“Optioryx has changed our packing workflow dramatically. We don’t have to repack as much. Packers are just doing packing once and it works.”
Voltex, an electrical accessories manufacturer operating across Australia and New Zealand, has implemented Optioryx to improve its cartonization and packing workflow.
With distribution sites in Adelaide, Sydney, and Hamilton, and future sites planned across Australia, Voltex needed a packing optimization solution that could support its operational growth while keeping the warehouse workflow fast, reliable, and easy for pickers and packers to follow.
Before Optioryx, Voltex was already picking directly to container. However, the suggested carton was determined by a legacy WMS module, which created challenges around repacking, wasted space, and limited control over how items were placed inside each carton.
Too much repacking and too much air
Before implementing Optioryx, Voltex’s packing process relied on its existing WMS cartonization logic to suggest the right carton for each order.
In practice, this often meant that pickers and packers had to repack orders before placing them on the automated conveyor.
Repacking did not only slow down the operation. It also created unnecessary handling, additional decision-making at the packing station, and avoidable shipping inefficiencies.
Another challenge was that the legacy process did not give Voltex enough flexibility to handle specific packing requirements. Items that needed to be placed on top, wrapped carefully, or packed in a particular sequence were difficult to control through the old cartonization setup.
For Voltex, improving cartonization meant more than choosing a smaller box. It meant creating a packing process that could reflect the real-world rules of the warehouse.
A packing solution built around Voltex’s workflow
Voltex needed a solution that could respond quickly, fit into its existing process, and give the team control over how cartons were selected and packed.
The ability to configure shipper cartons and optimize how orders were filled was especially important. Voltex wanted to improve the packing experience both for the warehouse team and for the customer receiving the order.
“What Voltex needed from a packing optimization solution was the ability for it to respond quickly and the ability to configure our own shipper cartons and optimize to fill them best way possible for customer experience and also fragility.”
Optioryx was selected because it gave Voltex the flexibility to customize how the algorithm behaved in its specific use case.
“We chose Optioryx because we could customize how the algorithm behaved and how the software behaved in our use case.”
This configurability allowed Voltex to move beyond standard carton suggestions and toward a packing workflow that reflects item handling rules, carton availability, and operational preferences.
API-driven cartonization in the existing WMS flow
Optioryx now supports Voltex’s packing process through an API connection.
When an order is ready to be picked and dispatched, Voltex’s system makes a call to the Optioryx API. Optioryx then returns the recommended cartonization plan: which cartons to use, which items should go into each carton, and how the picker or packer should execute the order.
This means the optimization happens inside the normal workflow. Packers do not need to make manual decisions about whether the carton will work, search for another box, or repack the order after the first attempt.
The process becomes simpler: follow the instruction, pack once, and move the order forward
Less repacking, lower costs, smoother packing
Since implementing Optioryx, Voltex has seen a clear improvement in its packing workflow.
Packers spend less time searching for alternative boxes or correcting carton choices. Orders are packed more reliably the first time, reducing the amount of unnecessary handling before dispatch.
“Optioryx has changed our packing workflow dramatically. We don’t have to repack as much. Our packers are spending less time looking for another box or trying to repack the carton. They are just doing packing once and it works.”
The operational impact has been visible across several cost areas.
“Results so far have been great. We’ve had reduced freight cost, reduced packaging cost, and then reduced labor cost by the time saved in every repacking incident we had previously.”
For Voltex, the value of packing optimization comes from a combination of better carton selection, fewer repacking incidents, reduced shipping air, and a smoother warehouse process.
By integrating Optioryx into its existing workflow, Voltex can support a more consistent packing operation across its distribution network and continue scaling with a process that is easier for teams to execute.
About Voltex
Voltex is an electrical accessories manufacturer and direct distributor serving Australia and New Zealand. The company provides a wide range of electrical accessories and products to electrical contractors, with operations including sites in Adelaide, Sydney, and Hamilton. Voltex focuses on high-quality products, fast support, and efficient distribution for electricians across the region.
For more information, visit: https://www.voltexelectrical.com.au/
Questions?
3D cartonization software calculates the best box (or combination of boxes) or different containers for an order using 3D item dimensions. In some cases it can also consider handling rules (such as "this side up" information) or carrier rates. It aims to reduce empty space, avoid repacking, and improve packing consistency and reduce transport costs.
It can. Many solutions generate clear packing instructions per order (which box to use, how many cartons, suggested item placement), reducing reliance on personal experience.
Standard cartonization finds a box that fits your items. Cost-aware cartonization finds the box that costs the least to ship. The difference matters because carrier pricing is not linear - dimensional weight thresholds, oversize surcharges, and zone-based rate structures mean that a slightly larger box can trigger a meaningfully higher shipping cost. Cost-aware cartonization factors your actual carrier rate tables into the box selection decision, so the output isn't just "this fits" but "this is the cheapest option that fits." At high parcel volumes, that distinction adds up fast.
Yes. Most cartonization platforms - including Optioryx Pulse - can operate via API without a direct WMS integration. Your order data is passed to the cartonization engine at the time of packing, and the box recommendation is returned in real time. A WMS integration adds convenience and automation, but it's not a prerequisite to get started. Many operations begin with a lightweight API connection and add deeper WMS integration later once the value is proven.
Cartonization specifically refers to selecting the right box and arranging items inside it to minimize parcel volume and dimensional weight charges. Packing optimization is a broader term that includes cartonization plus pallet stacking, load planning, and packaging material selection. Cartonization operates at the individual parcel level; pallet stacking operates at the outbound freight level. Systems like Optioryx Pulse handle both as connected problems — choosing box sizes that also pack efficiently onto pallets to avoid local optimization traps.