Warehouse equipment to increase packing productivity
Our recent peak performance survey asked retailers and 3PLs what their biggest challenge was during spikes in demand. A quarter of them said productivity. This is understandable. The pressure to pack more products and get them out the door after a big influx of orders can be immense.
So, how can you increase your packing productivity?
To pick, pack and dispatch quickly you need three things. First, you need a well organised warehouse space. Second, you need the right packaging materials. Third, you need the right processes. That’s why we’re highlighting the four pieces of warehouse equipment below. They will help you improve organisation and increase packing productivity…
Modular pick bins for organisation
Organising your product close to your packing benches can help you be more productive. This can be particularly important when you experience an influx in demand. A great piece of flexible warehouse equipment is temporary pick bins.
Temporary pick bins made from corrugated cardboard or Correx can help you create a more efficient packing space. This will decrease pack times. Placing them close to your packing area enables you to minimise the distance your warehouse team need to cover, saving precious time. You can dismantle these modular pick bins when you need to save space too. And, if you opt for corrugated cardboard pick bins, you can eventually recycle them when you no longer need them – a win for the environment as well!
You can order pick bins “off the shelf” with several stock sizes available or you can have them made to order to suit your warehouse space.
Trolleys for your warehouse water spider
Are your packers responsible for going and grabbing their own packaging materials or do you use a warehouse water spider?
A warehouse water spider is a member of your team who makes sure packers never run out of materials. This means your packers can focus solely on packing and dispatching goods. If you want to start using a warehouse water spider, you’ll need to invest in warehouse trolleys.
The trollies will allow your water spider to move packaging materials and product around your warehouse to the people that need it. Using this system can help your operation run more smoothly and save time – helping overall packing efficiency.
Racking sacks for easy disposal of waste
Another simple piece of warehouse equipment to keep your space organised is racking sacks. They’re perfect for the easy disposal of waste and keep your floor space clear. This reduces the risk of slips, trips, and falls and allows for easy movement around your warehouse space.
You can also get pack station sacks which enable easy waste disposal in your packing area. This reduces downtime for packers, as they don’t have to go to a central waste station. These can be emptied by the water spider workers we mentioned earlier!
Automated packaging systems and machinery
If you’ve visited our blog before, you may have read about the benefits of packaging automation. Using automated packaging systems can drastically improve your packing efficiency. The big advantage is you get more packs out of the door. But you also control how much packing material you use, reducing waste, and reduce your labour costs. (Click here to learn more from one of our recent blog articles).
Installing packaging automation in your warehouse may involve initial investment, but you’ll see a return quickly and you’ll have future proofed your packing efficiency.
There are lots of automated packaging systems you can opt for. On a smaller scale, automatic gummed paper tape dispensers and on-demand air pillow machines are easy to fit to existing workstations. For high-volume environments, you can gain ultimate productivity from solutions like box erectors
At Macfarlane Packaging we can provide the packaging materials, warehouse equipment and packaging machinery you need to create the perfect packing environment. So why not get in touch today to see how we can help you?
