# How many DC's are transitioning to the new pod containers?



## No I in Team (Feb 18, 2022)

A lot of pics and discussion going on about a new way of loading the trucks. 

I am particularly interested in the Indy DC.


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## Planosss enraged (Feb 18, 2022)

Where’s this discussion happening?


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## No I in Team (Feb 18, 2022)

We had some on here. There are posts on Reddit  about it. It looks like it will most likely happen given some other things I've learned about outside of Spot.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Feb 18, 2022)

New unload process
					

I came across this post on Reddit.  Is anyone piloting this process.  How is it going?  Any word on company wide rollout?




					www.thebreakroom.org


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## Hardlinesmaster (Feb 18, 2022)

No I in Team said:


> A lot of pics and discussion going on about a new way of loading the trucks.
> 
> I am particularly interested in the Indy DC.


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## No I in Team (Feb 18, 2022)

Thanks Hardlinesmaster


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## Dcnewb4now (Feb 18, 2022)

I believe it’s only at 1 dc currently


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## InboundDCguy (Feb 19, 2022)

Currently 1 DC and 3-4 stores, gonna be a while before that’s the standard.


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## RWTM (Feb 19, 2022)

Ace DC does it. I’d say it’s more efficient for XS and S that’s all. When are we getting the laser guided WH system


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## RWTM (Feb 19, 2022)

InboundDCguy said:


> Currently 1 DC and 3-4 stores, gonna be a while before that’s the standard.


Probably smallest region


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## Hal (Feb 19, 2022)

Kostin said:


> Ace DC does it. I’d say it’s more efficient for XS and S that’s all. When are we getting the laser guided WH system? Not the self picking isles one but the one that will drive you to the exact location while raising and lowering your cherry picker. Even if it’s refurbished, come on Target


Never. They're designed for narrow aisles and only allow one picker per aisle at a time. Accuracy may go up but pulling will slow to a crawl.


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## Dcnewb4now (Feb 19, 2022)

Hal said:


> Never. They're designed for narrow aisles and only allow one picker per aisle at a time. Accuracy may go up but pulling will slow to a crawl.


Picking will slow to a crawl once dc’s transition to batched OLE WMS pick for mbp and whse.


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## InboundDCguy (Feb 19, 2022)

Dcnewb4now said:


> Picking will slow to a crawl once dc’s transition to batched OLE WMS pick for mbp and whse.


This is why each DC seems to need 8,500 employees now…


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## Dcnewb4now (Feb 19, 2022)

InboundDCguy said:


> This is why each DC seems to need 8,500 employees now…


Basically. And packing used to have like 40ish people and now ar has like 120+.


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## No I in Team (Feb 22, 2022)

Thanks for the update.

Once spot can get some kinks worked out, they'll put this thing on the fast track to get it implemented.


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## Gabrigawr (Feb 23, 2022)

So they are loading the pods with cartons and having them loaded up just like that in the picture?


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## Dcnewb4now (Feb 23, 2022)

Gabrigawr said:


> So they are loading the pods with cartons and having them loaded up just like that in the picture?


From 1 dc to 3 stores currently. It will be a while before it gets a whole network rollout.


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## DC Diva (Feb 23, 2022)

InboundDCguy said:


> This is why each DC seems to need 8,500 employees now…


Ours has more scheduled on every shift than they have parking spaces available.  If you are not at least an hour early, you’re SOL and will probably be late clocking in.  But never fear, you will get a space when they VLE half the team at start up, because they really don’t need 75 in MBP, and around 100 in WH.  There isn’t even that much equipment in the whole building.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Feb 24, 2022)

Does the express stores get the palletized trucks?


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## InboundDCguy (Feb 24, 2022)

Hardlinesmaster said:


> Does the express stores get the palletized trucks?


Small format stores have always been palletized because they don’t have dock doors. The driver has to unload it on the street.


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## ManMythMachine (Feb 24, 2022)

Hal said:


> Never. They're designed for narrow aisles and only allow one picker per aisle at a time. Accuracy may go up but pulling will slow to a crawl.


Yeah we need 3 order pickers in every aisle.  At least 3.  Just to barely not make prod.


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## Great (Oct 7, 2022)

Does the pods help the store unload a truck faster?


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## Grunt (Oct 7, 2022)

Great said:


> Does the pods help the store unload a truck faster?


It helps contain the mess when the prod breaks open. 🤪


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## gracefulfillment (Oct 7, 2022)

Great said:


> Does the pods help the store unload a truck faster?


The inbound TL at my store thinks (or at least hopes) so. Should mean much less time sorting. Just roll it out to the floor and start pushing.


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## Luck (Oct 7, 2022)

Great said:


> Does the pods help the store unload a truck faster?


The pods are (in theory) presorted by aisle. So no sorting on the line necessary anymore. Store guys just pull the pods off, and start working them.


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## BoxedIn (Oct 8, 2022)

My building just started using some pods for a couple of stores. I don't think they are sorted by aisle yet...that requires a lot more automation that is a bit down the line. I hadn't looked at it much since it went live last week, so I'm not totally sure how things get sorted down there atm as each line has room for 10-12 pods I think.


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## Luck (Oct 8, 2022)

BoxedIn said:


> My building just started using some pods for a couple of stores. I don't think they are sorted by aisle yet...that requires a lot more automation that is a bit down the line. I hadn't looked at it much since it went live last week, so I'm not totally sure how things get sorted down there atm as each line has room for 10-12 pods I think.


They very likely are if your building has the process live. Small formats have a unique pull process, it is likely this new process has the same one. Labels would be printed and pulled in batches based on aisle. Doesnt require any more automation. Speaking with someone from Oconomowoc he said they were running something dismal like 8 cartons an hour loading the pods.


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## Dcnewb4now (Oct 8, 2022)

Luck said:


> The pods are (in theory) presorted by aisle. So no sorting on the line necessary anymore. Store guys just pull the pods off, and start working them.


Pods are sorted to area called custom block. I believe there are like 60 custom blocks. (Not sure, not my department).


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## Dcnewb4now (Oct 8, 2022)

Luck said:


> They very likely are if your building has the process live. Small formats have a unique pull process, it is likely this new process has the same one. Labels would be printed and pulled in batches based on aisle. Doesnt require any more automation. Speaking with someone from Oconomowoc he said they were running something dismal like 8 cartons an hour loading the pods.


And this is the reason rss will not be expanded. (Also probably why Arthur v is “retiring”).


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## Luck (Oct 8, 2022)

Dcnewb4now said:


> Pods are sorted to area called custom block. I believe there are like 60 custom blocks. (Not sure, not my department).


I worked store side I know what custom blocks are. Custom blocks are unique to each store and are just a tool they use to easily sort to different pallets/vehicle on the unload line. The first number indicates what section on the line (broken up by racking legs) the second indicates the vehicle in that section of the unload line.

Being presorted this functionality goes away however they are still useful as a generic tool to quickly mentally recognize which aisle a pod will go to. Especially since some aisles will likely not have enough volume to justify their own pods at times and some ares will have aisles contained in pods. Im thinking sports after christmas/new years before the summer and other low volume areas based on the time of year.


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