As volume increases, it’s not unusual for shippers to consider the pros and cons of adding more capacity which often means increasing the capacity of the shipping sortation system. However, before seriously considering adding new equipment, determine what built-in reserve capacity your current shipping equipment may have.

This is a smart thing to do because most sorting systems have excess capacity that was not initially utilized. This is true because typically system engineers select equipment that meets current volume requirements, plus sufficient additional capacity for future growth. This allows the equipment to run initially at a reduced speed, conserving energy and extending the life of the equipment. As volume increases speed can be ramped-up to the maximum rate.

If the shipping system was installed sometime ago, it’s possible that current operations management is not aware of the systems ultimate capacity. With a few simple modifications, like...