Returns handling

When returns handling proved a bottleneck for German catalogue and e-commerce company, Witt Weiden, the solution came in the form of a split-tray sorter from KNAPP subsidiary, Dürkopp Fördertechnik.

Previously, Witt used a cross-belt sorter to process its returns but servicing costs had spiralled and bottlenecks began to form.

The split-tray sorter system has a high conveying speed of 1.3m/s and the use of square trays avoids the need to align clothing items in a certain direction, dramatically increasing throughput. Each of the sorter's 24 outfeed stations has two pneumatically operated openers.

Using target codes, operators can define two outfeed points for each chute, which theoretically brings twice the sorter performance again.