Abstract: A materials handling system for processing packaged tobacco products is disclosed. The system includes a picking area where individual packages of tobacco products are picked and placed onto a transport mechanism. The system also includes a picking support software component that manages activity in the picking area. The picking support software component provides picking instruction output indicative of a sequence in which the individual packages of tobacco products should be picked and placed onto the transport mechanism. In one embodiment, the sequence blends the individual components of multiple tobacco product orders together such that the tobacco product orders are not completely picked consecutively from one order to the next.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a user interface associated with a tobacco product stamping machine. In one embodiment, the user interface includes a visual representation of a batch of tobacco product containers. The visual representation includes an indication of a plurality of tobacco product types included in the batch. The visual representation includes an indication of a number of containers of a first tobacco product type included in the batch.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing tobacco-oriented goods are disclosed. One embodiment of a method includes receiving a pick-up signal from a pick-up sensor. The pick-up signal is indicative of the picking up of a tobacco product unit that has been pre-sorted based on inclusion in an associated order. Also received is a put-down signal from a put-down sensor. The put-down signal is indicative of the fact that the tobacco product unit has been put down. A determination is made, based on a system parameter, whether the pick-up signal is properly associated with the put-down signal.