One of the questions I hear most often when discussing Rehrig Pacific’s QTEK Pallet Handling Solutions is whether the Pallet Dispenser will create a bottleneck at the beginning of a shift. It's a fair question. If every order picker needs a pallet at the same time, it seems logical that everyone will end up waiting in line.
After working with customers across a variety of operations, I've found that the bottleneck usually isn't the equipment—it's the process surrounding it.
A great example comes from one of the largest distribution centers in Ontario. Like many operations, they noticed that shift changes created unnecessary congestion around the Pallet Dispenser. Incoming selectors would arrive ready to work, but before they could begin picking orders, they first had to wait for a pallet.
It only took a few minutes, but when you multiply those minutes across an entire workforce and every shift, the lost productivity adds up quickly. At the same time, you create unnecessary equipment traffic in one area of the warehouse, increasing congestion precisely when everyone is trying to get started.
What impressed me wasn't the problem—it was the simplicity of the solution. Instead of having the incoming shift retrieve pallets, the operations team assigned that task to the outgoing shift. Before parking their equipment for battery charging, each selector stops at the QTEK Pallet Dispenser and collects the two pallets they'll need for the next shift. Those pallets remain on the equipment, so when the next operator arrives, they can begin picking immediately.
Nothing about the equipment changed. The workflow did. By shifting pallet retrieval to the end of the previous shift, demand was spread throughout the day instead of being concentrated into a single busy period. The lineups disappeared, startup time improved, congestion around the dispenser was reduced, and operators were able to get to work immediately. The operation also benefited from better equipment utilization and higher overall productivity—all from a simple process change.
It's a good reminder that not every operational challenge requires more equipment, more automation, or another capital investment. Some of the biggest gains come from taking a fresh look at the process itself.
That's why I tell customers that a successful implementation isn't just about installing equipment. Technology is only one part of the solution. The real value comes from combining that technology with operational best practices that fit the way a facility actually works. Those ideas don't come from a brochure—they come from working alongside customers, observing their operations, and continuously improving them together.
The above operation is a perfect example of that mindset. Rather than accepting the bottleneck as inevitable or assuming more equipment was the answer, they rethought the process. One simple behavioral change created a smoother, safer, and more productive operation.
Whenever I'm discussing pallet dispensing with a customer, I like to leave them with one question: What shift-change bottlenecks exist in your operation today, and could a simple process change eliminate them before you invest in something new?
Sometimes operational excellence isn't about adding more. It's about getting more from what you already have.
Author
Juan Gil Niehorster
Solution Sales Specialist QTEK