zonepicking

Zone picking is an order picking method in warehousing where the storage area is divided into zones, and a picker is assigned to each zone. Each zone contains a subset of SKUs. When orders are released, pickers in the zones needed for those orders simultaneously collect the items from their zone. The collected items are then moved to a central consolidation area or directly to a packing station to complete the orders. Zone picking can be implemented with or without pick-to-light systems, and conveyors or chutes are often used to move items between zones.

Process and variants: In practice, orders may be split into sub-sets by zone so multiple pickers work in parallel, reducing travel and enabling concurrent processing. Some warehouses use consolidated zone picking, where each zone aggregates items for a set of orders at a zone staging area. Others employ zone routing, in which an order must be fulfilled by visiting all zones containing its items, which can increase travel but balances workload across zones.

Advantages: Zone picking reduces travel distance compared with single-zone or random-location picking, enables parallel work, and scales well for medium to large facilities. It pairs well with automation and warehouse management systems (WMS) to coordinate zone assignments, routing, and packing.

Limitations: Cross-zone orders require consolidation, which can create bottlenecks at consolidation or packing stages. Effective zone design and dynamic task allocation are essential, and misrouted items or delays in one zone can impact overall throughput. Zone picking generally relies on a robust WMS to route orders and manage congestion.

Suitability: Frequently used in mid-to-large warehouses with high SKU variety and moderate to large order sizes, where items are widely distributed across zones.