Which term best describes the consolidation of several units into larger units to reduce handling?

• A. Wall-2-wall inventory
• B. Total line-haul cost
• C. Unitization
• D. Wait time

Answer: (C)

Unitization is the consolidation of several units into larger units, such as grouping items onto pallets or into standardized unit loads, to reduce the number of handling moves. By treating multiple pieces as one load, each handling step—moving, counting, and transferring—happens fewer times, which speeds receiving, put-away, picking, and shipping. This approach also improves space utilization, protects goods better during transit and storage, and simplifies material handling with standard equipment like forklifts. The other terms don’t describe this practice: wall-to-wall inventory refers to where inventory is stored in a warehouse, total line-haul cost is about transportation costs, and wait time relates to delays in the process.