By the time 2025 wraps up, North American companies will have invested about $8 billion in warehouse automation this year alone. That number will continue to grow, reaching about $17 billion by 2030, driven in part by the ongoing e-commerce boom, labor shortages, and the proliferation of subscription-based robotics services.
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But just because billions are flowing into warehouse automation doesn’t mean every efficiency win requires a big-ticket investment. In fact, some fairly often-overlooked and straightforward strategies can yield big results when done right. These low-lift, low-cost moves may not replace automation, but they can buy you time, improve accuracy, and make day-to-day operations run more smoothly while you plan for bigger projects.
“When we assess a warehouse, we always spot simple, low-cost fixes that make work move faster,” says Bo Thomson, director at enVista. “Something as basic as taking a mobile printer to the receiving dock instead of walking back and forth can save a surprising amount of time. Little changes like that keep the flow going.”
Thomson says the same rules apply in highly automated buildings, where you can’t just automate everything. “There will always be manual steps,” he adds, “and small adjustments here and there can make those steps much more efficient.”
Here are six small changes that can have a significant impact on your day-to-day flow:
1. Find the gaps automation misses
Automation may handle a large share of your outbound volume, but a lot of work still happens by hand. Receiving, putaway, replenishment, rack picking, and manual packing often carry the heaviest labor load. Items with batteries, liquids, or irregular packaging can’t move through autobaggers or tray systems, so they follow slower manual paths. “You still end up with all the normal work like receiving, putaway, and replenishment,” Thomson says. “Those areas need just as much attention as the automated side.”
2. Pay attention to manual packing
Manual packing can slow an operation more than most teams realize. Anything that can’t run through an autobagger or tray lid follows a hands-on workflow that adds time and touches. Products with batteries, liquids, or unusual packaging almost always land here, Thomson says, and even a few minor layout changes (or fewer steps) can speed up orders as they move through this area.
3. Cut the paperwork out
Paper slows everything down. Teams waste time flipping through printed POs, hunting for SKUs, and typing information into RF devices that could be captured with a scan. When companies add a scannable PO number and item barcode to each case, for example, it can improve receiving speed and accuracy. A simple label change upstream can eliminate extra steps on the dock and keep the product moving. “Anytime you remove writing or paperwork and scan instead of type, that’s a win,” Thomson says.
4. Reduce the miles on the floor
Walking burns more time than most teams realize. Long trips to fixed printers or distant workstations stack up fast across a shift. Mobile carts with batteries, scanners, and printers let workers bring the tools to the task instead of walking back and forth. “We’ve seen operations where 12% of the day is spent walking to a printer,” Thomson says. Better slotting helps, too. Storing fast movers closer to pick faces cuts even more steps and keeps work moving.
5. Size the pick location
Pick locations that are too big or too small, create unnecessary replenishments and wasted movement. Thomson says a good rule of thumb is to hold about 5-10 days of inventory on each pick face, then adjust based on how items actually move. Fast movers benefit from a larger, static pick face so your team isn’t constantly refilling it. Slower or seasonal items can sit in dynamic locations and come down only when needed. “Proper location sizing keeps product where it belongs and cuts extra steps,” he adds.
6. Put the right supplies within reach
Well-organized pack stations help workers stay focused and keep orders moving. When the most commonly used box sizes and materials are within easy reach, for instance, you can cut down on unnecessary steps and interruptions. “If your smaller boxes are always moving, keep a pallet of them right by the pack stations,” Thomson advises. “Prioritize the materials your team uses most so everything they need is already at their stations.”
As you can see, efficiency improvements don’t always require new systems, robotics, or major investments. Sometimes they come from assessing how work actually gets done and questioning routines that have been in place for years. “How we’ve always done it” can mask many minor delays and extra steps that add up over time. Revisit those habits regularly to catch small problems before they slow your operation down.
