Carton flow

Carton Flow is a form of shelving that uses a gravity-feed rear load design. Each unit consists of one or more inclined runways.Merchandise is loaded in the rear of each runway. As an item isremoved from the front, the item directly behind it slides forward inplace of the previous. cite web
publisher= | title=Description
url=http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202004/5-24-04.htm]

Put simply, the main advantage of carton flow rack over static rack or shelving systems is that merchandise remains better organized and easier to find/pick. With carton flow rack, the product is automatically rotated on a first in first out basis. Merchandise is stocked in the rear of the carton flow rack and moves toward the picking station in front on an inclined shelf equipped with specially designed roller track. When a carton is removed from the picking station, the next one in line rolls to the front. Carton flow always keeps items within reach. Inventory is easier to monitor and control since products are fully visible at all times.

Restocking and picking typically offer the greatest opportunity for improving efficiency within order picking operations. With carton flow rack systems labor savings of up to 75% can be realized almost immediately. Because items are picked from the front and stocked from the rear, both functions can be performed without interference and with minimized travel.

In a static storage system such as standard shelving, the stockers and pickers are often doing a lot of unnecessary travel.

History

Lansing Peter Shield, President of Grand Union Co., applied for patents [ [http://www.google.com/patents?id=7kFjAAAAEBAJ&dq=2443871 2443871] ] [ [http://www.google.com/patents?id=0sRuAAAAEBAJ&dq=D157092 D157092] ] [ [http://www.google.com/patents?id=rUpeAAAAEBAJ&dq=2623641 2623641] ] [ [http://www.google.com/patents?id=kxFYAAAAEBAJ&dq=2649207 2649207] ] for the original gravity-feed rear load design using Unistrut and Nylon strips in 1945 (later approved in 1948). The unit consisted of several inclined runways. The device was driven by gravity. A stockman would place merchandise in the rear of each runway and, as a shopper selected an item, the item behind it would slide forward in place of the previous one cite web | publisher= | title=Background | url=http://www.leasingnews.org/archives/May%202004/5-24-04.htm] cite web | publisher= | title=About | url=http://www.eastkeansburg.com/grandunion.asp] .

Grand Union formed a company called Food-O-Mat to sell the carton flow system, and made Gardner Hinckley the President. Gauer Metal Products, Inc manufactured the carton flow units for Grand Union/Food-O-Mat cite web | publisher= | title=About | url=http://www.eastkeansburg.com/grandunion.asp] .When Lansing Shield died of a heart attack, Thomas Butler wasappointed the new president. Butler had no interest in continuing touse carton flow units in Grand Union Supermarkets so Food-O-Matwent off on its own to sell the product with Gauer Metal Products, Inc as its manufacturer cite web | publisher= | title=Food-O-Mat System | url=http://www.plan59.com/av/av005.htm] cite web
publisher= | title=Manufacturing
url=http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/The-Grand-Union-Company-Company-History.html] cite web
publisher= | title=Gauer Metal Products
url=http://www.gauermetal.com/] .

Carton flow today

The carton flow design has gone through countless changes over the years, and has now evolved to full shelving units like the Gauer Flo-Rak System. These units consist of polyethylene roller runways and can be both stand alone racks or can be installed into pallet rack. Conveyor systems are sometimes used as an alternate option to carton flow shelving. These systems, although a viable alternative, are not adjustable and are difficult if the users' product lines change cite web | publisher= | title=Carton Flow Today
url=http://www.florak.com/rtaflorak.html] .

References