Cutting Picking Errors by 40% for a Leeds Distribution Centre

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Distribution

Results

• 40% fewer picking errors

• Weekly reconciliation reduced from 8 hours to 3

• Measurable improvement within 6 weeks

• No additional headcount

The business

A regional distribution centre in Leeds employing 20 warehouse staff and managing a high-volume picking operation across multiple product categories, shelf lives and batch requirements.

The challenge

Picking errors were increasing operating costs and affecting customer relationships. Weekly inventory reconciliation required eight hours of management time.

High staff turnover made procedures difficult to maintain, shift handovers were inconsistent, and years of unplanned changes had left the warehouse without a clear layout or picking logic.

The solution

We mapped the entire warehouse, documenting every storage area, shelf and product location. The analysis identified where errors occurred, why stock discrepancies accumulated and which parts of the process created unnecessary work.

Warehouse layout redesign

The warehouse was reorganised using actual product-movement data.

High-velocity products were moved closer to picking and dispatch areas, workstations were redesigned around the task, and unnecessary travel between locations was reduced.

Product segmentation

Products were classified by:

• picking frequency

• size

• shelf life

• batch requirements

A clear prioritisation system replaced ad-hoc decisions and gave every picker the same sequence of work.

Lightweight scanning system

A simple scanning system was introduced to enforce the optimised process.

It directs each picker to the correct location, identifies the required product and quantity, and controls allocation by batch number and Best-Before-End date.

The interface contains no unnecessary menus or functions. It supports one task: completing each pick correctly and in the right order.

Continuous stock verification

Stock verification was integrated into the daily picking process.

Each day, the system selects a small number of locations for staff to confirm during their normal shift. Discrepancies are identified and corrected immediately, before they grow into larger inventory problems.

This reduced the need for lengthy weekly reconciliation and keeps stock accuracy under continuous control.

Why it worked

The solution combined physical process improvement with technology designed around the new workflow.

The layout reduced unnecessary movement. Product rules removed uncertainty. The scanning system ensured consistent execution. Daily verification prevented small discrepancies from accumulating.

The team adopted the changes because the process became simpler, clearer and more predictable.

“Kamil found the leaks we knew existed but could not pinpoint. The changes stuck because they came from the team, not from a manual.”