How a wholesaler from Lodz shortened shipping time by 19 minutes

Mess that cost 13,420 PLN per month

We started with stopwatches in hand. For 4 days, we measured every movement of 11 warehouse employees. It turned out that the most frequently ordered bolts and washers were at the very end of the hall, 67 meters from the packing station. Each warehouse worker covered an average of 12.3 kilometers per day. It wasn't work; it was an obstacle course. The company was losing real money because tired people made errors in every ninth package, which generated expensive returns.

The owner of the wholesaler, Mr. Andrzej, was convinced that he needed a larger hall. We showed him the data: 34% of working time was just walking without goods in hand. We counted every zloty spent on electricity, heating, and salaries for time when nothing was happening. We calculated that picking errors and overtime alone cost him exactly 13,427 PLN in February 2024 alone. Facts on the table: either we change the layout, or we keep burning money in the furnace.

Warehouse workers covered 12.3 km a day. It wasn't work; it was an unpaid marathon around the hall.

New layout and 14 new scanners

We didn't buy new software for millions. Instead, we changed the logic of goods placement to the so-called ABC method. Products that generated 78% of turnover were moved to the racks closest to the shipping zone. This shortened the average path from 67 meters to just 14 meters. Additionally, we implemented 14 budget-friendly Zebra TC21 scanners, which we connected to their old system. No fluff about visions – we just gave people tools that beep when they pick the wrong package.

Implementation took us exactly 16 business days. We worked mainly on weekends and evenings so as not to block current sales. To be honest, at first, two older employees frowned at the new readers, but after 3 days they admitted themselves that they didn't have to remember so much anymore. The system did it for them. Every movement was simplified to a minimum. It was pure math and physics, not marketing magic.

Result: 19 minutes shaved off every package

A month after the changes, we returned with measurements. The average shipping time dropped from 42.4 minutes to 23.4 minutes. That means 19 minutes of pure profit on every order. At the current scale of operations, the wholesaler regained 46.5 hours of team work per week. Mr. Andrzej didn't have to hire two extra people for the summer season, which he was considering back in January. This was the most concrete saving he had seen in years.

An additional effect was the almost total elimination of errors. In May 2024, only 4 mistakes were recorded for 3,142 packages shipped. Previously, there were an average of 38 per month. The cost of handling complaints fell by 94.6%. (By the way, this shows that simple solutions work best if they are based on hard numbers, not management's hunches).

How to implement this in your company without downtime?

Most companies fear change because they think they will have to close business for a week. That's a mistake. At Solvium Strategia Sp. z o.o., we organize it so the company operates normally. We start with a one-day audit where we catch the worst bottlenecks. Often it's enough to move three shelves and change one function in the computer to reclaim 15% efficiency. We don't promise miracles; we promise better performance confirmed by a measurement report.

If you feel that your warehouse is bursting at the seams and people can't keep up with the work despite overtime, you probably have the same problem as the wholesaler from Lodz. You don't need a new hall. You need a better plan. Usually, our projects pay for themselves within 4 to 7 months. We calculate this exactly before signing any contract, because we don't like to waste our time and the client's time on projects that don't bring in cash.

The cost of handling complaints fell by 94.6%. The system beeped at every error before the goods hit the box.