automation & robotics
A nEw ERA Of ACCElERAtED IntRAlOGIstICs AutOmAtIOn
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he unfortunate mix of brexit and coviD- 19 has had a tremendous impact on businesses around the world forcing
them to re-evaluate how they operate in uncharted territory. this disruption has presented many challenges over the past 18 months but fortunately, many opportunities, with unprecedented e-commerce growth during Lockdown providing new customers and unexpected revenue. manufacturing and logistics businesses in
particular have entered a new era where intralogistics automation and autonomous mobile robot technologies (amrs) are becoming commonplace but is this our future or are we placing ourselves at risk by putting too much trust in technology too soon? in June 2021, Guidance automation
commissioned sapio research to explore the importance of intralogistics automation including the role of amrs within companies that have a warehouse, fulfilment, production or distribution operation. the research gauged both awareness and confidence in this type of technology, requirement for automation, plans for adoption and the impact it has on employees. Dr Paul rivers, ceo of Guidance automation
believes that while there is hesitancy among some to embrace automation, companies are beginning to recognise the need to insulate their businesses from future disruption. He argues that there is an appetite for automation, albeit
cautiously and this is evident through the survey results with almost three quarters of those surveyed stating they have plans to invest in the next year. but what is the key driver behind this gear shift towards automation?
POst-COvID ACCElERAtIOn results show businesses have been predominantly impacted by coviD-19 rather than brexit with 25 per cent of companies confirming the pandemic has accelerated their plans to deploy automation. over half also recognise the impact automation has on making workplaces more coviD-secure. more than one third of businesses have seen
an increase in customer demand due to the pandemic but actually identify the operational challenges they are facing as the driving force towards deploying automation. nearly half of those surveyed agreed that social distancing has made manual process flows unworkable; with many staff now working at home, businesses have also had to embrace technology to safely enable this new way of working. there are a myriad of benefits to automation
with many believing the implementation of amrs will also lower operational costs, increase productivity and reduce pick/pack errors. For those in e-commerce and retail, 35 per cent expect to benefit from more accurate order fulfilment, accentuating the importance of meeting customer needs first time to
Dr Paul Rivers, CEO of Guidance Automation, believes that while there is hesitancy among some to embrace automation, companies are beginning to recognise the need to insulate their businesses from future disruption. Here, he argues that there is an appetite for automation, albeit cautiously. But what is the key driver behind this gear shift towards automation?
minimise expensive returns costs. many businesses are being very cautious with
expansion and investment in the current climate, choosing to sit and wait out the uncertainties that coviD has brought with it. However, this is untrue for a lot of manufacturing and logistics businesses who have a positive outlook to investing money in automation with half expecting a return on their investment. this may be due to the fact that these businesses have seen their sales increase during the pandemic enabling them to invest in their business processes earlier than expected.
REsIstAnCE tO CHAnGE While confidence in the value of automation is high, the research also reveals a number of misconceptions that could undermine adoption. so, what are these factors holding many back from moving into the world of automation? there is the contentious issue of replacing
certain ‘human functions’ with automation, specifically robotics. there is much discussion about employee job losses, the possibility of unsatisfactory automation processes when specific workflows aren’t studied and a common belief that it’s a cost-cutting exercise. in fact, the survey results show that just over half (54 per cent) of businesses expect automation to have a positive impact on warehouse or manufacturing plant employees. these include less repetitive and strenuous manual work (49 per cent),
10 november 2021 | FactorY&HanDLinGsoLutions
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