Illustrative examples

Case Studies

The scenarios below are anonymized and composited from patterns we have encountered across different engagements. They are meant to illustrate the type of situation and general approach, not to represent a specific client or guaranteed outcome.

Rows of storage racking inside a regional distribution center
Layout

Regional distribution center: reorganizing without new racking

A mid-size distribution facility had grown its SKU count considerably over several years, with new products added to whatever open shelf space happened to be available. Pickers were regularly crossing back and forth across the building for orders that combined fast-moving and slow-moving items.

General approach: A slotting review grouped items by pick frequency and typical order combinations, then reorganized placement using the existing racking footprint. Staff noted shorter, more predictable pick routes after the change settled in.

Warehouse supervisor walking an aisle checking labeled storage locations
Scheduling

Cold storage facility: aligning shifts with delivery windows

A cold storage operation ran a standard three-shift schedule that had not changed in years, even though inbound deliveries had shifted heavily toward early morning and late evening arrivals. Midday staff often had light workloads while early and late shifts felt stretched.

General approach: Reviewing several months of inbound and outbound timestamps allowed shift start times to be adjusted and staggered breaks introduced. The facility reported a more even workload across the day after a trial period.

Close-up of a worker scanning a barcode label on a shelf using a handheld device
Inventory Visibility

E-commerce fulfillment center: closing the gap between system and shelf

A fulfillment center already used a warehouse management system, but staff often found discrepancies between what the system reported and what physically sat on the shelf, leading to repeated manual checks during picking.

General approach: Rather than replacing the system, the engagement focused on cycle counting habits, exception reporting, and clearer location labeling. Discrepancy checks during picking became less frequent as data quality improved.

Whiteboard covered with a hand-drawn staff shift schedule and sticky notes
Peak Planning

Multi-client 3PL warehouse: preparing for a known seasonal peak

A third-party logistics provider handled a predictable seasonal spike each year for one of its retail clients, but had historically responded by adding overtime shifts on short notice.

General approach: Building a temporary layout for overflow staging and a staffing plan ahead of the season, based on the prior year's pattern, allowed the facility to plan additional hours in advance rather than reacting week to week.

These summaries are simplified and generalized for illustration. Actual engagements vary based on facility size, product mix, and existing systems, and outcomes depend on factors specific to each operation.

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