The SupplyChainBrain Podcast Boosting Warehouse Efficiency: It’s Not Just About Automation
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Sep 26, 2025 In this engaging talk, Norm Sains, a partner and managing director at St. Ange Company with a focus on supply chain engineering, shares insights on warehouse efficiency. He reveals that 80% of U.S. warehouses still rely on manual processes, emphasizing effective strategies beyond automation. Norm discusses optimizing receiving and put-away processes, maximizing labor savings through better slotting techniques, and the importance of ergonomics in packing. He also highlights innovative approaches to task interleaving, replenishment, and storage density, advocating for smart, cost-effective improvements.
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Zone Inventory To Shorten Put-Away
- Zone the warehouse by velocity so fast movers sit closer and lower to reduce put-away travel.
- Use WMS-directed put-away and clear barcodes to keep operators efficient.
Use WMS Task Interleaving
- Use WMS features like task interleaving to assign retrievals while operators perform other tasks.
- Leverage existing legacy WMS capabilities before buying new automation.
Optimize Picking With Slotting And Batching
- Move from single-order street picking to batch picking and forward pick zones to cut walking.
- Slot by velocity and ergonomics to reduce travel, bending, and labor by up to ~25%.