Maximizing ROI in Warehouse Automation – Solving the Picking Bottleneck

The Risk of a Bad Picking Workstation

As ELIYAHU GOLDRATT (author of The Goal) observed, bottlenecks reveal themselves by the amount of inventory queuing in front of them. In a warehouse, this means:

• If orders are piling up at picking stations, operators can’t keep up.
• If packing and shipping teams are standing idle, waiting for orders, picking isn’t feeding them fast enough.

This is where a poorly designed picking workstation becomes a major liability. If workstations aren’t ergonomic, intuitive, or optimized for fast processing, productivity suffers. The impact?

• Increased Cycle Times – Orders take longer to get out the door.
• Higher Labor Costs – More operators are needed to compensate for inefficiencies.
• Reduced Accuracy – Errors in picking lead to mispicks, rework, and customer dissatisfaction.
• Lower Automation ROI – Storage speed means nothing if picking can’t match it.

Instead of being an enabler of efficiency, the picking workstation can become the weakest link—unless it’s designed to handle the speed, volume, and accuracy demands of an automated system.

Solving the Bottleneck Problem

A well-optimized picking workstation isn’t just about keeping up with automation speed — it’s about ensuring efficiency, accuracy, and scalability. The key to eliminating picking as a bottleneck is designing the right workstation setup and ensuring enough picking capacity to match storage throughput.

The Right Number of Picking Stations Is Critical

Even the best-designed workstation can become a bottleneck if there aren’t enough of them. The number of picking stations needs to be aligned with storage system throughput and order volume.

• Balance is Key – Too few pick stations create a bottleneck, limiting throughput.
• Throughput Alignment – The number of pick stations must be proportional to the storage system’s retrieval speed.
• Scalability – As order volume grows, modular picking station setups (like SAVOYE North America’s X-PTS®) allow additional workstations to be added without disrupting operations.
• Optimized Labor Allocation – A well-designed system spreads the workload evenly, avoiding idle time for some operators and overload for others.

The Ideal Workstation: SAVOYE’s X-PTS Pick Station

The X-PTS® PICK STATION is designed to eliminate inefficiencies in picking while maintaining high productivity and accuracy. It keeps pace with automated storage systems by ensuring fast, ergonomic, and mistake-free picking. Key benefits:

• High Productivity – Processes 300-700 lines per hour, ensuring picking speed keeps up with storage retrieval.
• Optimized for Accuracy – Uses a 1-to-1 pick and drop-off process, minimizing mispicks.
• User-Friendly Interface – Intuitive design requires minimal training, allowing workers to become productive quickly.
• Ergonomic Design – Reduces strain on operators, ensuring faster, more sustainable performance over long shifts.

Enhancing Efficiency With the SAVOYE Sequence Buffer

Even with the right number of picking stations, sequencing inventory for efficient order fulfillment remains a challenge. If a picking workstation relies solely on the shuttle system to deliver totes in exact order, throughput can be constrained by the storage system’s retrieval logic. This is where the SAVOYE North America Sequence Buffer adds tremendous value.

Key Benefits of Adding the SAVOYE North America Sequence Buffer:

• Eliminates the Need for Strict Tote Sequencing from the X-PTS® Shuttle — Simplifies shuttle operations, reducing delays caused by retrieval prioritization constraints.
• Increases X-PTS® Shuttle System Throughput by up to 720% — Allows the shuttle system to retrieve totes at maximum speed without waiting for specific ones.
• Reduces the Need for Additional Shuttle Aisles, Lowering Capital Investment — The Sequence Buffer acts as a staging area, keeping storage high-density and cost-efficient.

By integrating the Sequence Buffer, companies can fully unlock the potential of their automated storage system — eliminating constraints on throughput while keeping costs under control.

Conclusion: The ROI Impact of a Complete Automation Strategy

Warehouse automation isn’t just about fast storage and retrieval — it’s about ensuring every step of the fulfillment process moves in unison. A highly automated storage system can lose its edge if picking stations become a bottleneck, slowing order flow and limiting throughput. By pairing the SAVOYE North America X-PTS® Pick Station with the SAVOYE North America Sequence Buffer, companies can eliminate these bottlenecks, boost throughput, and lower overall capital investment.

In essence, the true value of automation is unlocked when every element — from storage and sequencing to fulfillment — works together seamlessly, maximizing your ROI.

Ready to transform your warehouse? Contact us today to learn how our complete automation strategy can drive efficiency and boost your bottom line.