The Inventory Optimization Riddle

The other day we came across a group of warehouse employees debating a solution to a problem. There were three pallets in the aisle that needed to be moved, but the contents were in question. The crew knew that the three pallet labels were printed correctly, but that all labels were incorrectly placed. The labels were “Hot Dogs”, “Polish Sausages” and “Hot Dog/Polish Sausage Mix.” The employees were all set to tear open the unmarked boxes in each pallet to determine the correct contents when a person walked up, opened one box, and declared which pallet contained hot dogs, which contained Polish sausages, and which contained boxes that were a mix. How did they do it? See page three for the answer.

The moral of the story? It’s more effective to work smarter than harder. That’s where TranSystems comes in – applying analytical techniques to solve problems that might normally be addressed through brute force or trial and error.   Read More