Zone picking explained
In zone picking, each picker owns an area of the warehouse. An order is picked in pieces — each zone handles its part — and the pieces come together at packing.
How it works
- The warehouse is divided into zones.
- Each picker is assigned a zone and stays in it.
- An order’s lines are split by zone. Each zone’s picker pulls only their part.
- The parts meet at the pack bench and become one shipment.
Why use zones
- No long walks — pickers never cross the whole building.
- Familiarity — a picker who works one zone all day knows every bin in it.
- Parallel work — several zones progress one big order at the same time.
Best fit
Zone picking suits larger warehouses and orders with lines spread across distant areas. A small warehouse where one picker can walk everything quickly doesn’t need it.
Combining methods
Zone picking pairs naturally with batch picking — each zone picker batches the orders passing through their area — and with wave picking for timing.
Tip: balance zones by workload, not by floor area. The fast-moving zone with all the best-sellers may be physically small but needs your quickest picker.
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