At some point in the supply chain process inventory will need to be accessed as individual units. The most practical approach is to use tighter spaced shelving with pick locations specific to the types of products being stored. Shelving can be tailored around a product line's throughput demands, packaging characteristics, accessibility to different production stages and environmental conditions. They can be designed to deal with various building constraints and incorporated with automation and conveyor systems to improve efficiency.
Below is a list of the various pick shelving options currently available to our market. For a detailed analysis of which approach may be best for your organization please contact us.
Floor Level Picking
The most common item picking technique is placing free-standing shelving directly on the floor where employees can quickly access with little or no equipment. These sections will normally be a maximum of 8' high and may utilize small ladders. Various decking and material options are available to meet both budgetary and operational needs.
These include:
Steel Shelving
Rivet Shelving
Wire Shelving
Small Pallet Racks
High Bay Picking
High Bay Picking incorporates taller shelving units with powered lift equipment and order pickers to access goods. Multiple items and orders will be picked at the same time so proper planning is required. Systems will be made of pallet racking or heavier duty steel and rivet shelving.
Carton Flow Picking
Carton flow shelving is a dynamic solution that increases picking speed and reduces the time spent on replenishment. Shelving systems are deeper and utilize pitched tracks with rollers to automatically move cartons to the front for picking. Items are loaded from the back to guarantee a first-in first-out (FIFO) inventory. Carton Flow Shelving is ideal for time sensitive items such as medical or perishable goods.
Compacting Mobile Shelving Systems
Compacting Systems are a high-density storage solution that focuses on reducing the number of picking aisles. Shelving is placed on mobile carriages mounted to floor tracks allowing rows to compact and open up specific aisles. Systems can be designed for various weight capacities and storage heights.
Multi-Level Storage
Multi-Level systems are the ultimate solution to maximizing hand-picked storage within a facility. Commonly referred to as Catwalk systems, they incorporate high-bay shelving and supported walkways within the aisles. This allows multiple employees to comfortably pick items from different locations within the same aisle, all at the same time. Systems must be designed specifically to meet operational needs while being entirely code compliant with all life safety requirements within the building.