How to prepare your warehouse for peak season
Peak season is a demanding time for warehouses and 3PLs (third party logistics providers) managing supply chains for retailers.
Before Christmas, consumer orders increase significantly. This increase in orders puts a lot of pressure on logistics teams and packing operations.
In this blog we’re going to look at three ways the right packaging and packaging equipment can help get your warehouse peak season ready.
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What is peak season?
The busiest time for retail in the UK is peak season, which lasts from November to January. This is because of events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and the January sales, which drive a surge in customer orders.
The higher demand can greatly affect the supply chain. Logistics teams will need to handle more stock, manage complicated inventory, and make sure orders are fulfilled on time. Increased order volumes can lead to bottlenecks in picking, packing, and shipping processes, potentially delaying deliveries and affecting customer satisfaction. Operational agility is key to respond to fluctuations in demand.
How to prepare for peak season?
Preparing for peak season is about managing increased sales and ensuring a seamless, efficient supply chain that can handle the pressure and deliver exceptional service.
So, how can you get your warehouse ready for peak?
Identifying common bottlenecks
The first thing you should do is try and identify and common bottlenecks. This can be pivotal in maintaining your warehouse efficiency.
Key metrics to help you review pressure points are:
- Picking accuracy – Miss-picks can be a sign that something isn’t working or that capacity is being outstripped by demand.
- Packing times – During high-pressure times, packing times can be a bottleneck if processes aren’t efficient and packing materials aren’t easy.
- Dispatch lead times – Slower dispatch times can signify that current processes need to change to help meet demand spikes.
- Damages – An increase in damages can be an indicator that packing isn’t being completed properly or that the packing materials being used aren’t sufficient.
Once you’ve considered bottlenecks, you should think about the packaging materials you’re going to use during peak.
Optimising packaging for peak season
Efficient packaging is a cornerstone of successful peak season operations. The right pack can help you pack goods faster, keeping your production line moving smoothly and quickly, so you can deliver them on time! Here’s how optimised packaging can impact your operation:
- Reduce damages and returns – By ensuring you have the right packaging protection. This can minimise the need for double picking and delivering orders (reducing overall cost and sustainability).
- Improve parcel cubage – This will increase the number of goods that can ship on a single vehicle and optimise your vehicle delivery capacity. Reducing the size of parcels can prevent the necessity for additional void fill. This can help in saving materials, cutting costs, and decreasing your carbon footprint.
- Improve sustainability – For example, switching to recycled content materials and improving recyclability, can all have a positive impact on supply chain sustainability.
- Improve storage space – Consider the storage footprint of your packaging solution, a rethink in design could improve palletisation and reduce the number of pallets held on site. It may also be worth looking at how your packaging is delivered. Buying in bulk for the best price can tie up space that could be used for additional sales stock during busy times. Discuss with your supplier the option to make frequent small deliveries, which can help reduce the need for large storage space.
A packaging review can help you to identify the right packaging for your products, to speed up packing time, improve parcel cubage and reduce damages.
Standardise your packing process
Standardising your packing process can improve efficiency and help maintain packing consistency. Here are 3 ways to help you improve your packing process:
Review – the current packaging that you are using and identify opportunities to reduce the amount of time it takes to pack out. For example, switching from a standard 0201 shipper to a crash lock base box that pops into shape, can significantly reduce the time needed to assemble the pack.
Develop – clear packing guidelines for your team. These should include instructions on how to pack different types of products, when void fill materials should be used, and techniques for sealing completed packs. Frequent training ensures that packaging is applied in the right way, driving consistency in the amount of packaging material used and reducing the potential for damage in transit.
Consolidate – the packaging your team needs in one place. A dedicated packing station, equipped with everything they need, will reduce the time spent searching for the appropriate packaging materials and keep the packing process organised.
Streamlining warehouse operations
To keep up with spikes in demand it’s essential that your warehouse operations are efficient and effective. Consider the workflow of space and look for opportunities to strategically place popular products and packaging for easy access. This will help to minimise unnecessary movement and maximise productivity.
A well-organised warehouse with no obstacles is essential for a smooth operation. A layout should be considered, following the flow of picking, packing and dispatch.
Here are some quick fixes that you could put in place to solve some common warehouse issues.
- Increase storage for seasonal stock with temporary shelving or pick bins to help keep stock off the warehouse floor, this will protect staff from trips and falls as well as protecting product from damage. It also makes products easier to find!
- Clear labelling of products on shelving and pick bins will help to reduce the incidence of mispicks.
- Keep litter and debris to a minimum with strategically placed rack and packing station sacks. Quick and easy to install, they will provide a space to dispose of waste and keep the warehouse tidy.
- Utilise packing stations to improve warehouse flow, a well organised pack bench will support faster packing times. Consider a customised option which can incorporate shelving, separators, fixed roll holders and dispensers. This puts everything needed to pack out orders at the operators’ fingertips. It’s worth noting here that anti-fatigue matting should be used at pack benches, especially if you have hard concrete floors. These mats ease the pressure on feet and legs and reduce fatigue from standing for long periods of time.
- Automate repetitive tasks where possible. Large scale packaging automation will be a challenge to implement so close to peak season but, you can still consider “plug and play” systems like electronic tape dispensers and automated void fill systems to speed up packing times and reduce operator pack touches.
Support with your packaging and packing operations during peak
It’s not too late to prepare your warehouse for peak season. A considered assessment of your current layout, processes and packaging can help you achieve a smooth-running operation in preparation for increased seasonal demand.
Streamlining your warehouse layout, installing packing automation and strategically playing your products will help to boost productivity and remove bottlenecks that can impact your dispatch times.
Macfarlane Packaging is here to help you get operation ready for the busy season ahead. Our range of warehouse products, automation systems and innovative packaging solutions can reduce packing times and increase operational efficiency. Contact us today for your free packaging review.