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Most Recent Articles

Christine Wheeler

Recent Posts by Christine Wheeler:

What is a mispick in the order picking process?

Mispicks in the order picking process can be easily defined and understood.  Order picking is the process of pulling items from inventory in the warehouse to fill a customer order.  However, eliminating mispicks is a costly and ongoing dilemna.

In fact, distribution centers are losing an average of nearly $390,000 per year due to mis-picks, according to a study conducted by Intermec, Inc. 

Topics: Order Picking

Upgrading Warehouse Carts with NEW Technology

If you have been in the warehousing or distribution for any amount of time, you will order warehouse carts such as those you see in the image above. There is new technology available to change the ordinary warehouse cart into a powered workstation.  

What has not changed is the number of steps the average person takes per hour: 105 steps per minute, 6300 per hour or 50,400 steps in eight hours. We recently showed how saving six minutes can turn into $5,000 by eliminating wasted steps by adding portable power to carts.

Topics: Warehouse Carts Technology

Lean Manufacturing Consultants, The Real Story [infographic]

Can Lean Consultants be a valuable asset to a Company?  We use an infographic to get a big picture look at the many aspects of lean to consider whether a lean consultant is beneficial to you business:

Topics: Infographic Lean Manufacturing

Picking Error Problems - Suggestions and Solutions

To err is human and order picking is not an exception.  To accept marginal performance and not be diligent with finding solutions for picking errors is costly.  To conquer problems related to errors in order picking, below you will find suggestions from those who have already found solutions.

Topics: Order Picking

Dollar General opens $100M Distribution Center in Bethel (almost 1 million sq ft)

Dollar General's massive distribution center which opened in Bethel, PA is fully up and running in northern Berks County.  It's made of enough steel to build 6,400 cars, and the number of pallets it can hold would stretch from Bethel to New York City. Check out Dollar General's new distribution center...

Topics: News Distribution Center Case Studies

Lean Manufacturing: 3 Critical Principles for Improving Productivity

The "go green" movement may have seemed like a passing fad many years ago when it first entered mainstream consciousness.  To some, it resembled something that brought to mind the free-spirited and anti-establishment countercultures of the late 1960s more than it did a modern step toward environmentally responsible living.  Despite skepticism, sustainable living has become an integral part of our daily lives.

Principles and standards that guide eco-friendly ways of living and doing business are often referred to as "lean" principles, and the term is used most frequently in the manufacturing industry.  Essentially, operating under lean concepts means you're trimming the fat, so to speak, and reducing the amount of by-products and waste generated by your company during the production process.  Originally introduced by Japanese automaker Toyota Production Systems, lean manufacturing focuses on eliminating everything that goes into creating your product, from employee labor to raw materials, that does not add value in some way for your customers.

Topics: Productivity Lean Manufacturing

Turn 6 Minutes into $5,000 and Make Employees Happy [infographic]


Business with warehousing, shipping, inventory control systems and facilities have heard of Lean Manufacturing systems, 5S Methodology and the 7 types of wastes. 5S is a way of thinking and philosophy focused on creating a well-managed and organized workspace by eliminating wastes – one of which is motion.

Topics: Infographic Lean Manufacturing

3 Biggest Myths in Lean Manufacturing

There are many examples where lean manufacturing has inspired a new and arguably better way to eliminate waste. To appreciate it, you have to understand what adherents of this paradigm mean by "waste." The term, put simply, refers to anything—tools, processes, materials, activities, personnel—that does not contribute to the value of a product or service as perceived by the customer.

But there are a lot of misconceptions about lean manufacturing that, when left unchecked, could devalue brands and companies committed to the paradigm. Here are some of those myths, along with the facts. Remember, making a well-informed decision—not blindly adopting just about any aspect of the paradigm—is the key to getting the most value of it.

Topics: Lean Manufacturing

The Secret Behind A Successful Warehouse

We appreciate those who work within the warehouse environment as they overcome the pressures of deadlines and costs.  Each warehouse manager must be meticulous, technologically sophisticated, authoritative, organized and calm under pressure. 

The resources of a warehouse are space, equipment and personnel. The cost of space includes the cost of the building or leasing a space and the cost of maintaining the space. The equipment resources of a warehouse include data processing equipment, computers carts with portable power, dock equipment, material handling equipment, storage equipment and unit load equipment. 

According to experts, there are 'secrets' behind running a successful warehouse.

Topics: Productivity Warehouse Management

8 Genius Ways to Boost Warehouse Productivity

Keeping a warehouse working efficiently to maximize returns is a daily battle.  You can improve efficiency by purchasing and keeping up current equipment, maintaining safe and comfortable working conditions and paying a fair wage to your employees.  To enjoy the benefits of a productive and efficient warehouse environment here are great ways to improve warehouse productivity. 

Topics: Productivity