WAREHOUSING, HANDLING AND STORAGE
HOW DOES INTRALOGISTICS SUPPORT WAREHOUSE PROCESSES?
he past few years have taught us many things and reliance on technology in today’s world is just one of those vital learnings. Technology kept many businesses going and processes moving when the world stopped due to Covid- 19. And, without a reliable intralogistics strategy, warehouse operation could be far more complex. Intralogistics is the process of connecting and interacting with all systems relating to the flow of materials, information, automation, logistics and production within a warehouse. All components aim to work seamlessly as one, and so, with so many moving components to think about, it can be overwhelming and difficult to initially understand. Phil Pearson, Sales Management Director from Jungheinrich explains how intralogistics is and how it helps organisations with their processes.
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WHAT IS INTRALOGISTICS? Many business owners’ operations will have evolved overtime and would have never had to implement a logistics system in their processes and may not have ever considered doing so until now. But, as consumer demands change, it becomes something to seriously consider. To put it simply, intralogistics is the process within a warehouse. The aim of an intralogistics strategy is to achieve optimum, seamless productivity and efficiency for all manual and automated systems. Many components combine to form a successful intralogistics system. They can include warehouse management software, complex networking capabilities, robotics, automated processes, the integration of different machinery, human workforce and products. If warehouses have all of these different components working under one process, the goal they are trying to achieve will become far less complicated and much more efficient.
AUTOMATION IS THE FUTURE As consumer demands and expectations increase and supply chains become more complex, businesses are increasingly turning to automation in order to generate more efficiencies and value from their warehouses and processes. Not only this but with recent events such as lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic, automation has become more popular than ever. Research revealed two-thirds of businesses used automation to respond to the pandemic. Many relied on this to keep their businesses afloat during challenging times. However, whilst humans may be lacking in departments with staff shortages and self- isolation, they still have a critical role to play. To achieve the best results and value from automation, companies need to be clear and concise about the specific business objectives they aim to meet, as well as having their customer expectations and emerging technology solutions in mind. Moreover, automation can not only support businesses in unlocking value from the supply chain, but in turbulent economic times, such as Brexit or the pandemic, can also enable a safety net strategy, supporting organisations with overall business aims, despite experiencing challenges such as staff shortages and various lockdowns.
WORKING TOGETHER What are the benefits of implementing intra logistical processes into your organisation? Intralogistics allows your warehouse to move and work in unison. Working as a team prevents complications and miscommunication between departments and enables smooth operations internally. This will then help management teams know what is needed where and why.
For example, with the increase of automated processes it means there is less requirement for menial manual labour tasks, allowing warehouse’s workforces to focus on more intellectual and value-adding challenging tasks.
With a more connected warehouse and a clear understanding of all processes, this will in turn provide safer working environments. Accidents and injuries in warehouses can and do happen, from scenarios such as falling objects or moving vehicles, however a report in 2021 showed 71% of professionals said they use robotics to increase workplace safety.
Intralogistics is just the first step in making these benefits possible. If organisations have a clear strategy to follow, they will have a much more efficient warehouse, with stronger communications between teams and a safer environment.
CONCLUSION
As a result of implementing an intralogistics strategy to your processes, warehouses will be able to identify problems faster, allowing it to run more efficiently and smoothly.
Intralogistics covers not just the technical aspects of a warehouse, but the materials, products and human workforce, of which should all be synchronised. In a world that is becoming more and more dominated by technology, organisations need to have a clear structure and system in place to get the most out of their processes. Through intralogistics, companies will be able to organise and streamline their processes, allowing them to make smarter decisions for the advancements and trends in today’s society.
Jungheinrich
www.jungheinrich.co.uk/
36 JUNE 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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