As the foam continues to expand, it wraps around the product and fills any voids.

Machine-aided packing: A number of machines can help to automate packing processes. Automatic carton erectors make building multiple-sized cartons a snap. Once the cartons are packed, sealing machines automatically tape them closed. Labeling machines place packing slips, shipping labels and RFID-embedded labels directly onto cartons. Other labeling machines known as coders can print bar codes and other information directly onto carton surfaces without the need for adhesive labels.

Material Handling Storage Order Fulfillment & Packing Cartons & Containers Racking Automatic Data Capture Systems Integration Services
KEYWORDS Capacity LLC Foxfire Technologies
  • Related Articles

    Saving the planet one six-pack ring at a time?

    Six-pack case builder speeds craft beer to market

    I-Pack in-motion packaging solution

Davidmaloney
David Maloney has been a journalist for more than 35 years and is currently the group editorial director for DC Velocity and Supply Chain Quarterly magazines. In this role, he is responsible for the editorial content of both brands of Agile Business Media. Dave joined DC Velocity in April of 2004. Prior to that, he was a senior editor for Modern Materials Handling magazine. Dave also has extensive experience as a broadcast journalist. Before writing for supply chain publications, he was a journalist, television producer and director in Pittsburgh. Dave combines a background of reporting on logistics with his video production experience to bring new opportunities to DC Velocity readers, including web videos highlighting top distribution and logistics facilities, webcasts and other cross-media projects. He continues to live and work in the Pittsburgh area.

Recent Articles by David Maloney

Is data fact?

InPerson interview: Rob McKeel of Fortna

In Person: Steve Beverly of Penske

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Schneider welcomes first battery-electric truck

  • Fred Smith is not worried about Amazon

  • RJW LOGISTICS GROUP EXPANDS RETAIL LOGISTICS OPERATION TO DALLAS

  • Maersk deploys indoor drones for warehouse inventory counts

  • Outlook 2023: What’s in store for logistics/supply chain?

Now Playing on DCV-TV

5afe63a5 7125 4318 b851 1e5738df1c91

Patterson Fan Co. | HVLS V-Series Ceiling Fan | Staging Area Air Movement

DCV-TV 4: Viewer Contributed
The Patterson V-Series is a high-volume, low-speed industrial ceiling fan that is designed to circulate a lot of air at a very low speed. These fans, ranging in diameters of 8’ all the way to 24’, are perfect for large, open spaces such as staging and shipping areas. One 24’ fan can generate a cooling effect of 6 –...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • The five best applications for robotic lift trucks in warehouse environments

  • Fulfillment Facility Improved Efficiencies by 4x

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • Reusable Packaging for the New Wave of Supply Chain Automation

View More

Subscribe to DC Velocity Magazine

GET YOUR FREE SUBSCRIPTION
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing