The key function of a distribution center is getting product out to customers, which makes order picking and packaging vital steps in the material handling process. In the fast-paced world of e-commerce, efficient and accurate order fulfillment allows businesses to meet the expectations of the purchasing public, who have a wealth of options regarding where to shop. It’s also critical to operating omni channel warehouses, which handle orders from various sources.
Picking and packing operations must be quick and precise to keep pace with demand. Modern customers are accustomed to receiving online orders within days or even hours. And they also expect their orders to be correct—otherwise, that’s a reason to consider taking their business elsewhere. This blog will highlight the benefits of automating picking and packing—and even potentially streamlining them into a single pick-and-pack step—including limiting errors, reducing waste, and speeding up order fulfillment.
Challenges of Manual Fulfillment
Many warehouses still rely on manual labor to pick items and package orders. This is physically demanding, time-consuming, and a breeding ground for errors. Every touchpoint is an opportunity for an item mispick, worker injury, or product damage. And complicated order profiles or packaging requirements can result in bottlenecks and slowdowns. Amid rising labor costs and a shallow hiring pool, manual picking and packing operations are difficult and expensive to staff fully.
In fact, picking and packing can be a black hole regarding operational costs. Slower order fulfillment due to the time spent walking from good to good to pick an order or time spent finding the right packaging material and carefully packing an order limit the overall volume of orders a facility can handle daily. Additionally, inaccurate order picking or incomplete order information may result in packaging errors, which generate packaging waste and order returns. All of these pain points create unnecessary costs and are environmentally wasteful.
Manual methods are especially complex and error-prone if your warehouse handles multiple types of packaging, whether that be the shape, size, and rigidity of the container or the branding on the packaging. With automation solutions that route orders based on packaging requirements, these issues can be all but eliminated.
Another challenge of manual fulfillment lies in sustainability and regulatory compliance. Manually right-sizing packaging, minimizing void fill, and optimizing box dimensions for each order is nearly impossible to execute consistently at scale. As a result, packages often exceed acceptable thresholds for dead air space, making it harder to meet internal sustainability benchmarks or comply with external packaging regulations. In high-volume environments, these inefficiencies compound into increased shipping costs, excess material use, and missed ESG targets.
How Automation Elevates Picking and Packing Operations
TGW Logistics designs automation solutions that address the common downfalls of manual material handling. Learn more about our state-of-the-art technology and how it can optimize your picking and packaging operations.
TGW Logistics’ FlashPick system is channel-agnostic, meaning it can manage orders from any distribution channel at any time. Conveyor loops feed each ergonomic picking station and can buffer and prioritize orders to achieve peak efficiency. Pickers can fluidly transition from picking into a tote that will then be packaged into a polybag, right to picking the next order directly into the box in which it will be shipped. Goods are delivered to picking stations perfectly sequenced by order, reducing mispicks, and then unused items are returned to storage in shuttle aisles. And FlashPick is dynamic and flexible, allowing quick SKU changes as needed.
TGW Logistics designs packaging systems that are either semi-automated or fully automated, depending on your warehouse needs. These solutions prepare boxes or other containers for shipment and either prompt a manual worker or pack the shipment without requiring another touchpoint. Automating the packing process limits packaging waste, makes it easy to include special inserts or branding, and even reduces the amount of dead air space in each box.
Our PackChain technology offers flexible modules to support a range of picking and packing strategies. PackChain Assemble builds boxes on site in predetermined sizes, feeding them directly to PickCenter One workstations for efficient order picking. PackChain Reduce then evaluates how full each box is and cuts it down to minimize excess volume and eliminate dead air space. Finally, PackChain Lid applies a secure lid, removing the need for manual folding and taping. Together, these modules streamline the packing workflow while enhancing both presentation and sustainability.
TGW Logistics also integrates with a wide array of third-party technologies. Whether your operation uses automated polybagging systems or advanced right-sized packaging equipment, we can incorporate any solution into your automated workflow for maximum flexibility and performance.
The beauty of combining TGW Logistics' FlashPick goods-to-person (GTP) system with our PackChain modules is the ability to create a true single-step pick-and-pack flow. In this setup, a right-sized box is first assembled using PackChain Assemble, then routed to a PickCenter One workstation. There, a single worker picks items directly into the final shipping box. From there, the box travels automatically to PackChain Reduce, which cuts it down to the minimal viable size, and PackChain Lid, which secures it for shipment. What would typically require two or three workers and multiple handoffs is executed by one person in a single streamlined step—driving efficiency, reducing labor dependency, and minimizing packaging waste.
Software Integration for Seamless Operations
While physical warehouse automation equipment transports goods from point A to point B, warehouse management system (WMS) software and warehouse execution system (WES) software are the nervous systems that direct this movement. Our integrated software automatically optimizes order fulfillment and sends all necessary information, items, and packaging materials to picking and packing stations. It offers managers real-time visibility to reduce mispicks and communicates with inventory control to guarantee accuracy. This is essential for the seamless operation of diverse e-commerce and omni channel distribution centers.
Industry Benefits and Case Examples
TGW Logistics has partnered with companies across various industries to design their ideal combination of picking and packing automation solutions. And we’ve seen the extraordinary benefit automating this process can have.
Facilities manually managing the flow of retail and consumer goods often struggle to respond to high-volume seasonal peaks or meet sudden demand when an item goes viral. Automation enables easy processing of a range of SKUs and packaging types, with smart sequencing reducing the opportunity for error.
Safe handling is not an option but an absolute necessity in grocery and cold chain logistics. Reducing touchpoints results in less damage and spoilage, while swiftly transporting and appropriately packaging perishable products helps facilities maintain compliance with federal and local food safety guidelines.
Warehouses that handle industrial goods, spare parts, and other equipment typically process a comprehensive range of SKUs and products of all different sizes. Automating industrial logistics material flow equips these facilities to deftly transition from packing small polybags to large boxes from order to order. Automated accuracy checks eliminate mispicks.
TGW Logistics Expertise
At TGW Logistics, we know that automation is an ongoing partnership reaching towards the future and not a slapdash solution. We work with businesses to audit their current processes, identify problem areas, and assess their goals. Based on this data and our conversations, we’ll help you design your ideal tech stack, combining warehouse automation equipment, software, and process design for optimal results.
Our relationship won’t be over once the last piece of technology has been installed; our solutions can be supported with Lifetime Services, so you’ll always have the technical support, employee training, and software upgrades you need to keep your warehouse moving as efficiently as possible.
Enhance Your Fulfillment Processes With TGW Logistics
The ease of an automated picking and packaging process will undoubtedly impact your warehouse: goods will move more fluidly, labor costs will go down, and less packaging waste will be produced. But keep in mind that your end customer will also see the end results of these material handling steps. Efficient picking and packing drive customer satisfaction by reducing the time between pressing “Buy Now” and receiving their package. Customer satisfaction breeds loyalty, which is priceless when many choices are available.
Ready to reduce waste and speed up fulfillment? Contact TGW Logistics to optimize your picking and packing operations today.
TGW Logistics is a foundation-owned company headquartered in Austria and a global leader in warehouse automation and warehouse logistics. As a trusted systems integrator with more than 50 years of experience, we deliver end-to-end services: designing, implementing, and maintaining fulfillment centers powered by mechatronics, robotics, and advanced software solutions. With over 4,500 employees spanning Europe, Asia, and North America, we combine expertise, innovation, and a customer-centric dedication to help keep your business growing. With TGW Logistics, it's possible to transform your warehouse logistics into a competitive advantage.
