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Logistics & WarehousingDistribution Centres
Overview
A distribution centre moves the same goods several times: in at goods-in, into storage, out for picking, through consolidation, and out again at dispatch. Each of those movements is an opportunity for handling damage and labour cost, and conveyors exist to remove as many of them as possible from manual work.
Layouts combine gravity roller where product simply needs to move short distances or accumulate, powered roller and belt for longer runs and inclines, chain driven rollers for pallets, and sortation where goods need to be routed to lanes. Because DC layouts change as contracts and product mixes change, sections that can be moved or reconfigured are often as valuable as fixed ones.
Where we work on the line
- Goods-in and vehicle unloading
- Carton and tote transport
- Pallet handling and staging
- Pick face replenishment
- Consolidation and marshalling
- Dispatch lane loading
Frequently asked questions
Should I use gravity or powered conveyors in a DC?
Usually both. Gravity roller is ideal for short transfers, pack benches, buffering and loading docks, since it costs nothing to run and can be repositioned. Powered roller and belt handle longer runs, inclines and anywhere product needs to move at a controlled rate without being pushed.
What handles pallets rather than cartons?
Chain driven roller conveyor, where the rollers are linked by chain so drive cannot slip under pallet weight. Pop-up chain transfers move pallets at right angles between runs, which is how pallet routing is done without a curve.
Can the layout be changed later?
That is worth designing for. Gravity sections and flexible conveyors can be repositioned as contracts and product mixes change, so a layout that mixes fixed powered runs with movable sections tends to stay useful longer than one that is entirely fixed.