Ask Rick
Task Interleaving Question
Hey Rick,
I toured a major household appliance distribution center recently. They had just completed the implementation of a Task Interleaving and Optimization project in their 600,000 square foot warehouse and they expect impressive benefits. As a midsize foodservice distributor we manage 75,000 square feet of space and I am not sure those same benefits will scale equally in our warehouse. What advice would you have for us as we evaluate the use of Interleaving in our warehouse operations?
Rick's Answer
J.W.,
Industry consultants often tout the following potential savings associated with Task Interleaving and Optimization:
- A 25-30% reduction in Deadheading
- 15-20% gain in worker Productivity
- 5-15% overall savings in Labor Cost
Unfortunately, those savings will not be available to all distributors and due to your warehouse size and your type of business, the opportunity for savings is fairly limited. Some of the factors include:
- The layout of the warehouse
- Common use of equipment
- A mixture of work that will create two-way traffic
Often specific equipment is used in different areas of the warehouse for various tasks or for differing types of storage. It is not uncommon for distributors to split the workload by shift, conducting the majority of certain tasks on specific shifts. Physical separation of storage areas may exist to provide more efficient use of space or to meet environmental requirements. These things will likely reduce the opportunity for savings associated with Task Interleaving. The greatest opportunity for savings related to Deadheading will be found in operations that primarily handle full pallets or bulk product.
Based on the information you provided and my knowledge of the foodservice industry I believe the savings potential in your warehouse associated with Task Interleaving is limited. You likely have three distinct areas of storage (freezer, cooler, dry) and some restrictions on people and equipment working in these areas. I would imagine your inbound and outbound work load is heavily weighted by shift. While the inbound side of your business may have a high percentage of full pallet activity, the vast majority of your work on the outbound side is probably case pick. In a 75,000 square foot warehouse your opportunity for savings from a reduction in Deadheading will likely be marginal.
Take note—there are Task Interleaving or related savings available that you should consider. If you have inbound loads of largely full pallets with the same product, you may consider interleaving the receiving and put-away process to pick up some efficiency and clear the dock sooner. When picking outbound orders, consider interleaving empty bin cycle counts. This is the most efficient count you can do in the warehouse. If you have aisles that require specific types of equipment in which to operate such as narrow aisle equipment, consider the use of Drop Points. This will promote a more effective use of equipment and reduce wear and tear.
Thanks for your question as this a very intriguing topic on the minds of many distributors.
Rick Register, industry veteran and President of Cambar Solutions, welcomes your questions.
Email your question to Rick today!