These days, technology is driving the world around. From tech evolutions such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Autonomous Driving, the world is witnessing a massive tech-driven change, and everyone is welcoming it with open arms. From the automobile industry to the telecommunication industry, everyone uses technology to take their business to the next level. Now everyone is talking about the warehousing industry going fully automated. However, there are several debates over complete warehouse automation and its future due to its complexity.
Is it a future?
Is it the future?
What is Warehouse Automation?
With digitalization and new-age technology, warehouse automation has become a new phenomenon. Thanks to technology, warehouse processes have become more transparent and efficient through automation. By automating difficult and manual jobs, employees can concentrate more on complex tasks since any business involving goods needs a place to store your interests that will be sold or distributed later, improving the warehouse process’s overall working. Warehouse automation has made it easy to store data for warehouses to store products safely and securely in an organized and systematic way and track where items are located, when they arrived, how long they have been there, and the quantity.
There are several forms of warehouse automation:
- Robots and machines helping workers with inventory-related processes.
- Keeping a track of the stock when it arrives at the warehouse until it leaves for distribution or sale.
- Pick-to-light systems that use barcodes and LED lights to enable workers to locate the exact items to fulfil orders.
However, this does not mean that robots or machines are stealing the jobs of human workers. Automation clearly means that it is reducing human effort to make the process fast and more efficient, without taking over human jobs. Warehouse automation solutions can help warehouses increase productivity, accuracy. It also reduces labour costs and improves safety measures for a better and more systematic warehousing.
What are the different warehousing elements?
From storage to order fulfilment, warehouses use different elements that help retailers, distributers and manufacturers keep a track on inventory and store the stock safely. These elements include:
- Rack systems that provide maximum storage capacity as well as easy access to goods.
- Specialized climate control system for stored products. These are mostly used for pharmaceutical or laboratory products that need refrigeration.
- Shipping supplies for on-time order fulfilments
- Safety and security for stored products
- Inventory control software
- Equipment that can move products from one point to another
Is absolute warehouse automation a future or mere fantasy?
In any warehouse, automation is generally used to make gains upon existing processes by improving efficiency, speed, reliability, accuracy and money-saving.
Currently, across the globe, more than 10% of warehouses are using automated warehousing equipment. These include goods-to-person technology. However, it is being anticipated that in the coming years, several warehouses will switch to absolute warehouse automation, in order to make the process easier, more systematic and efficient.
Currently in India, several warehouses have been using different warehouse automation statistics and techniques that are working in their favour as compared to the manual set-up. From pricing to transporting items in its warehouses, several warehouse management companies are aiming at becoming fully automated.
However, to the contrary, many warehouse management organizations also believe that investing in automation will not resolve their goods handling and they prefer it the old-school way where workers perform all the tasks.
What plays a major role in the successful formation of automation in any warehouse is the connection with a warehouse management system (WMS) to help simplify the process and track all of the transactions going on in the facilities. Even without the addition of automation, a WMS allows trained warehouse workers to achieve fast and highly accurate shipments by finding the most efficient pick points and giving particular actions at every step of the way during picking and/or prior to shipment.
So, it still remains a doubtful question weather absolute automation is the future or merely just a fantasy.
Which are the top warehouse management organizations in India?
There are several warehouse management companies in India, AAJ Supply Chain Management being one of them. It is one of the most experienced Warehousing Management Organization across India. They specialize in Warehouse Management System that optimizes all warehousing operations. When integrated logistics, e-commerce fulfilment, and same-day delivery are things modern businesses need to thrive in this era, such a system can truly work wonders.
They are known for providing 100% visibility, on-time management, inbound and outbound planning, inventory management, among other elements of warehousing. It is the best logistics and warehousing provider that will solve all your warehousing issues. They are backed with cutting-edge technological innovation and have a decade of experience and deep understanding across multiple industries & business functions.
AAJ Supply Chain Management , one of the most experienced players in the market, is known for its effective Warehousing Management and Third-party logistics (3PL) services. They have a 5.5 lakh sq.ft state of the art warehouse infrastructure backed with cutting-edge technological innovation. They have a proven track record and deep understanding of multiple industries & business functions.
AAJ SCM is known for specializing in integrated operations of warehousing and transportation along with inventory that is customized to the client’s requirements and scalable at the same time. They conduct thorough market research on the current market conditions and make the best use of technology to transform businesses and their working.
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