“Boxes and Voids”

I have often reminded students and colleagues that, as we diagram the flow of products and orders through manufacturing and warehousing processes, it is important to capture the reverse flow of empty containers. In handling units moved, this flow can be as great as the forward flow.

Another frequently overlooked, but significant, flow is that of shipping cartons making their way to the first picking location.

There seems to be a prevailing attitude that anytime a picker, or stocker has some time available, it should be used to make a supply of shipping cartons for use during busy periods. Unfortunately, empty boxes are bulky and don’t stack very well. This common practice usually leads to messy stacks tucked into every available corner.

I have always thought of this as primarily a poor use of space. But, recently, I began counting the number of times that these boxes are handled before any product is placed in them. It is often in the range of 4-6. For single line orders, the empty box handling is often equal to the picking time.

Try the count for yourself, and you may be surprised.

The solution? Make it when you need it

I have seen several approaches that minimize the space and time consumption of empty box handling.

• For starters, evaluate the trade-off of having the picker make his, or her own carton as needed from a supply of knocked down cartons along the pick face. Cartons with self-forming bottoms, although more expensive, make this a fast task for the picker.
• In consumer direct operations, it is common to pick products into carts, or totes and bring them to packing stations. A big advantage is that the operator can select the most appropriate size box, or bag based on visual check of the order’s cube and shape.
• An extension of this concept batches orders based on their packaging requirement and they can be taken to a station that specializes in that package size.
• Where small single line orders are the norm, this concept has been further developed into an automated packing line with carton erectors feeding filling stations, followed by automated taping and labeling machines.

Letting the air out of the box

Based on current carrier and service level selection, many of us have been led to believe that a somewhat oversized box is the simplest solution, and has no shipping cost penalty. This is often true. But, there is a cost to add dunnage, and hassle for the customer to remove it.

• Continuously re-evaluate order sizes and real customer service requirements to ensure that we are using the most cost effective shipping mode. Make sure that the carton itself is not driving the choice.
• Look for alternative packaging that conforms to the product size, and yet still provides adequate protection.
• Standards, such as CD mailers and Jiffy packs may provide both a shipping cost and packaging savings.
• Wrap-around packages, like Amazon uses, handle a range of order cube while eliminating voids and protecting the products.

Empty boxes may be the least glamorous aspect of warehousing, but may be among our best opportunities for improvement.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James M. Apple, Jr. is a Director in The Progress Group. Prior to co-founding The Progress Group in 1991, he was a Partner with Coopers & Lybrand's SysteCon division. During 1992-1995 he served as a Senior Systems Advisor with Vanderlande Industries, a major conveyor and systems provider in Europe.

Jim is an internationally recognized thought leader in the area of facility design and integrated distribution systems. His contributions to the improvement of distribution practices have been recognized by his receipt of the prestigious Reed-Apple Award, which is given for lifetime contributions to the advancement of the material handling profession. Jim has also received the Institute of Industrial Engineers' Facilities Planning and Design Award. He has written numerous articles and handbook chapters on warehousing and logistics operations and is a popular speaker on logistics seminar and conference programs.

Prior to SysteCon, Jim worked as an Industrial Engineer with IBM, was Supervisor of Facilities Planning for the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors and was Executive Vice President for an automotive aftermarket parts supplier. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.