INDUSTRY 4.0
HOW TO ENHANCE WAREHOUSE FACILITIES WITHOUT COMPROMISING SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY By Richard Guy, country sales manager EMEA at Ergotron
T
he global health crisis has impacted supply chains immeasurably, and while much of the focus has been on the transport industry’s response to moving stock both locally and abroad, factories and warehouse facilities have also experienced huge challenges.
A survey undertaken by UK supermarket chain Waitrose revealed that the number of UK consumers who do a weekly grocery shop online has doubled since the initial lockdown, and is a trend deemed ‘irreversible’. With many countries now again implementing lockdown measures, albeit with varying levels of restrictions, online shopping continues to increase – the surge caused by COVID-19 is expected to add £5.3 billion to UK e-commerce sales. Despite the reopening of physical shopping destinations, these altered shopping behaviours look set to stay. Warehouses and distribution centres have little choice but to re-align their operations to cope ever more quickly and efficiently with new and highly volatile online demand patterns, while at the same time navigating the challenge of de-risking supply chains.
EFFICIENCY ON THE FRONTLINE Warehouses and distribution centres are having to become highly sophisticated fulfilment centres to be able to manage the pressure of delivering goods more rapidly than previously. They need to be able to cope with the demands of an online distribution model that is completely different to traditional retailing, where the store – not the consumer – is the service focus.
The growth in on-demand e-commerce is driving the pace of adoption of new automation systems, robotics, order fulfilment and scanning technologies. These reduce pick times, minimise pick errors, and enable warehouses and distribution centres to quickly deploy new workflows. Additionally, warehouse and distribution operatives continue to be recognised as ‘key workers’ whose productivity is essential to the wellbeing of the business – and the nation. It follows with warehouses and distribution centres now deploying a bundle of technologies that aims to improve the productivity of their people and future-proof operations by ensuring that more operatives can work in socially distanced locations.
Many personnel are still reliant on hand-held and mobile devices to receive work instructions or updates on stock locations and SKU. This indicates that mobile carts for laptops, computers and tablets are proving essential for these organisations, which need to have the ability to quickly and seamlessly alter the location of key operatives.
In a similar way, strategically placed secure charging cabinets that can handle a variety of devices are becoming far more essential. They’re tough enough to cope with demanding workplace conditions, and are attractive because they reduce the amount of cabling needed to ensure vital mobile tech is always available, charged, and ready-to-go in today’s 24x7 operational environments.
UPHOLDING HEALTH & SAFETY The social distancing measures introduced in the UK means that warehouse
and distribution centres have had to implement new measures to keep workers safe. Measures include limiting who can load and unload vehicles, encouraging drivers to remain in their vehicles to avoid compromising safe working practices, initiating strict cleaning protocols for equipment, wearing face coverings and providing hand sanitisation stations across sites.
In addition to revising shift systems to minimise occupancy levels without compromising operational output, organisations have also introduced entry and exit routes to minimise unnecessary contact, as well as implementing protective screening for staff at reception points and on pick lines. They’re also deploying consistent pairing systems for people that have to work in close proximity for processes that cannot be redesigned, as well as reviewing layouts, line set ups and processes to ensure people can remain socially distanced from one another.
To further preserve the safety of personnel, many organisations are going one step further and utilising mobile thermal imaging carts to check the temperature of everyone who enters or exits the premises. Deploying a workforce screening programme can also help organisations fast-track their track-and-trace procedures to ensure co-workers can be quickly advised if they need to self-isolate.
MAXIMISING THE SPACE THAT’S AVAILABLE Revising inventory policy and planning capacity to manage changing work needs has been a top priority for factories, warehouses and distribution centres all over. The impact of e-commerce, combined with the tendency to stockpile as the UK continues to prepare to exit the EU, shows that UK logistics firms in particular are under substantial pressure to optimise every bit of space they have. As floor space fills, businesses are having to review layouts to create additional space. Increasing storage density, reducing aisle widths, and utilising spaces located above dispatch areas are just a few of the approaches being utilised. Similarly, organisations are initiating new ‘close to customer’ mini distribution and fulfilment hubs that will enable them to fulfil orders faster and more effectively.
For many businesses, re-engineering workflows and floor layouts, establishing mini-sites to supercharge fulfilment and utilising any available workspace as effectively and flexibly as possible is now a top priority. Fortunately, today’s kinetic and mobile furnishings now make it easy to make the most of available space while offering workers safer, more flexible ways of working productively. These contemporary, adaptive furnishings extend across a range of wall mounted solutions for monitors, displays and PCs that can be easily tilted for viewing from any direction or angle, and sit-stand wall desks that can be adjusted to the exact height and diverse needs of users. With no floor supports, a flip-down work surface, integrated power and cable management, these solutions enable industrial environments to be organised and optimised without compromising safety or productivity.
Ergotron
www.ergotron.com
12 NOVEMBER 2020 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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