Goods Receiving
The first step in the warehouse sets the pace of every step after it. Time lost at the dock is not won back later in the day.
- Unloading
- Checking and counting
- Labelling
- Buffer area
- Vehicle waiting time
The first link in the chain
Goods receiving starts when the incoming vehicle pulls up to the dock. It ends once the load has been unloaded, checked for quantity and damage, labelled and moved into the buffer area. A delay created here is passed on to the rest of the warehouse unchanged.
The blockage we see most often on site is not the dock itself but the fact that the unloaded goods cannot be cleared away from it. Even when unloading is fast, the next vehicle has to wait as soon as the buffer area is full.
- Unloading: Taking the load off from the dock or from ground level, depending on the vehicle.
- Checking: Being able to check quantity, damage and paperwork while the load is moving.
- Buffer area: The easily accessible space where goods wait before putaway.
Where goods receiving jams up
Problems in this step usually come from space and flow planning, not from a missing truck.
- Vehicle waiting times grow and transport costs rise with them.
- The buffer area fills up and unloaded goods stay in front of the dock.
- Damage is noticed late and the window for a claim against the supplier is missed.
- Counting is done by hand, so records and actual stock drift apart.
- Pedestrian and truck traffic mix around the dock.
- Unloading and clearing are measured separately, so it is clear which of the two is the bottleneck.
- The buffer area is resized for the daily inbound volume.
- The check point is built into the unloading flow instead of being a separate stop.
- Fleet management is proposed for movement records by truck and by operator.
- Pedestrian safety and speed limiting solutions are assessed for the dock area.
Rebuilding the flow at the dock
We first measure the current flow with hourly data, then make a truck and layout proposal.
Flow Measurement
Daily vehicle numbers, unloading times and buffer area occupancy are recorded on site.
Bottleneck Analysis
Whether the waiting time comes from unloading or from clearing the dock is separated out.
Truck and Layout Proposal
Separate truck types for unloading and clearing are proposed, together with a buffer area layout.
Commissioning
Installation, operator training and the first month on site are handled by the Expartise team.
Truck families used in goods receiving
Unloading happens inside the vehicle, clearing happens inside the warehouse; the two often call for different trucks.
What a properly set up goods receiving delivers
The items we measure before and after commissioning.
Vehicle Waiting Time
Once unloading and clearing are separated the dock frees up faster and waiting costs on the transport side come down.
Stock Accuracy
Building the check into the flow reduces the record differences that have to be corrected afterwards.
Use of Space
A correctly sized buffer area removes the temporary pile-ups inside the warehouse.
Dock Safety
On a dock where pedestrians and trucks are separated the accident risk drops noticeably.
Frequently asked questions about goods receiving
We have no dock and unload from ground level. What do you recommend?
For unloading from ground level, either low-profile pallet trucks that can enter the vehicle body or a counterbalance forklift truck that lifts the load off the bed is used. Which of the two fits depends on the vehicle type, the pallet weight and the number of vehicles per day.
Should we buy electric or diesel for unloading?
If unloading is done outdoors and the ground is poor, diesel or LPG has the advantage. Under a covered dock and on even ground electric is preferred; with no exhaust it can also work inside the dock area.
How can we track our goods receiving data?
With a fleet management solution, operating hours, movement counts and impact records can be followed truck by truck. That data is the most practical way to see where the unloading time actually goes.
We do not want to buy permanent trucks for seasonal peaks.
Short-term rental exists for exactly this case. You take extra trucks for the busy period and return them afterwards, so you add capacity without a fixed investment.
Let us measure the waiting time at your dock together
- Measurement of daily vehicle numbers and unloading times
- Separate truck proposals for unloading and for clearing
- Assessment of the buffer area layout
- Installation, operator training and after-sales support
As an authorised STILL Arser dealer and service partner we run the whole process in one place: site analysis, installation, operator training and after-sales support.