Track: Lean

Abstract

Lean principles have been increasingly used in the field of manufacturing over the last decades, and their applicability has recently spread from production to warehousing. In this context, a number of studies have reported that lean warehousing, a relatively new concept, can play a significant role in decreasing the cost of logistics operations and reducing delivery time, thereby increasing customer satisfaction. However, the subject of lean warehousing is still in its infancy, and there is a need for more empirical studies to confirm its usefulness. In response to this need, this paper reports on work done on the application of lean concepts to the shipping process in the warehouse of a major hypermarket chain. The results show that time savings up to 16% might be achieved in the cycle time of the shipping process, and the labor cost can be reduced by 25%. The findings of this study are valuable to practitioners who are interested in implementing lean warehousing.