MHI Industry Group: Exploring SLAM and Sustainable Warehouse Operations

Written by Mike Huff on April 15, 2025. Posted in Material Handling, Packaging.

This special episode, part of the MHI Industry Group Series on The New Warehouse Podcast, offers an in-depth look at the SLAM Industry Group and SLAM’s role in warehouse automation and sustainability. Joe Abeln, Strategic Account Manager at the Alstef Group, and Gina Baldwin, Banding Sales Manager – E-Commerce at Felins, join Kevin to break down SLAM. SLAM stands for—Scan, Label, Apply, and Manifest, a critical component of warehouse workflows. They explore the importance of the SLAM process in ensuring accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability in e-commerce fulfillment.

The SLAM Process and Its Critical Role in Fulfillment

SLAM is the last 100 feet of the fulfillment process before an order leaves the warehouse, and it directly impacts speed, accuracy, and customer satisfaction. Joe and Gina share how companies can optimize this stage, reduce waste, and implement sustainable packaging solutions that benefit operations and the environment.

SLAM, an acronym made famous by Amazon, has since been widely adopted across fulfillment centers and e-commerce distribution networks. This process prepares packages for shipment, ensuring they are accurately labeled and ready for dispatch.

“SLAM is really the last 100 feet before it goes out the door,” Joe explains. “You’re scanning a product, you print and apply a label—often a shipping label—and then the manifesting process includes sortation, ensuring it gets onto the right truck.”

Beyond labeling, packaging plays a crucial role in SLAM. Gina emphasizes, “Selfishly, packaging is a part of that as well—it’s everything after the order is picked until it gets out the door.” The role of packaging extends well beyond protecting products during transit. Additionally, optimizing packaging reduces excess materials and costs while also enhancing sustainability efforts.

Addressing Sustainability Challenges in the SLAM Process

Despite advancements in automation, many fulfillment centers still rely on manual processes in their SLAM operations, leading to inefficiencies and waste. For instance, the overuse of packaging materials drives up costs and contributes to environmental waste.

“There’s a significant impact that is avoidable if you’re able to lean into some automation to eliminate errors,” Gina notes, citing research that found 81% of online shoppers return items due to damage or defects. Automating packaging selection can help ensure proper protection while minimizing excess materials.

Sustainability also extends to labeling. Joe highlights the issue with traditional die-cut labels: “Every product needs a label, and with the standard approach, you have a backing paper that ultimately just gets thrown in the garbage.” Consequently, the industry is now shifting toward linerless labels, which eliminate this waste and optimize shipping processes by allowing labels to be cut to size dynamically.

Innovations in Packaging and Sustainability

Warehouse sustainability efforts are evolving through right-sizing packaging, reducing void fill, and adopting eco-friendly materials. One emerging innovation is paper banding technology, which enables shipping labels to be printed directly onto recyclable paper materials, eliminating the need for additional adhesives and labels.

“Reducing the amount of air we ship on each truck is another huge factor,” Gina explains. “By optimizing packaging and truck loading, companies can maximize capacity and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.”

Regulatory changes are also shaping sustainability efforts. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, like those emerging in New Jersey, mandate that boxes must be at least 60% full to reduce unnecessary packaging waste. Joe emphasizes that companies should start by assessing their materials: “If you haven’t looked at different materials recently, go get some quotes—packaging engineers have made huge strides in creating sustainable, cost-effective options.”

Key Takeaways

SLAM (Scan, Label, Apply, Manifest) is the final critical stage in warehouse fulfillment, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.
Automating SLAM processes helps reduce waste and prevent bottlenecks, improving fulfillment speed.
81% of online returns result from damage or defects, highlighting the need for optimized packaging.
Linerless labels and paper banding are driving sustainability in labeling by reducing material waste.
Right-sizing packaging and efficient truck loading minimize environmental impact, cutting CO₂ emissions.
New regulations like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws require companies to adopt more sustainable fulfillment practices.

Listen to the episode below and leave your thoughts in the comments.