It’s no surprise that the use of warehouse automation has been growing rapidly. This is due to the continued growth of e-commerce and the challenges organizations face in meeting the needs of the ever-changing global market. E-commerce has had a huge impact on the logistics industry, with consumers seeking greater value, choice and convenience when ordering products online. As customer expectations rise, organizations need to meet their needs to succeed. Taking logistics automation into consideration can enable organizations to meet these expectations. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of automated sorting systems and why you should incorporate them into your logistics services.
Reduce labor costs
In the warehousing industry, a variety of similar tasks are typically performed hundreds or thousands of times per day. By replacing some of these tasks with automated sorting machines, the man-hours required for the operation can be reduced. This advantage is especially valid in today's competitive labor market, where the supply of labor is becoming a bigger issue every year. Demands on operations grew too fast for warehouse workers to keep up, and as time went on, expectations grew for warehouses to get more done in less time. Automated sorters can handle time-consuming tasks with a high risk of errors, helping businesses meet growing demand.
Complete organizational control
Automation allows businesses to control all variables that affect their operations and have better control over possible future situations. Information control involves knowing the exact number of orders that are fulfilled each day, the number of orders that should be fulfilled, and the number of orders that have been supplied on the same day in the past. If results are disappointing, the organization is provided with insights and notifications to request improvements.
Improve efficiency
Automated sorters help achieve more than twice the process efficiency without expanding storage space or adding manpower. The greatest potential of these systems is found in the picking process. The sorter uses a pick-to-light system, in which the product list is replaced by a digital display of signaling diodes. It recommends actions that should be performed and minimizes the risk of errors. Specifically, when it comes to picking processes, speed can be increased with sorters. It enables partial order picking to prepare a specific batch that can be quickly sent to the recipient.
Reduce errors
When humans are responsible for the classification process, errors can occur. Manual sorting can introduce errors and problems that can be avoided with an automated sorting system. Issues like a package being routed incorrectly or an order being picked incorrectly can impact delivery times and customer satisfaction, which are critical to the success of your business. By replacing manual labor with automated technology, you can get twice as much work done and reduce nearly all risk of human error. These systems are capable of sorting over 300 boxes per minute using a single unit, and larger numbers using multiple units. When servicing customers with high order volumes, these products can be delivered without errors.
Improve workplace safety
People make mistakes, but it's not just about damaged products or wrong orders. Safety in the workplace can mean the difference between a safe environment and a dangerous one. Accidents can occur when employees are tired or distracted, which can cost a company money and reputation. Broken products cannot be sold and damaged equipment needs to be replaced. The most serious accidents can result in reportable injuries or even death! These risks are greater when employees are trying to meet high operational demands. By introducing automated systems into your operations, you can eliminate human error and many of the associated risks, saving money and improving workplace safety. Automated sorting systems can handle hazardous materials, work in extreme temperatures, move heavy products, and operate in a controlled, organized manner even at top speeds.
Enhance traceability
Automation allows for better traceability, so customers can track where their packages are. Data can be collected to provide customers with a schedule of when their order will arrive from a location. Since there is no risk of human error, automation reduces requests regarding lost packages.
How Lean Supply Solutions Can Help You
As e-commerce grows, it becomes more convenient for consumers, who have the ability to choose the delivery process for their orders. They make these choices based on affordability, reliability, and traceability. To make these capabilities affordable, companies need to consider how to effectively manage product flow. To be reliable, you need data. For traceability, you need to share data with supply chain partners. This creates a challenge for businesses to improve their operations to outperform their competitors.
Without the right support, your business may fall behind and your consumers may become dissatisfied. To take full advantage of features like automated sorting, you'll need a third-party logistics partner with the right technology.
Lean Supply Solutions leverages automation and powerful technology to deliver supply chain management, and we make ourselves aware of the growing trends to help our customers succeed. We are committed to understanding our clients' operational challenges and helping them get the most out of their processes. We can deliver consistent, accurate and quality results by working to ensure the right product is delivered to the right customer at the right time while saving you money, and we can help you better track and understand your metrics. To learn more about our logistics company or to ask any questions, please contact us today.
