The Material Handling Blog

Automation solves many operational challenges in today’s forward-thinking warehouses, distribution centers, and manufacturing facilities. From reducing labor costs to increasing order accuracy and throughput, material handling automation has become essential to modern operations. But while it’s tempting to look at automating specific tasks, the real value comes from considering how each solution fits into the overall system.

The ongoing labor shortage crisis is being felt across various sectors, with warehousing being no exception, and its impact threatens efficiency and productivity. The question being asked today by most manufacturers and distributors is not “Should I automate?” but rather “When and how much should I automate?” To best answer those questions, it’s crucial to first understand common material handling and automation considerations.

Are you considering refining your warehouse operations and improving customer satisfaction? One of the transformative solutions that has gained significant traction in recent years is automating warehouses by integrating material and product processes through material handling equipment. By introducing and integrating robots, conveyor systems with intralogistics solutions, companies can revolutionize the way warehouses can run. However, the question remains – how do you know when warehouse automation is needed?

“Garbage in, garbage out”; that’s the typical mantra for simulation and consulting studies as it relates to the quality of the inputs and the resultant quality of the outputs. Having worked with companies small and large, across a variety of industries, we know one thing is true – every bit of detail counts to ensure we can help our customers maximize their operations.

Various goods-to-person technologies have risen to the challenge of social distancing by creating naturally spaced workstations for employees and allowing companies to continue their business momentum. In some cases, ramping up to match shifts like we’ve seen in ecommerce. In Q3 2020, about $1 in every $5 was spent on online sales, according to U.S. Commerce Department retail data.

How embracing agility and operational responsiveness in supply chain modeling and network design software gives businesses the best opportunity for success.

In junior high I’d taken a "Shop" class. Here I honed my love for building, creating and also learned a valuable life lesson: measure twice and cut once. I still find this adage helpful to this day, especially when helping new clients analyze their operations and prep for the future.