Designing Minds

It’s a quandary as old as the records storage business itself: order picker or catwalk? Both records center design options offer potential advantages and drawbacks as far as efficiency and cost are concerned.

SDB magazine has asked two industry veterans—Louis Weiner, president of Brooklyn, N.Y.-based CitiStorage and catwalk proponent, and Michael

Records storage businesses, past and present, have focused on density. With catwalk racking giving owners 14 percent to 16 percent greater density than order picking, its supporters believe that this maximized capacity potential alone should lead to an increase in storage volume and, thus, an increase in storage revenue.

But is density really all that matters? What about costs and consequences for customers and staff?

Like any new system, installing an order picker configuration involves initial capital outlay and cash flow. What catwalk supporters are not always aware of is that the cost to supply and install an order picker system is lower per box than the cost of a catwalk system. In fact, a catwalk system, including the necessary rack sprinklers, lighting and elevators, costs more than twice as much to fully install than an order picker system. That’s twice the capital for an average of 15 percent more storage capacity.

An order picker configuration also has a significant impact on ongoing costs, with the per-box cost of handling significantly less than that of a catwalk system. Much of this is because of a reduction in staff costs. A catwalk configuration can require staff to be positioned on or near each floor of the facility to cope with demand, even at off-peak periods when there is no demand. The order picker patiently waits for work, 24 hours per day, seven days per week, without a salary, vacation or annual holidays. Its only requirement is a little maintenance, which can be planned around off-peak periods.

Close supervision is paramount to the efficient and effective operation of any records management business. Monitoring, inspecting and auditing are integral to the competency of the business and its aim of meeting customer expectations that information is safe, secure and readily attainable. A catwalk system may require management on each concealed level to ensure the delivery and service model is upheld. With an order picker system, fewer staff can more easily supervise an entire facility. The very nature of an order picker facility, with the wide aisles needed for pickers to operate properly, allows straightforward supervision from the ground floor. Aisles must be a minimum of 330 feet and designed to allow supervisors and management to easily observe the entire aisle. The clear visual lines and unimpeded access to boxes lead to fewer audit issues and a minimum of lost or misplaced boxes. What’s more, staff in an order picker environment work with the knowledge that they cannot simply disappear among a rack of boxes.

A second benefit inherent to an order picker system is the uncluttered and clean work environment. An order picker cannot travel through an aisle where half a day’s activity is still on the floor or where boxes and files are hanging out of their locations because staff members are tired or disinterested. This clean environment not only reflects customer’s expectations but also is easier to supervise and to work in, encouraging staff to maintain efficiency, focus and productivity.

The traditional approach of a catwalk operator at times of peak demand is to throw more personnel into high demand requests. This make-do solution can lead to two problems. The first derives from the use of casual personnel, untrained and often careless about mistakes, which eventually lead to customer dissatisfaction. The second derives from the transfer of permanent staff from their regular activities, which again has negative consequences for customer service.

The sheer capacity of an order picker enables it to rise easily to the challenge of increased demand. When box movement is high, the order picker and operator can be transported at speeds of up to 7.5 miles per hour—more than twice the speed of the average walker. Add this to its ability to transport bigger loads of boxes, and it’ s simple to see that at peak times, as well as at everyday levels of demand, the order picker offers faster and more accurate customer fulfilment.

We cannot forget the human element that drives any records management facility. Whether we use an order picker system or a catwalk system, we must value and reward our staff with the best possible working environment, not just to increase efficiency, but also to meet their needs as people. One of the greatest rewards of the order picker system is that it offers a better working environment for staff. Operators based in an order picker environment are only exposed to heat or cold for a short time, if at all. There is no kneeling on grated floors, no bending or lifting from overhead heights to low pallets or trolleys and no equipment to drag around. All these things immediately improve a staff member’s quality of life.

The benefits of an order picker system can be clearly expressed not only in terms of dollars and cents, but also in terms of productivity, customer service fulfilment and staff contentment. The advantages of order picker should speak volumes to all businesses of significant operational size and should be considered as a cost-effective, efficient racking solution.