Pocket (Pouch) Sorters:

The pocket, or pouch sorter system is an overhead sorting and sequencing system that consists of pouches suspended from an overhead conveying system. It is the most advanced and versatile sortation and order fulfillment system for E-Commerce and Omni-Channel order fulfillment. Each pouch or pocket carries a single item, which can be identified by its radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. Items of various types can go into the pouches, including folded garments, shoe boxes, accessories, books, and general merchandise.

Items are inducted into the pouch system, which sorts, sequences, and delivers those pouches and hanging items to the packaging station for consolidation and further processing. The distinctive feature of the pocket sorter system is its unique sorting algorithm: matrix sortation. Matrix sortation puts units that were batch-picked in various warehouse zones into a precise sequence and brings hanging and flat-packed goods together at a single pack station.

The pocket sorter system is ideal for fashion and retail and well as E-Commerce and Omni-Channel applications. The pocket sorter system is therefore an integral part of the innovative goods-to-person picking solutions.

Product Overview:

  • Automated single unit sortation system
  • Pouch or pocket storage medium
  • Intelligent matrix sortation system
  • Overhead mounted system
  • Can handle items up to 3 Kg
  • Sortation speed of up to 7,500 units/h

Solution Benefits:

  • Automated sortation of single units
  • Automated order sequencing of items
  • Creates higher productivity by enabling a batch picking process
  • Can be combined with Goods-to-Person order fulfillment
  • Adaptable and scalable solution
  • Reduces required touches per picked unit
  • Manual or automated item induction and retrieval
  • Can be combined with Goods-to-Person systems
UOM Value
Load Capacity 3 - 5Kg / 6.6 - 11 Lbs
Sortation Speed 7,500 units/h
Induction Performance 750 units/h
Pack-Out Performance 100 units/h

Solution Limitations:

  • Items are subject to weight limitation
  • System only expands in modular increments
  • High upfront infrastructure investment
  • Requires modifications to existing order fulfillment processes and software
  • Not a storage solution. The pocket sorters is a sortation solution
  • Pocket sorters have a min. threshold volume of approx. 3,000 units/h to justify the investment

Technology Providers:

  • Beumer Group
  • Knapp
  • SSI Schaefer Systems International
  • Dematic
  • SDI Systems
  • Ferag (WRH Global)
  • BOWE Intralogistics