If you want to keep your warehouse moving at optimal speed, wire baskets are here to help. Every second counts when it comes to picking items off the shelf, fulfilling orders and sending packages out for delivery. Warehouse workers tend to repeat these steps dozens, if not hundreds, of times throughout the day. Even the slightest improvement in efficiency could yield major results.
Used wire baskets are cost-effective and the benefits speak for themselves. Your workers won’t have to spend as much time looking for items on the shelf. You also won’t have to devote as much time and space to assembling packages and breaking down boxes. Find out why you should utilize used wire baskets throughout your facility.
Benefits of Collapsible vs. Non-Collapsible Baskets
Before you invest in wire baskets, you’ll have to decide whether you need collapsible containers or not. Collapsing your containers throughout the day will help you and your team make the most of your warehouse space. You can fold these containers when they are not in use and they won’t take up as much room. Your employees will then have more room to spread out and complete their tasks without worrying about bumping into a bunch of empty containers.
It’s best to invest in collapsible wire baskets when using them for shipping. Your team can quickly break down empty baskets as they move from one destination to another.
However, collapsible containers aren’t the right choice for every facility. You can use wire baskets for long-term storage as well, so you may not need them to collapse. You can also use wheeled wire baskets to quickly move your inventory and supplies throughout your facility. In this case, it may make more sense to use non-collapsible containers.
When to Use Wire Baskets:
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Shipping
Wire baskets will help you move your inventory around with more peace of mind. These containers are made with mesh wire, so you can always see the contents of the container. When dropping off goods for delivery, the driver can easily inspect the condition of the goods without opening the container. If anything appears damaged, they can address the issue right away instead of leaving the customer with a defective product.
The customer will also know right away whether the contents have been damaged. This increases transparency throughout the supply chain.
Wire baskets are also much lighter than containers with solid walls. The metal wires will keep your goods in place without adding too much extra weight and help you keep your shipping costs as low as possible.
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Inventory Management
You can also use bulk wire baskets to store and manage your inventory inside the warehouse. Wire baskets will help you reduce picking and walking times. Walking and manually picking orders can account for more than 50% of the time spent during the picking process. Wire baskets keep your inventory visible so your employees don’t have to spend as much time looking for items on the shelf. They can easily see inside each container from several feet away and identify the exact product they need in a matter of seconds. Employees won’t have to deal with lids and coverings as they look through different containers because everything will be out in the open.
You can also use wheeled wire baskets to quickly sort and distribute incoming items. Workers can fill up a wire basket with goods to push them around the facility. They can then slot individual items as they go without second-guessing themselves.
Use Cases Across Various Industries
We just talked about the general benefits of wire baskets, but what about benefits for specific industries? Below, we’ll take a closer look at some reasons why auto manufacturers, food processing plants and industrial equipment plants use wire containers for shipping, storage and inventory management.
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Auto manufacturers
We previously discussed the benefits of using see-through containers, like wire baskets, so employees can easily determine what items are and are not inside. The auto industry is notorious for shipping orders with lots of miscellaneous parts. Keeping items visible in this type of environment can greatly reduce picking mistakes and speed up the picking process. Another great reason to use wire baskets in the automotive industry is the strength and durability that they offer. Bulky parts need heavy-duty carriers. Wire baskets are strong enough to hold equipment and light enough for pickers to efficiently move throughout a warehouse.
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Food processing plants
Whenever you’re dealing with food or food processing parts, cleanliness is a huge concern. Wire baskets are easier to sterilize than other containers, which decreases the risk of contaminating food items or food processing equipment. Further, because wire baskets are easy to clean, it takes less time to reuse a wire basket once a shipment is completed. With wire baskets, employees can move on to new orders with less downtime for sterilization. Lastly, the rigidity and low weight of these baskets make them perfect to protect delicate food products and ship inventory cheaply.
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Industrial equipment plants
It’s important to stay cognizant of harmful chemicals and vapors when dealing with industrial equipment plants. Since wire baskets allow for drainage and venting, they protect products much better than other containers. Industrial equipment plants, like automotive plants, often move heavy-duty parts. Since wire baskets are highly durable, they maintain their own structural integrity and the integrity of their payload.
Buy wire baskets to improve your shipping and storage processes. Consider used wire baskets from Container Exchanger if you’re looking to save while you invest in your facility.