10 Oct Three Reasons Why Size Matters
We have probably seen almost 300 warehouses in our day. Warehouses of all shapes and sizes. Well organized and well run operations and some that were a hot mess. One of the things we see quite a bit is dysfunctional pick carts that the employees are using to pick orders. Sometimes it’s quite comical. Sometimes its just plain sad. Here are the top three reasons why the size of the cart matters…
#1. Order Fits the Tote and the Tote Fits the cart
If your average order is 25 SKU’s then use a tote that handles it. Too many times I see very large totes being used for an order that has 10 SKU’s in it. And then these very large totes fit on a very small pick cart. Determine the optimum size tote you need and then buy a cart that will match the number of orders you pick simultaneously. If you pick 4 orders at a time, then have a cart that will properly hold 4 totes.
#2. Cart Size Fits the Aisles
If your warehouse has narrow aisles then don’t buy wide carts. If you follow step one and match the tote to the order size and the cart is still wide, then structure your picking route so that pickers do not have to cross paths if the aisle is too narrow. The take away is make sure the size of the cart does not prevent your picker from maximizing their efficiency when picking.
#3. Cart Size Needs to Fit the Picker
Let’s face it – finding help in the warehouse can be tough. In today’s Gig Economy it is challenging to find people who want to work in a warehouse. Because of this you wind up with employees of all shapes and sizes. Too many times I’ve seen smaller framed women pushing or pulling carts that are full of heavy items. Anytime an employee has to physically push their body to do something beyond their ability you have a Workers Comp claim waiting to happen. Make sure your employees have the tools to pick the orders in an efficient manner that does not cause injury
Click here to download a PDF that has some common pick cart examples and where you can purchase them: Fulfillment Cart Options
