Considering that a majority of all enterprises are going to go digital in the next four or five years, there is a need for higher efficiency in warehouse operations. The large variety of logistics firms will have to update themselves very soon to meet the newer demands.
Automation to counter intensive labour
Automating the repetitive labour processes in warehouse management can relieve bottlenecks that occur when those areas fail to keep up with the efficiency gains in other parts of the line. It also lowers labour costs, offering substantial long-term savings that many companies need to stay competitive in today’s market.
Automation in the way of automated guided vehicles and carriers are still a high expense for some companies. It is a good idea to adapt to options such as automated sorters, automated storage, conveyors, and retrieval racking system among others for your warehouse services.
Growth in EDI
Electronic Data Interchange will bring big data to warehouse management system. This technology allows for an efficient sharing of documents format between interfaces. Various logistics and warehousing companies are already using this technology, and many more will follow it in the near future.
Applications of EDI
- Generate receipts for transfer of stock in warehouses
- Shipping advice for warehouses
- Inventory Advice
Drone Era
Drones are extremely flexible and useable for a large variety of warehousing and inventory management applications. With automation coming to warehouses, there is every reason for drones to make entry by way of automation around the world.
The major utility of drones is that many tasks can be performed in a shorter time, which would otherwise require several man-hours. For instance, barcode scanning can be done using drones. This is especially useful when the warehouse is stacked up to the ceiling and scanning will require tedious use of manual forklifts.
RFID
RFID makes use of radio waves and this technology has been around for a while. RFID allows for fluency in stock transfer as it helps in better visibility and transparency.
CloudTechnology
In logistics, cloud storage technology is bound to do what it has done in other businesses. There would be revolutionary features such as self-updates and computer system hosting. Besides reducing hosting cloud, storage also reduces costs on infrastructure and hosting for Cold Chain Logistics.
Owing to the efficient self-updates Cloud technology will also reduce the number of technology executives as employees with warehousing and fulfilment to operations.
The Big Data way
If utilised well, Big Data would be a very efficient way of saving be very efficient at saving costs and optimizing processes in the warehousing business. Data will be generated from multiple fronts such as GPS Trackers, Radio Frequency sensors etc. This data will provide better visibility and will also help in decision-making.
An efficient warehousing system runs on the up to date automated systems that would be beneficial for everyone right from the manufacturer to the consumer. This not only improves your efficiency but also helps you serve your customers better.
