The new look of the unit load principle

摘要

One of the underpinnings of materials handling system design is the unit load principle - handle as large a load as possible to reduce the total number of moves. Pallet load handling has been synonymous with this principle for years. But since the debut of just-in-time, we have pulled back from the unit-load-is-always-a-pallet-load concept. We have pulled back not because the concept is bad but because our needs have changed. For many products, a full pallet represents several weeks of supply. And good inventory management dictates that we get better at handling not just large quantities but smaller quantities too.