Improving Cotton Warehousing Efficiencies through Novel Bale Marketing Strategies: Aisle-Stacking and Block-Stacking

摘要

The National Cotton Council’s Vision 21 CottonFlow Study sought to improve the flow of cottonfrom the gin to the warehouse. The primary objectiveof the study was to identify cotton flow strategies,systems, and practices that the United States(U.S.) cotton industry can employ to lower costsor improve returns while meeting the demands ofexporting cotton and simultaneously servicing thedomestic market. The goal of this study was to evaluatetwo different warehouse methods using threedifferent marketing techniques at different sizedfacilities and levels of inventory. Typical aisle andblock-stacking cotton warehouses were modeledwith discrete event simulations. Time and motiondata were collected from multiple warehouses asthe basis for the simulation models. The principaloutput was the total time required to assemblean 88-bale order. Implementation of a four-balemarketing plan or use of Cotton Incorporated’sMILLNet? for Merchants software was evaluatedagainst baseline marketing. In larger aisle-stackingwarehouses, the use of MILLNet? for Merchantssoftware decreased the time required to assemblean 88-bale load of cotton for shipping; whereas,four-bale marketing did not reduce assembly times.In block-stacking warehouses, four-bale marketingand MILLNet? for Merchants generated time savingsfor order assembly. Block-stacking in a cottonwarehouse was the most efficient way to assembleand load one 88-bale order. The four-bale marketingmethod generated the shortest order assemblytime in small warehouses; however, MILLNet? forMerchant software provided shorter assembly timesfor medium to large warehouses. Internationalshipments were the fastest to assemble and loadregardless of the bale selection method.