Order Picking and Replenishment
Order picking and replenishment are closely connected processes that have a major impact on warehouse efficiency. While order picking ensures products are delivered to customers on time, replenishment keeps picking locations stocked and ready for continuous operation.
Finding the right balance between manual operations and automation, as well as the right storage systems, will help you save time and costs while increasing efficiency
A critical process for efficiency
Order picking is the most labour-intensive process in virtually every warehouse. It is also the process where small improvements have the biggest impact, simply because an action performed hundreds of times a day can be done hundreds of times faster or slower.
And it does not stand alone. Picking can only continue if replenishment is taking place. If replenishment is delayed, the picker faces an empty location. If replenishment occurs at the wrong time, the replenishment truck and the picker stand waiting for each other in the same aisle. These two processes cannot be viewed in isolation.
Logisnext, therefore, looks at both: how orders are picked, how locations are replenished, and how these two flows relate to each other. This determines which equipment fits, which racking systems belong with it, and where the layout matters the most.
Due to the importance of saving time in this particular process, it is recommended to consider a mixed fleet approach. A combination of manual order picking and AGV automation can be the most effective solution, as human operators provide the flexibility and decision-making needed for efficient order fulfilment, while AGVs handle repetitive support tasks such as pallet removal and replenishment delivery.
Managed by FleetController, AGVs are continuously optimised to maintain a smooth and safe material flow, improving productivity, housekeeping, and overall operational efficiency.
Suitable vehicles for order picking and replenishment
Automated Compact Truck (ACT)
The Automated Compact Truck (ACT) is ideal for heavy-duty lifting in narrow spaces. With a strong hydraulic unit, ACT can lift heavy loads up to 6 m in aisles as narrow as 2.6 m. ACT is developed with optimal automation in mind. This means harmonious interaction between AGVs and manual operations, with all systems seamlessly communicating and sharing tasks.The vehicle's touchscreen is highly responsive, with fast haptics and excellent visibility from different angles. With instructive colour-coded information, the information is conveyed quickly and clearly. LED fins on both sides of the vehicle serve as turn signals and indicate the state of ACT from a distance, improving communication with warehouse personnel.ACT meets the ISO 3691-4 safety standard requirement. It has comprehensive safety features like 360° safety fields and side clearance monitoring. By signalling its status with lights and sound, ACT makes the warehouse work safer and more efficient. Proximity detection allows AGVs, forklifts and people with tags to detect each other without a direct line of sight, slowing the vehicle down and stopping if necessary.ACT is the winner of the iF Design Award 2024, the Red Dot Design Award 2024 and the Automation Product Innovation of the Year Archie's Award 2024.
- Available as forkover and counterbalance
- Lifting up to 6 m
- Can operate in 2.6 m-wide aisles
- Fits in existing warehouse logistics
- Responsive user interface
- Designed to collaborate with manual operations
Order Picker OPB12-25N2 Series
Despite its ultracompact size, our VELiA ES range of low level order pickers is packed with smart features that will have your operations running more efficiently, productively and reliably. Oh, and safer, too.Its energy efficiency is top of its class. It's 14% more efficient than its closest competitor meaning you can work as leanly as possible. And its market-leading ergonomics mean your operators will be as comfortable (and productive) as possible – even through the longest shifts.But, if that weren't enough, at the heart of every VELiA ES model is hyper-intelligent software that moulds the truck's behaviour to your operator and your operations for performance that is consistently easier, steadier and safer.With drive speeds of up to 13 km/h, VELiA ES is sure to pick up the pace of your operations… whichever model you choose (standard, rising platform [P], rising fork [F] and scissor lift [X]).
- 1.2–2.5 Tonnes
- 24 Volts
- AC-power
Order Picker OPBH12PH & OPBM10P Series
At Logisnext, our designers love a challenge. And, as any warehouse manager knows, there's no greater one than order picking. Every second counts in this labour-intensive task. The result? VELiA EX. This high-efficiency range of mid and high-level order pickers has been engineered to scale the heights of productivity.Exceptionally high visibility? Yes, thanks to our MaxVision mast and ClearView overhead guard. Ultimate reliability? Yes. With our VELiA EX mid and high-level order pickers – including a high-performance 48 V-model with unbeatable 1250 kg capacity, you can expect practically perfect picking.Outstanding comfort features? Of course. Like every Mitsubishi Forklift Truck order picker, it's got those crucial differences which never fail to impress operators (or their employers).
- 1.0–1.2 Tonnes
- 24 / 48 Volts
- AC-power
Order Picker OPBL10P Series
In order picking, where the pressure is on, trucks are put to the test. And only the strongest survive. And our VELiA EM range of second-level order pickers is just that. Developed for efficient and safe picking, this 1000 kg workhorse does more than protect your operators… it works harmoniously with them, too.Take its ultra-low step height. At just 160 mm, it's up to 45% lower than some competitors. But, more than that, it significantly reduces your operator's efforts, as well as the risk of slips, trips and falls. And then there's VELiA EM's wide entry. At 603 mm wide, it can accommodate drivers of all sizes in comfort.But that sort of intelligent thinking doesn't stop when you're in the compartment, either. Its Operator Presence Sensor covers a wide area. Because it serves as a dead man's switch, it eliminates a potential trip hazard… while allowing your pickers to move freely in the spacious cabin.Developed to unlock your picking potential, two basic configurations are available – offering lift heights of 1200 mm and 1800 mm – which can be tailored to your drivers and your operations.
- 1.0 Tonnes
- 24 Volts
- AC-power
Priorities right
Order picking
In order picking, the majority is spent on moving goods to the location, between locations, and at the end, back to the drop-off point.
The biggest opportunities for improvement are rarely found in increasing truck speed. Instead, they come from reducing the distance travelled per order line.
Optimising warehouse layouts by placing fast-moving items closer to picking areas, locating frequently ordered items together, grouping products strategically, creating efficient one-way picking routes, and introducing automation where possible can significantly reduce travel time. These low-cost improvements can deliver immediate gains in productivity without requiring additional equipment.
Replenishment
In many warehouses, storage is divided into two areas: a picking zone where orders are collected and a stock zone where reserve inventory is stored. The movement of goods between these areas, is just as critical to performance as the picking process itself.
A common mistake is treating replenishment as a secondary task. When replenishment happens too late, pickers encounter empty locations, causing delays and incomplete orders. When it takes place during active picking, reach trucks and order pickers can end up sharing the same aisle, creating congestion and unnecessary waiting time.
In mixed fleet environments, these challenges can be minimised through seamless coordination between manual and automated equipment. FleetController enables dynamic area reservation for specific vehicles and tasks, while Route Optimizer continuously identifies busy aisles and reroutes AGVs accordingly.
The importance of racking
Equipment and racking go hand in hand in order picking. The shape of your picking zone determines how many locations a picker passes per meter, and therefore how many meters he covers for the same number of lines.
For small items, rack systems are often the most practical choice: many locations in a small area, with shelves adjustable in 25-millimeter increments so you can tailor the compartment height to your items. For items with high turnover or strict shelf life requirements, gravity roller racks and flow racks work well because you restock on one side and pick on the other: the picker no longer encounters restocking traffic. And if you run up against the limits of your floor space, a mezzanine floor is a way to create a second picking level without expanding the building.
Which combination fits depends on your items, line volume, and turnover rate. We work this out in the warehouse layout and select the shelving units that match the chosen picking method.
Complete your solution
Ready to reach more order lines per hour?
Do you want to know where time is being lost in your picking process? Our experts are happy to review it with you.
Together, we review your order lines, items, and equipment, and determine which combination of layout, racking, and trucks yields the best results.