In a busy warehouse, the packing bench is at the heart of order processing.
An efficient warehouse is where goods arrive to be stored on shelves and flow out via the packing station as smoothly as possible. The best packing station tools and equipment ensure that the order packing and dispatch process is carried out as efficiently as possible with no delays.
Purpose built
Ideally, a packing station should be purpose-built to exactly fit the requirements of the business. The packing bench supplier will make benches to custom sizes to fit the available space. Packing tools such as tape, paper, bubble wrap and boxes need to be stored within easy reach, The packing bench can have a bottom shelf or shelves next to the packing bench to hold materials.
More than one packing bench
Many packaging stations can benefit from having more than one packing bench. Warehouses handling high order volumes may employ more than one packer, each with their own packing bench. Sometimes part orders arrive at the packing station or there are damaged items. A packing bench can be a temporary storage space for these unprocessed items, or shelving can be used for this.
Hardwearing
Packing benches get a lot of use so need to be strong and durable. Choose British-made benches manufactured from strong tubular steel that can stand heavy weights and constant use. If a packing bench is damaged, this can result in costly delays while a replacement is found.
Warehouse management systems
People working on packing benches require access to the warehouse management system via a computer or tablet. These devices need a stand attached to the packing bench. A good warehouse management system tracks the flow of all goods, from arrival at the warehouse, yo packing, dispatch and tracking the order journey to the customer’s delivery address.
The positioning of the packing benches
The obvious best place for packing benches is as near to the stored goods as possible. The journey from picking goods to the packing station needs to be short. Some warehouses store goods in high demand closer to the packing benches, and less in-demand goods further away. This shortens the average distance that pickers travel. In warehouses that handle thousands of items a day, storing regularly ordered items near the packing benches can save considerable time.
Speed and efficiency
Online customers have come to expect speedy deliveries, often demanding that goods are received the day after ordering. To fulfil this demand requires every aspect of the warehouse logistics system to be optimised for maximum efficiency. Systems need to be developed that process orders quickly. Every item of warehouse equipment – the picking trolleys, shelving system and packing benches – should be of the highest quality, designed well and built to last.
Employees working on the packing bench need the right materials and tools and have easy access to them. A good packing station enables workers to efficiently and securely pack items very quickly ready to be placed on the delivery vehicles.
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