Warehouse and distribution companies often need to hold many SKUs and pick faces in a small space. To find the best method, however, each operation needs to be looked at separately and business processes, products and goals considered. This is exactly how we were able to recently help a customer in the Tampa / St. Petersburg area that needed hundreds of different product groupings immediately accessible due to constant additional put away or picking operations. The company was utilizing 18”x18”x18” boxes in their existing pallet rack to handle this staging. This led to wasted space behind the front row and long travel time for operators to complete the required picks.

The solution our team implemented was a SpeedCell System. This revolutionary storage system turned their unused rack space into a high-density picking area. The system consists of rows of columns that are subdivided into smaller cells with unique location data. The columns are suspended from a steel track that integrated into their existing pallet rack. Columns are easily moved side to side to allow access to the additional rows of storage columns located behind them.

Increase Storage Density

The SpeedCell system is scalable, customizable and easy to use and install. With this system, the client greatly increased storage density, allowing them to consolidate what was being stored in a complete row of pallet racking into three 8-foot bays. This consolidation greatly reduced travel time and labor requirements for both picking and put away operations. By improving the utilization of rack space, our client can continue to grow in their existing facility, as they were previously running out of space.

Faster Picking

Our customer found that the SpeedCell system worked especially well for their small items. The smaller, more numerous pick faces also allowed them to change how they store the product. Previously, they stored in larger groups, requiring the operator to dig through the box to pick out the items needed. With the additional storage locations, they are now able to store in more precise groupings. This resulted in less touches to find one or two pieces, reducing digging and improving efficiency.

Client Satisfaction

The success of the initial three-bay test system has resulted in our client requesting twelve additional bays of the SpeedCell system. These new bays will be used for different processes than the original. Since multiple designs are available with varying sizes and number of cells, we’ll use the best option to meet their needs.

Our customer is extremely happy with the improvements they have received in their operations for density and can’t wait for the additional bays to be installed and utilized.

If your facility needs to increase storage capacity, increase operational efficiency, or you’re worried about outgrowing your facility, contact us. We can help you explore a variety of options and figure out the solution that will work best for you.

Author: Sean Struve