Warehouse Technologies Are Evolving
Undeniably, technology is constantly expanding and bringing shifts within consumer behavior and market capabilities, including distribution, logistics, and warehousing sectors. According to forecasts, the global warehouse automation market is estimated to surpass $30 billion by 2026.
Warehouse technology is a sustainable, cost-efficient, and effective solution to address the increasing challenges. Definitely, the market is changing at a rapid pace where eCommerce platforms are accessible 24 hours a day, hence, it’s becoming crucial to move warehouses from relying on human labor and adopt technologically driven solutions and warehousing digitalization.
Warehouse automation is the best and most effective way to boost returns, enhance accuracy, improve efficiency and reduce labor costs. This is precisely why businesses nowadays opt for sophisticated tools and technologies to build an intelligent warehouse system. Here’s how:
Top 6 Must-Have Intelligent Warehouse Technologies
With the help of these six smart warehousing technologies, your business can turn your operations upside down – but for the better only. In the modern age of innovation and technologies, taking advantage of the following technologies is critical to witness improvement in efficiency and operations.
1. Comprehensive Warehouse Management System (WMS)
A comprehensive warehouse management system (WMS) must have the competencies to consolidate your business’s critical data into one easily accessible platform while providing a complete view of your supply chain.
The power of a single WMS is designed to fit your specific needs and allow them to achieve higher flexibility, improved accuracy, and enhanced customer service. It provides actionable insights and real-time updates about orders, processing, shipment, delivery, etc.
2. Automated Picking Tools
Gone are days of error-riddled picking; it’s time to take advantage of nearly-perfect picking automated tools that perfectly integrate within the system.
The market is overflowing with several tools capable of boosting picking procedures through sophisticated barcoding algorithms. These advanced tools offer seamless, accurate, and fast automated business experiences.
Undeniably, modern technologies such as voice automated order picking, pick-to-light, and robotic order picking offer unparalleled reporting solutions.
3. Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs)
Ramp up your storage and retrieval routes through integrated automatic guided vehicles. AGVs offer structural integrity enabling businesses to move forward and create an edge by leveraging technology to gain quicker ROI than manual labor.
AGVs are efficient yet self-guided mechanisms that include forklifts and pallet carts that follow digital paths through the facility enabling businesses to scale their growth opportunities.
4. Automated Inventory Control Platforms
The automated inventory control platforms take the extensive manual guesswork and extraneous time out of a traditional warehousing inventory system. They automatically log the inventory, count cycle, and stock intake while guaranteeing near-perfect consistency and accuracy.
The automated inventory control platform is seamlessly integrated within your business warehouse structure, allowing companies to automate the stock counting process and real-time syncing of data which can be accessed remotely.
5. Internet Of Things (IoT) Implementation
IoT is regularly implemented in the workplace to create effective and smart warehouses. Implementing IoT enables businesses to control a plethora of operations and activities while optimizing warehousing data, inventory control procedures, labor planning, and customer experiences.
6. Collaborative Robots (Cobots)
These fully automatic robotic technologies are designed to embrace warehouse technologies and elements with your existing associates and infrastructure. Cobots offer businesses to keep their warehousing processes and infrastructure design intact while still benefiting from an optimized and automated workflow.
Future Of The Warehousing Industry
As we move forward in the age of ever-evolving warehousing technology and automation – it’s safe to say that all digital businesses are in the midst of change. The future of warehouses involves various effective process-driven technologies that help businesses leverage peak demand periods and volume spikes. Various forward-thinking companies have paved their way by embracing warehousing advancements and technologies.
It’s your turn to harness the power of digital technologies to establish warehouse automation and yield its benefits.
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Photo Credit: Unsplash