Modern intralogistics is all about efficiency, speed and error prevention. But many companies underestimate this: Even small errors in the picking process can cause immense costs. In an industry where every second counts, smart innovations such as pick-by-light systems are crucial not only to drastically reduce error rates, but also to achieve long-term savings.
According to a study by the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, errors in the picking process cost between 50 and 300 euros per error, depending on the industry . This does not sound dramatic at first, but with a high number of daily picks, this quickly adds up to considerable sums. There are also indirect costs, such as lost customer confidence or production delays.
Another critical point: studies show that error rates in intralogistics average 0.5 to 3% of picks. A warehouse with 10,000 picks per day is therefore potentially struggling with up to 300 faulty picks per day.
➡️ Fact: error costs not only affect the direct correction, but also influence warehouse processes, customer loyalty and long-term efficiency.
Pick by Light solutions start exactly where errors occur: with the visual guidance of employees. Targeted light signals ensure that the right item is picked at the right time - without detours and without confusion.
A decisive advantage: employees do not have to use paper lists or various scanning devices, but receive clear visual instructions directly on site. The result: errors are eliminated before they even occur.
➡️ Success story: For a customer in the automotive industry, the implementation of the Pick by Light system led to an error rate of almost 0% from day one and an annual saving of over 250,000 euros.
It is often assumed that the use of high-tech systems such as Pick by Light is expensive. However, practical experience shows that such investments in intralogistics usually pay for themselves within 6 to 12 months. The greatest savings are made by avoiding rework, returns and complaints.
A study by Fraunhofer IML shows that companies can increase their efficiency by up to 30% by implementing Pick by Light systems. At the same time, error costs are reduced by up to 50%.
➡️ Sample calculation:
A warehouse with 10,000 picks per day has an error rate of 1% (100 faulty picks).
With average error costs of 100 euros per error, 10,000 euros in error costs are incurred every day.
With Pick by Light, the error rate can be reduced to almost 0%, which means considerable savings every day.
In addition to error prevention, Pick by Light offers other benefits that are directly tailored to the requirements of intralogistics:
Faster processes: Employees make faster decisions thanks to visual signals.
Ergonomics: The process remains hands-free and ergonomic thanks to the combination with wearables (e.g. back-of-hand scanners, industrial smart watches).
Greater employee satisfaction: fewer errors mean less stress, which increases productivity and quality of work.
In a highly competitive market such as intralogistics, errors can make all the difference. Companies that rely on Pick by Light not only report lower error costs, but also faster throughput times, more satisfied customers and a better competitive position.
➡️ Key finding: Innovation pays for itself quickly - errors, on the other hand, continually cause high costs.
If you want to be successful in intralogistics in the long term, you should not ask yourself whether you can afford pick-by-light systems, but how high the costs would be if you did without them. Errors are expensive, but avoidable - and Pick by Light is the key.
💡Act now and save in the long term!