Taming the “Uglies” – How to Handle Non-Conveyable Items in Warehouse Operations

By Richard Rigden, Project Manager and Solutions Consultant, Lucas Systems

In warehouse and distribution operations, “uglies” as they are referred to in the UK or more commonly “non-conveyable items” in the U.S., refer to products that cannot be handled efficiently by automated conveyor systems due to their size, shape, weight, or packaging characteristics. These items typically require special handling, often manual, and are not suited for standard automated picking and sortation processes.

Common characteristics of non-conveyables

Non-conveyables, often referred to as “uglies,” share several common characteristics that make them unsuitable for traditional conveyor systems. They can be oversized or irregularly shaped, such as large rugs, furniture, or bulky auto parts, which can be difficult to maneuver through automated material handling equipment. Additionally, many non-conveyables are excessively heavy, like large cable rolls or HVAC units, requiring specialized lifting equipment or manual handling by warehouse associates. Fragile or high-value items, including glass panels or electronics with sensitive components, demand extra care to prevent damage during transport and storage.

On the other side of that spectrum, automated conveyor systems also struggle with handling extremely light or small products due to the operational challenge of maintaining stability, proper orientation, or consistent movement along the conveyor. These items may be too light to trigger sensors, fall through gaps, or get stuck in system components, making them inefficient for automated transport. They can include things like small hardware and fasteners, small electronic components or pharmaceutical blister packs.

Another common challenge with non-conveyables is their packaging, which may be loose or difficult to stack. Large bags of pet food, tires, or other oddly shaped items often lack rigid structural support, making them prone to shifting or falling when moved. These characteristics require specialized storage, handling, and transportation strategies to ensure efficiency and safety in warehouse operations.

Unpleasant challenges for picking efficiency

Picking non-conveyables presents labor, productivity, and operational challenges. Manual handling increases labor costs, as these items can’t be moved by conveyors or AMRs, requiring workers to lift, push, or transport them with carts or equipment. This extends pick time and raises expenses.

Travel time and productivity suffer since bulky items are stored separately, forcing pickers to cover longer distances. Handling heavy or awkward items also raises injury risks, necessitating proper lifting guidelines and equipment like forklifts or pallet jacks.

Packing and shipping add inefficiencies, requiring special handling, custom packaging, and extra dunnage. If a facility is optimized for conveyors, robotic picking, or automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), these irregular items require separate workflows, staging areas, or specialized pick paths. This fragmentation slows down overall throughput and can complicate warehouse coordination, requiring careful planning to balance efficiency with the unique handling needs of these challenging items.

Strategies to get things handled

Proactively determining how much of your product mix falls into this ugly or non-conveyable bucket is among the first steps in driving decision making in the warehouse for automation and/or other processes to effectively segment and handle these products. Depending on your volume, effectively managing non-conveyables can require a combination of process improvements, specialized equipment, and automation to maintain efficiency while reducing labor strain and safety risks. Let’s look at some:

• Zone-based picking – One key strategy is zone-based picking, where dedicated storage and picking zones are established specifically for these oversized or heavy items. Equipping these zones with the right tools—such as lift-assist devices, carts, forklifts, or even overhead cranes—ensures that workers can handle bulky products safely and efficiently. This approach minimizes unnecessary movement and streamlines workflows by centralizing the handling of non-standard items, preventing bottlenecks in other parts of the warehouse.
• Voice-directed technology – Leveraging voice-directed or wearable technology to keep workers’ hands free, improving their ability to manage large, awkwardly shaped products is another alternative strategy. Voice-directed picking, for example, enables pickers to receive instructions through a headset, eliminating the need for handheld scanners or paper pick lists. This not only improves accuracy but also allows workers to maintain better control over heavy or unsteady items. Wearable barcode scanners, wrist-mounted devices, or smart glasses can further enhance efficiency by reducing the need for workers to stop and interact with traditional handheld systems.
• Hybrid automation – Automated guided vehicles (AGVs), pallet shuttles, or even specialized conveyors can be deployed to assist in transporting non-conveyables, reducing the physical strain on workers and increasing overall throughput. For example, AGVs can shuttle heavy items across a warehouse floor, eliminating the need for constant forklift travel. In some cases, customized conveyors designed to handle odd-shaped or heavier loads can be used to move items part of the way, reducing the reliance on manual transport. Warehouse optimization software can overlay hybrid solutions to help drive more dynamic and flexible operations like intelligent work assignments, batching and palletization and pick path streamlining.
• Slotting optimization – Storing non-conveyables closer to outbound docks minimizes unnecessary travel time, allowing for quicker retrieval and loading. Additionally, grouping these items based on order profiles—such as frequently purchased items or those commonly shipped together—can streamline picking operations and reduce congestion in other warehouse zones. Proper slotting also helps improve safety by ensuring that heavy or bulky products are stored in areas with sufficient space and access to the necessary handling equipment. Taking it a step further, Dynamic Slotting Optimization software can analyze order patterns and item dimensions to determine the best storage locations for non-conveyables, reducing unnecessary travel and ensuring they are positioned for faster access near outbound docks or staging areas.

Handling “uglies” effectively is critical to maintaining warehouse efficiency and reducing operational bottlenecks. By implementing strategic solutions such as zone-based picking, voice-directed technology, hybrid automation, and slotting optimization, warehouses can significantly improve the handling of non-conveyable items while minimizing labor costs, travel time, and safety risks. These challenging products, though difficult to manage with traditional automated systems, can be efficiently integrated into warehouse operations through thoughtful process design and the use of specialized equipment. As warehouses continue to evolve with advancements in automation and AI-driven optimization, finding innovative ways to handle non-conveyables will be essential for maintaining high productivity and seamless order fulfillment. Addressing these challenges proactively ensures that “uglies” do not become a barrier to efficiency but rather a manageable component of a well-optimized distribution strategy.

In his role as Project Manager and Solutions Consultant, Richard Rigden works with the Lucas Systems business development and operations teams in EMEA to identify software solutions for customers that optimize warehouse operations with transformational projects providing rapid ROI. Richard’s career across multiple business sectors within retail operations, supply chain, software project delivery and warehouse operations gives him a unique and comprehensive view of the challenges many businesses face in serving the expectations of their customers.

Over more than 30 years of leading large scale complex multi-national projects in the fulfillment industry, Richard has excelled in utilizing his expertise in business intelligence, inventory management and IT project management to bring customized and successful implementations to dozens of customers in a wide variety of industries.