Send them packing Jan 1, 2008 12:00 PM
, By W. Eric Martin
JobZone
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Then there are the numerous mini packing holdups that can translate into one big headache.
Want
to save time? One way is to rewrap fragile items like teapots or coffee
cups with bubble wrap while they're still on the warehouse floor.
“It's
more time up front, but the order clock isn't running,” Kuipers says.
“Any time you can save time in the pack station, it's a good
investment.”
Another
benefit of prewrapping fragile items is that you avoid inconsistent
wrapping styles, which can save on materials and reduce damage to
products.
How do you determine the right amount of bubble wrap to use? Test it — by mailing a couple of packages to yourself.
It also pays to install computer terminals and scanners at each packing station.
“The
packer scans the order, then each item as it goes into the box,”
Kuipers says. “It's rarely reliable to have someone read the order and
check off each item, because they're thinking about packing.”
Still another labor-saving device is to divide the job among multiple employees.
“The
most efficient places I've seen don't require the packer to add the
dunnage and close the box,” Kuipers says. Instead, the packer puts the
box on a conveyor.
“Another
person handles dunnage for 10 to 18 feeders, then puts the filled boxes
into a taping machine,” he explains. “The 10 to 30 seconds that a
packer would invest in each box is moved into one streamlined function.”
This set-up also gets the boxes away from the packers more quickly — a good thing during peak times.
And how do you handle products requiring special attention — such as skis, canoe paddles and throw rugs?
“You
don't want these items handled by a new worker,” Teres says. “Have one
or two specialized packing stations with workers trained in these
difficult-to-pack items, and you'll have a better chance of the
packages arriving as customers want to see them.”
He adds: “The secret is in the sort. Sort the easy orders and give them to new people.”
But don't expect miracles.
“There's
rarely a silver bullet that's going to double your packing number,”
Kuipers notes. “But you can improve it by taking pressure off regular
packing. Skim off as much work as you can with high-productivity
techniques. If you can double or triple the productivity on just 20% of
your orders, it can be a huge difference.”
Finally,
you might consider adding more packing stations, assuming you have the
space. “Most companies don't, but space is inexpensive compared to not
getting orders to customers,” Teres says.
W. Eric Martin is a freelance writer based in Concord, NH.
Present tense
WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO HANDLE GIFT-WRAPPING?
“Do away with it,” says Wayne Teres, president of Teres Consulting. “Seriously, it's a nightmare.
And what if that's not possible, given the goods you sell and the kind of service you want to provide?
Then go for it. But remember that it's a time-consuming job.
“A good gift-wrapper can wrap maybe four to 15 packages an hour,” says Teres. “It's a slow process.”
HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO SPEED IT UP.
First,
add stand-alone wrapping stations with extra-large work surfaces to the
packing assembly line and have pickers deliver orders that require full
or partial wrapping to these stations. Doing so means that you don't
have to install gift wrap and bows at every station.
Next,
place trained gift wrappers on these stations to ensure a consistent
look. “Customers are paying extra, so you want it to be good looking,”
Teres says.
Another trick is to eliminate the gift
wrap itself and use boxes that are decorated to look like they've been
wrapped. This option is ideal if your products are relatively uniform —
such as clothing or books. — WEM
No-stress boxing
Like
everything else, packing often forces you to think on your feet. You
have to be aware of potential ergonomic issues and address them as
quickly as possible.
For
example, switching to a carton-sealing machine from individual tape
guns will reduce the repetitive motion of taping while increasing the
speed of boxes passing through the system. Too many firms realize that
only after there's a problem.
Issues often hide where you least expect them. PrintingForLess.com
once used double-corrugated boxes because “paper products are easily
demolished on the way to customers,” says production manager Krystal
Cipriani. “But it caused carpal tunnel issues, so we switched to double
boxing (a box inside a box) and haven't had any issues.” — WEM
