In the last two years we have been talking about crises: the medical crisis, the fuel crisis, the labor crisis, and now we are facing, above all, the crisis of raw materials, which has impacted most of the manufacturing industries. We leave the first one aside, and let the specialists talk about the fuel crisis, but there are already alternative solutions, only at much higher costs, and the replacement of car parks will be a long process.
The labor crisis is far from new. This topic has been discussed for over 10 years and, again, alternatives have emerged: automation to the maximum, artificial intelligence and robots.
The use of robots is no longer a novelty in the storage area, Amazon being one of the first to discover their efficiency. According to the latest statements from Amazon representatives, they currently have over 350,000 robots working alongside the hundreds of thousands of employees they have in distribution centers around the world. According to the consulting company ABI Research, the introduction of mobile robots in warehouses will have an annual growth rate of almost 40% between 2021 and 2030 and will exceed 500,000 units in 2030.
As for the use of artificial intelligence, we can use the example of DHL, which has successfully implemented in one of its warehouses in the Netherlands a pilot project to test smart glasses and augmented reality. The technology was used to test “pick-by-vision” operations. With the help of smart glasses and augmented reality, the operator is guided to the warehouse by displaying the picking list on the lens of the glasses. Another benefit of this technology is the fact that the glasses also scan the barcodes, the operator thus having both hands free to handle the goods with greater precision. The picking process is thus much faster and without error. This pilot project demonstrated a 25% increase in operator efficiency in the picking process.
As for the raw material crisis, in order to counteract its effects as much as possible, at least in the short term, an optimization of storage services is needed.
Some good storage management practices to keep in mind:
- Efficient allocation of storage spaces (slotting) and zoning of the warehouse, depending on the type of products stored and orders (speed of rotation of the goods, volume, weight, number of order lines, delivery unit)
- Real-time knowledge and location of products in the warehouse and accuracy of physical stock without stopping the activity of the warehouse
- Efficient management of logistics processes
- Confirmation of transactions and communication of internal and external processes, to third parties and partners, using barcodes, RFID and mobile terminals
- The correct selection of the picking method
- Reduction of storage times and expenses for cross-docking operations
- Correlation of picking and shipping processes for timely delivery of orders
SocrateERP and Fluxvision WMS are two innovative solutions that are key components in the efficient management of logistics companies. Our solutions allow the automatic management of all processes and distribution channels, optimize stocks and storage, offering maximum flexibility in customizing any workflow specific to a company.
Fluxvision WMS is the first cloud-based warehouse management software solution for companies that want to automate their warehouses and fully manage all warehousing activities for an unlimited number of entities. State-of-the-art technology and the permanent development of the system’s functionalities allow its implementation in distribution, logistics or production companies, regardless of size.
SocrateERP is the business platform that provides a complete and complex solution for economic management, customer relationship management – CRM and Business Intelligence – BI, and supports business performance. Developed for modern business, SocrateERP in the cloud is scalable, flexible and adaptable. The biggest benefit is the organization of processes
of business. Procurement, inventory management, customer tracking, cash flow tracking, budgeting, cost center management, are just a few examples in which SocrateERP acts directly and beneficially.
If you want to see them at work, you can watch the video case study conducted with Select Auto, one of the largest importers and distributors of tools and equipment for car repair, with over 50,000 customers across the country, has implemented ERP solutions and WMS, in the cloud, from BITSoftware.
“With SocrateCloud ERP and FluxVision WMS, everything is measurable, and this is a very important issue for us. In the 9 months that we have been using both solutions, we have delivered 252,000 items and we have not had any errors, we have simply eliminated human error. If before we needed 3-4 months to teach a man in the warehouse, to integrate him into work, now we are talking about 3-4 days. We optimized the storage space by 30%. Delivery time has improved by 25% and with the same staff we manage to do 30% more. ” – Radu Buda, General Manager of Select Auto
Studiu de caz Select Auto – Implementare SocrateCloudERP și FluxVisionWMS
