Paper Picking Processes: Are They Picking Your Pocket?

For all the talk about warehouse technologies, more than 60 percent of DC’s still use paper picking systems, according to a 2015 survey by Peerless Research Group. Admittedly, about half of those paper users also supplement their processes with select scan verification technologies or automation systems, and most of them are also running a Warehouse Management System (WMS). But, really, considering that 60-70 percent of warehouse labor costs come from the order-fulfillment process, why on earth would a DC operation stick with such an old-school, labor-intensive pick method?

Typically, it begins at the beginning. Most business’s fulfillment operations start out small, with a fairly limited SKU base and a small staff of pickers. At this early stage, paper-based picking of single orders makes sense because it’s simple. And as pickers gain experience and grow more familiar with product characteristics and SKU placement, their pick rates improve, making paper-based picking appear to be a productive, sustainable solution.

Over time, though, as the business grows, orders increase, SKUs proliferate, the warehouse footprint expands, pick paths grow longer, and workers are added or replaced, the situation reverses: travel time increases, labor costs mount, and productivity drops. E-commerce exacerbates all of these trends. At this increasingly complex stage, each paper pick ticket is simply sending the picker into a repetitive chain of redundant processes to pick a single order.

Often, an experienced picker will pick up several pick tickets at once, in a sincere effort to boost pick rates by picking multiple orders on a single trip. At a glance, that seems like batch picking, but that’s just an illusion – it’s actually multiple-order picking, which sounds like the same thing but isn’t. In fact, randomly grouping several pick tickets into a single pick trip can actually increase travel time because the slowest order holds up the entire group. Because the picker must pick all the items on each ticket during a single pass, he is forced to transport all the picks along his entire pick path. Basically, individual – and potentially unrelated – orders become inseparable from the group, bound to travel together start to finish.  That’s no more – and often less – efficient than single-order picking.

“Actual” batch picking (as opposed to the grouped paper picking described in the previous paragraph) groups orders into a logical pick set, which is based on factors the orders have in common, such as SKU location or order size. Batch picking – with the aid of inventory optimization software and systems – decreases touch requirements, shortens the pick path, reduces travel time, improves pick accuracy, and optimizes labor efficiency.

The bottom line is that improving your pick operation improves your bottom line. Whether you are running a traditional paper picking system or a customized combination of computer-directed methods, adding appropriate products and technologies to your picking processes can improve inventory visibility and accessibility, boost pick speed and accuracy, and eliminate the glitches and holdups that shortchange operational productivity and rob you of profitability.

If you need help picking and choosing the best solution, an experienced UNEX Pickologist can help you explore which options best suited to your inventory and industry. For example, to recover lost time and effort, one of customers recently utilized our recently updated SKUBE slotting analysis service, which allowed them to optimize their pick paths and store SKUs in their ideal locations. This resulted in increased productivity in their order picking operation while they continue to transition over to new picking processes and technologies.

UNEX boasts a full line of innovative order-picking solutions, including Roller Racks, Span-Track, and Flow Cell  systems, all designed to optimize and speed picking operations. UNEX helps pickers quickly and easily find and retrieve items- even when using paper picking methods. Contact your UNEX Pickologist today to explore our wide variety of order-picking solutions.

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source https://www.unex.com/paper-picking-processes/

Brian C. Neuwirth Named MHI Outstanding Young Professional

UNEX Manufacturing, Inc., the trusted industry leader in providing innovative order picking solutions, announces UNEX’s VP of Sales and Marketing, Brian C. Neuwirth, has been chosen as the 2018 Outstanding Young Professional from the Material Handling Institute (MHI). Brian was chosen because of his significant contributions to the material handling industry, his passion for improvement within the industry, and his involvement in giving back to the industry by sharing knowledge and expertise at industry events and conferences.

Per Liz Richards, CEO of MHEDA, in a recommendation letter supporting the nomination of Brian C. Neuwirth for the MHI Outstanding Young Professional Award, “Brian is a big thinker with a creative and innovative mind and constantly considers how to help others perform at their optimum level. Because of this, Brian is extremely well liked and respected by his peers and colleagues. We are fortunate to have such a strong leader in our midst and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”

The Outstanding Young Professional is awarded to an MHI member under the age of 40 who has displayed professional accomplishments and affiliations, effective leadership skills and contributions to their company and innovation at work or in the industry. The award was given during the MHI Industry Night at the recent MODEX 2018 Conference in Atlanta. A minimum of three letters of recommendation from individuals who have been associated professionally with the nominee are required for the award nomination, along with submissions on their contributions, accomplishments and affiliations.

Brian was cited as:

• An active participation in industry events, conferences, seminars, indicating his passion and commitment to help influence positive change in both UNEX and the industry.
• Bringing visions and challenges to the material handling industry forefront.
• Having an engaging personality with the ability to transform ideas and thoughts to implementation.
• Constantly innovating with product improvements and new products that fill important marketplace niches.
• Helping increase sales and marketing efforts with distributors, creating significant new business for those companies.
• Possessing vision, discipline, strong interpersonal skills and strong ethics that help in building relationships essential for long term growth.
• Having expert sales leadership to lead sales and marketing teams that consistently perform at very high levels.

As Vice-President, Sales and Marketing at UNEX Manufacturing, Brian C. Neuwirth is responsible for building and maintaining the UNEX brand of material handling solutions. He leads a growing team of professionals that provide solid sales and profit growth, along with excellent customer service. Brian has been in the material handling industry for over 14 years and is involved in or holds leadership positions in numerous industry associations.

MHI Young Professionals Network’s mission is to provide resources and programming to a diverse group of professionals looking to advance their careers in material handling, logistics and supply chain industries. Their goal is to increase industry retention, education and networking as well as to offer career support.

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source https://www.unex.com/brian-c-neuwirth-outstanding-young-professional/

UNEX Manufacturing Acquires Speedcell

UNEX Manufacturing, Inc., the trusted industry leader in providing innovative order picking solutions, announces the acquisition of SpeedCell Storage Systems of Zeeland, MI. SpeedCell’s dynamic high-density storage solution products complement Unex’s Span-Track Carton Flow and Flow Cell product lines, bringing an added dimension of a high-density storage medium to the pick, put or assembly line. The UNEX SpeedCell product line is a unique low cost solution to increase SKU density while reducing actual space requirements.

“We are very excited with this addition of SpeedCell and how it complements our pick, put and place storage solutions for manufacturing and distribution right up to the last mile,” said Mark Neuwirth, VP of Business Development, UNEX Manufacturing. “We now have a better solution for those items whose throughput simply require a better pick and storage medium then settling for traditional static shelving.”

UNEX unveiled the merger on the eve of MODEX 2018, one of the world’s largest material handling and supply chain shows. UNEX has acquired the business assets of SpeedCell Storage Systems, manufacturer of the SpeedCell dynamic high-density storage solution products.

“Bringing high-density solutions to UNEX’s foremost Flow Cell Span-Track systems reduces  labor cost per pick, eliminates the need to hire additional workers and increases productivity,” adds Neuwirth. “It’s a win-win situation for both companies and the industry.”

The UNEX SpeedCell replaced deep cardboard boxes holding products for one customer, resulting in eliminating beam levels and adding locations at the floor level. By removing deep pins, order pickers have to simply reach into the cells and select parts, saving time. Picks are more ergonomic as multiple levels were eliminated.

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source https://www.unex.com/unex-manufacturing-acquires-speedcell/

MODEX 2018: Fast Facts

MODEX 2018 takes place in Atlanta in just a few weeks on April 9 – 12, 2018 at the Georgia World Congress Center. This year, attendees have been registering in record numbers, according to the MODEX team, who highlighted some of the demographics recently:

–50% are corporate or senior management
–27% are middle management
–81% have buying power
–62% buy for distribution centers
–43% buy for manufacturing facilities
–49% buy for warehouses supporting manufacturing
–32% plan on spending over $1 million over the next 18 months
–91% are coming to see new products and innovations
–61% are coming to network and learn.

MODEX attendees are looking for solutions in Automation Equipment and Systems; Conveyor and Sortation Equipment; Fork Lift Trucks; Packaging and Shipping Solutions; Racks, Shelving and Storage Equipment; Automatic Identification & Data Collection/Radio Frequency Identification (RFID); and Software Systems for Warehousing, Distribution and Logistics.

Other interesting stats from MODEX include:

• While 32% will spend more than $1M over the next 18 months, 12% will spend between $500K and $999K; 20% will spend between $100K and $499K and over 36% will spend less than $100,000.
• On average MODEX attendees have 34 lift trucks at their facilities.
• 78% attend to evaluate and compare products before purchasing a specific product.
• 60% have facilities over 100,000 sq. feet and 25% have facilities over 500,000 sq. ft.
• 78% plan to build and expand their facilities.
• 60% of attendees are end-users/purchasers of material handling and logistics equipment and systems. 18% are dealers, distributors, manufacturers, importers and exporters.

Regardless of what products you are looking for, make sure you stop by the UNEX Booths B2331 and B2337 to see our full range of order picking solutions, including the patented carton flow solution Span-Track, a full line of gravity conveyor products tailored to the order picking process and UNEX Flow Cells for durable, modular and portable storage for the manufacturing floor.

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source http://www.unex.com/modex-2018-fast-facts/

MODEX 2018: UNEX Innovates & Speeds Order Picking With New Solutions

UNEX Manufacturing, Inc., the trusted industry leader in providing innovative order picking solutions, will showcase their innovative material handling products at MODEX 2018 in Booths B2331 and B2337. UNEX offers a full range of order picking solutions, including their patented carton flow solution Span-Track, a full line of gravity conveyor products tailored to the order picking process and UNEX Flow Cells for durable, modular and portable storage for the manufacturing floor. UNEX continually introduces new products to address the order picking challenges of their customers, helping them to speed fulfillment and assembly operations, while boosting order picking efficiency.

“With the growth in e-commerce and customer expectations for Amazon-like services, businesses need to focus on speeding their order picking processes to get orders on their way as fast as possible,” said Brian C. Neuwirth, VP Sales and Marketing at UNEX Manufacturing. “Manufacturing companies are looking for innovative solutions to speed assembly and order picking operations also, as the industry continues to rebound and expand. UNEX is unique in the marketplace with our wide variety of high quality, customizable, sturdy systems that outlast and outperform the competition.”

SKU proliferation is rampant in most warehouses, causing businesses to run out of room for storing products. The new UNEX SKUBE is a powerful warehouse slotting solution that provides a detailed 3D map and analysis of the warehouse, arranging SKUs in the proper locations to maximize efficiency and ensure products flow optimally easier and faster in the order picking process.

UNEX Industrial Carts will also be displayed to show their flexibility and mobility in moving materials, parts, boxes and components from one location to another within assembly operations. Carts are available in unlimited configurations with open shelving or racks to hold cartons or parts up to 2000 lbs. and can be used individually or trained together to improve picking operations and boost productivity.

UNEX will also showcase its Roller Rack structures, which are ideal for distribution, manufacturing and retail operations where carton flow is required and there is no need to store pallets above the rack. Roller Racks are pre-configured, easy-to-assemble and ready when facilities need them. Roller Racks feature the UNEX Span-Track patented carton flow system with available wheel bed, roller lane and pallet track.  Span-Track racks with tilted trays, cantilever flow cells, and a pack station round out the demonstrated equipment.

MODEX 2018 is the expo where manufacturing and supply chain professionals go to find solutions to futureproof their business success. The highly attended conference will be held April 9 – 12 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Visit UNEX in Booths B2331 and B2337 to learn about the latest, most reliable order picking technology from UNEX that speeds throughput, maximizes space utilization and increases order fulfillment rates.

The post MODEX 2018: UNEX Innovates & Speeds Order Picking With New Solutions appeared first on Carton Flow and Order Picking Solutions from UNEX.

source http://www.unex.com/modex-2018-unex-manufacturing/

3 Material Handling Issues That Should Be On Your Radar

“The art of prophecy is very difficult,” noted Mark Twain, “especially with respect to the future.” With that in mind, we’ve been reading up on new-year insights offered by a range of industry experts, then borrowing from our Pickologists’ expertise to put together our own educated guesses about which material handling issues we might expect to contend with in over the next few years. Here are the three we found most interesting:

1. Labor: Who’s going to do the work?

The boom in e-commerce is fueling the need for more – and more qualified – warehouse workers, especially in picking and packing operations. But even at about $15 per hour, the industry average, warehouse labor is difficult to attract and even harder to retain. Fulfillment is an intense, demanding job that requires technical skills that most of the labor pool does not possess. At the same time, the increasingly complex warehouse environment demands flexibility across job functions. Turnover is high and onboarding is expensive.

In a growing economy with low unemployment, will you be able to find, recruit, train and retain the volume of qualified workers you need to staff your operations?

2. Technology: Not just better tools, better systems

Automation has been inching into the material handling industry for decades, but the trend toward advanced technology is just beginning. Expect the pace, reach and relevance of technological innovations to explode:

• Will ARC (autonomous mobile robots) morph into RaaS (Robot as a Service)?
• Will blockchain applications merge with RFID, IoT, cloud capabilities, and other mainstream technologies to build trusting supply chain relationships through transparency and traceability?
• Will AI – including iterations such as chatbots, autonomous vehicles, collaborative robots, and virtual reality motion controllers – be able to incorporate sensory abilities and deep learning techniques to tackle real-world challenges?

These futuristic advances are not far in the future. Since 2015, Amazon has hosted an annual robotic picking challenge “to develop robotics hardware and software that can recognize objects, grasp them, and move them from place to place,” says IEEE Spectrum, which a team from the Australian Centre for Robotic Vision at Queensland University of Technology won in 2017 for its custom Cartesian robot named Cartman.

The world’s largest retailer is putting its resources into creating “a smarter, faster, more consistent customer experience….” Shouldn’t you be doing the same?

3. The Perfect Order Index: When expectations meet reality

Ah, perfection, the unicorn of the fulfillment industry. We think we know what it looks like but has anyone ever actually seen it? In fact, how do we even know if is an order perfectly executed? Is it:

• When it is delivered on time and to the correct location?
• Undamaged?
• Complete and correct?
• Confirmed and documented?

Yes, at least according to the typical POI definition. But there’s more to consider:

• Is the customer happy?
• Was order placement seamless and confirmation timely?
• Was tracking data communicated clearly and correctly?
• Was the order delivered in full in a single shipment?
• Was the quality satisfactory?
• Is the return process easy?
• Is reimbursement fast and credited accurately?

Equally important, examine the order from a different perspective:

• How much did it cost to fulfill the order?
• Was expedited shipping or handling required?
• Was adequate inventory available and accessible?
• Was excess inventory on hand?
• Was payment processed accurately?
• Were there delays in transit?
• Were profit margins met and maintained?

The balance between performance and profitability is increasingly delicate and precarious. What steps are you taking to align expectations with reality at every stage of fulfillment?

So, what’s on your radar for 2018? What material handling challenges do you foresee and how do you plan to contend with them? What will perfection look like in your operation?

The post 3 Material Handling Issues That Should Be On Your Radar appeared first on Carton Flow and Order Picking Solutions from UNEX.

source http://www.unex.com/material-handling-issues-radar/

Growth in American Manufacturing

American manufacturing growth rates slowed somewhat in April 2017, but don’t count the US out yet when it comes to strength in the manufacturing sector. The Institute for Supply Chain Management reported a dip in its manufacturing index – to 54.8% in April – but that’s from a three-year high of 57.2% in March, and just slightly less than the 56.5% forecasted by economists. According to MarketWatch, “readings over 50% indicate more companies are expanding instead of shrinking.”

So what’s driving this long-overdue growth in US manufacturing? Here are five factors that experts say are providing the impetus:

1. Near-sourcing: Sourcing materials locally reduces uncertainty and exposure in the supply chain, and locating manufacturing and production in proximity to the end market reduces costs and lead times, improves agility, lessens the risk of product knockoffs, and assures greater quality and accountability.
2. Technology: Domestic manufacturers lead the way in investments in technology and training and it shows in productivity gains. Advances in automation, robotics, data collection and reporting tools, green manufacturing processes, lean manufacturing practices, and even 3D printing and prototyping materials are all enhancing productivity and reducing waste.
3. Economy: The US economy continues its steady recovery from the Great Recession, and improvements in the global economy are taking the pressure off the dollar, which improves capital vs. labor costs. The US is experiencing what Kimberly Amadeo, president of WorldMoneyWatch.com, calls “a Goldilocks economy,” with ideal rates of GDP growth, unemployment rates, and inflation/deflation.
4. Energy: Oil and gas prices are lower in the US than in virtually any other developed country, which lowers the costs of manufacturing, transportation, food and raw materials5.
5. Consumer base: The US consumer market is huge and, compared to the rest of the world, affluent. According to the most recent Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates, released in March, “Personal income increased $57.7 billion (0.4 percent) in February…, disposable personal income (DPI) increased $44.6 billion (0.3 percent) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $7.4 billion (0.1 percent).

This confluence of factors means American suppliers must be prepared to deliver parts and products to manufacturers with speed, accuracy, and efficiency- especially as unpredictable risks to supply chains increase, and more American manufacturers move to just-in-time models. That’s where we come in. UNEX has decades of experience supplying solutions to industrial distributors who keep American manufacturing companies stocked and ready to meet the demands of their consumer base. Our solutions can maximize inventory turnover to keep industrial distributors’ profits flowing. When those parts and products reach manufacturers, solutions like Flow Cell keep them stored efficiently on the line to keep manufacturers humming along.

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source http://www.unex.com/american-manufacturing-growth/