How to Layout a Warehouse or Distribution Center

Aisle Congestion Analysis

Operators per Aisle Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4 Year 5 Just like inventory congestion leads to lower productivity and higher accident rates, operator congestion in the aisles significantly reduces operating productivity and increases the likelihood of operator injury. An acceptable aisle occupancy threshold should be determined and not exceeded. Operator congestion can be reduced via zone picking, increased levels of material handling automation, zone activity balancing, intelligent slotting, task simplification. In this particular case, automation was required and justified based on the congestion factory alone; the activity per SKU was so great for such a large portion of the products that picking automation was the only feasible way forward.

World Class Warehousing™

Page 13

Copyright and Confidential | All Rights Reserved