FORKLIFT TRUCKS
J
amie Cadman, Head of Mobile Robots at materials handling the issues, and offers some clear pointers for companies embarking on (or continuing) their automation journey.
Automation is everywhere. It’s a growing part of virtually every industry. It’s certainly a growing part of warehousing and intralogistics. But there are three constants in the automation conversations I have with customers:
1. There’s an assumption that automation is something only vast organisations do
2. There’s a pervading belief that all automation is the same
3. There’s an alarm about it, a sense of not knowing where to start, a fear of making poor decisions, and an even greater fear of investing in something that isn’t proven within your organisation.
So in this piece, I want to pick apart some of the questions and myths, and take away some of the intimidation from automation.
AUTOMATION IS ALWAYS BESPOKE We’re probably all a little guilty of assuming one company’s idea of automation is the same as another’s. Nothing could be further from the truth. Automation is always bespoke, which is what makes it so transformational for businesses.
How an organisation interprets that term ‘automation’ is an individual thing, but it should always lead to a more effective and leaner, streamlined organisation.
IT’S NOT ALL-OR-NOTHING Automation is scalable. For companies who are apprehensive about whether they would be starting off small, testing the concept within your business, then scaling as the business case becomes clear or as your operation changes. The effect of that is to dramatically cut the risk of automation, making it easier for any organisation to harness.
COST IS FAR FROM THE ONLY DRIVING FACTOR
Five years ago, it’s fair to say that cost was the clear driver in automation as companies looked to reduce headcount to make savings. Today, we’re seeing a real shift in the market. It’s hard to recruit. The moment a new distribution centre opens down the road paying 50p per hour more, there’s a staff exodus.
So automation isn’t just a cost-saving tool. It’s a business continuity tool. It’s a productivity tool. And in a very real sense, it’s a staff retention tool. Because when the robots handle the repetitive work, people are left with higher value, higher interest, higher skills-based roles that make them more likely to stay.
PAYBACK FROM DAY ONE The tailored, start-small approach puts
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AUTOMATED, NOT INTIMIDATED: THE REALITY OF AUTOMATING YOUR WAREHOUSE
There are a lot of assumptions about warehouse automation, and many of them are preventing organisations from discovering the benefits it could offer.
more companies. And with the right partner, payback can be from day one, especially when you consider the broader costs.
Take, for example, a small walk-along electric power truck. It needs an operator. So the cost of that truck isn’t purely the equipment itself. It’s also the cost of the operator’s wages, multiplied by the number of shifts. Compare that with the cost of automation, and choosing a robot becomes a much easier call.
AN AUTOMATION PROJECT ISN’T STANDALONE
Not too long ago, manufacturers of forklifts offered a variety of trucks, each designed to unusual for automation projects to stand alone. That’s because an automated warehouse achieves success not because you automated this picker or that truck. It’s a success because it has been designed with the whole materials
Your automation partner should examine that taken, to what happens next. That’s how you
JUNE 2025 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
identify the pinch points and bottlenecks. That’s how you ensure your automation programme delivers against the objectives you set.
GO FOR AUTOMATION?
The signs that say your organisation could reap
• You face a shortage of skilled labour • You operate multiple shifts or 24/7 working
• Trucks operate indoors on good quality
• Forklift operators are carrying out lots of repeatable tasks with limited pallet variations
• They travel long distances in open space • Operators are under-utilised • Error rates are high • You already have some level of automation
Jungheinrich
www.jungheinrich.com
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