etail and catalog operations are segregated at this high-volume flat goods/apparel facility through an ingenious mirror-image design, which enables efficient sharing of resources in common value-added services (VAS), sorting, and shipping areas. A WMS helps maintain tight control over operations, integrating the requirements for VAS into the pick scheme for the efficient flow of orders. Incoming goods arrive on pallets and are staged at the receiving dock before traveling to either the catalog or retail goods storage area, consisting of 4-level-high singledeep pallet rack. The racks are used to replenish forward pick areas. This dual-sided pick-to-belt operation consists of both carton and pallet flow rack with a powered takeaway conveyor. The two lines (retail and catalog) merge, and the vast majority of orders then travel to the VAS area for ticketing and theft tagging and then sortation. Store orders are diverted to specific shipping lanes equipped with palletizing stations.

• SKUs are automatically assigned a random storage location, based on slotting criteria such as batching opportunities, travel paths, SKU velocity, and company or retail location

• Use of 3-deep push back rack in combination with traditional pallet rack provides dense storage for fast-moving items that require depth of inventory

• If the number of fast-moving goods increases, a mirror image of one of the forward pick lines could be installed, creating more pick locations for high-velocity SKUS and reducing congestion

• The WMS automatically determines the most efficient pick path, based on travel paths, inventory levels, and location of personnel and equipment

• WMS supports value-added services through Intelligent Script Process Management, which walks an employee through the exact steps of the process

• Mixed use of both carton and pallet flow rack in forward picking areas allows for increased depth of inventory and fewer replenishments of extremely fast-moving items

Facility Layout

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