Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

inbound

Sortation systems: Not just for shipping anymore

They're usually associated with outbound shipping, but sortation systems can also be a smart choice for multi-SKU receiving, consultant says.

For most people, sortation systems are strongly associated with sorting outbound orders for shipping. But they can also be a smart choice for other purposes, according to Bob Babel, vice president and executive consultant for engineering consulting firm and systems integrator Forté.

Take receiving, for example. Companies that are involved in omnichannel fulfillment and just-in-time replenishment often receive cartons and pallets with mixed stock-keeping units (SKUs). These typically are manually broken down and the contents sorted by SKU for putaway. With automation, however, workers can place the items on a conveyor in whatever order they come off the pallet or out of the carton, and the sortation system will sort them by SKU and deliver them for putaway. The items can then be picked off the conveyor and into a cart, or possibly right into the pick face or a "ready reserve" area, Babel said in an interview. Rebuilt pallets with single or multiple SKUs could go into racks for longer-term storage.


This application could make sense for DCs that receive a variety of items from many suppliers, such as automotive aftermarket parts and office supplies. "Receiving systems can be a bit difficult to justify on labor alone, because you are still touching the product a certain number of times, depending on the industry," Babel said. "But generally, you get a big improvement on the receiving dock, and you're getting items into the pick face faster so they're available for sale sooner."

Other "soft" benefits of using sortation systems in receiving include ergonomic advantages when breaking down pallets and cartons, and the ability to collect packaging trash and dunnage at a centralized location near receiving rather than at the pick face, Babel said.

The Latest

More Stories

Logistics gives back: October 2024

For the past seven years, third-party service provider ODW Logistics has provided logistics support for the Pelotonia Ride Weekend, a campaign to raise funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. As in the past, ODW provided inventory management services and transportation for the riders’ bicycles at this year’s event. In all, some 7,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers participated in the ride weekend.


Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

siemens logistics airport buggage

Vanderlande to acquire Siemens Logistics for $325 million

The logistics process automation provider Vanderlande has agreed to acquire Siemens Logistics for $325 million, saying its specialty in providing value-added baggage and cargo handling and digital solutions for airport operations will complement Netherlands-based Vanderlande’s business in the warehousing, airports, and parcel sectors.

The acquisition has received approval from the Supervisory and Management Boards of both Vanderlande and its parent company Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) as well as the Management Board of parent company Siemens AG.

Keep ReadingShow less

Resilience is a daily fight

I recently came across a report showing that 86% of CEOs around the world see resiliency problems in their supply chains, and that business leaders are spending more time than ever tackling supply chain-related challenges. Initially I was surprised, thinking that the lessons learned from the Covid-19 pandemic surely prepared industry leaders for just about anything, helping to bake risk and resiliency planning into corporate strategies for companies of all sizes.

But then I thought about the growing number of issues that can affect supply chains today—more frequent severe weather events, accelerating cybersecurity threats, and the tangle of emerging demands and regulations around decarbonization, to name just a few. The level of potential problems seems to be increasing at lightning speed, making it difficult, if not impossible, to plan for every imaginable scenario.

Keep ReadingShow less
AI tops digital supply chain investment priorities

AI tops digital supply chain investment priorities

Investing in artificial intelligence (AI) is a top priority for supply chain leaders as they develop their organization’s technology roadmap, according to data from research and consulting firm Gartner.

AI—including machine learning—and Generative AI (GenAI) ranked as the top two priorities for digital supply chain investments globally among more than 400 supply chain leaders surveyed earlier this year. But key differences apply regionally and by job responsibility, according to the research.

Keep ReadingShow less
voting stickers for election results analysis

Report: Manufacturing leaders should think beyond November election

U.S. manufacturing leaders should think beyond November and focus on responsiveness for building long-term success regardless of who occupies the Oval Office in 2025, according to a report from Propel Software about uncertainty on business conditions as the presidential election approaches.

Regardless of the elected administration, the future likely holds significant changes for trade, taxes, and regulatory compliance. As a result, it’s crucial that U.S. businesses avoid making decisions contingent on election outcomes, and instead focus on resilience, agility, and growth, according to California-based Propel, which provides a product value management (PVM) platform for manufacturing, medical device, and consumer electronics industries.

Keep ReadingShow less