Prepping the unpredictable
It is difficult to forecast accurately in today’s world, but with low set-up costs AMRs can help, says Fergal Glynn, VP of Marketing & Enablement for 6 River Systems.
WITH THE continuing unpredictability of the economy the most difficult challenge supply chain organisations face is how to accurately forecast sales and revenue.
Without being able to accurately forecast sales supply chain organisations and warehouse operators struggle to predict the volume of goods that will need to be moved in and out of their warehouses.
Hiring the right number of warehouse employees to ensure productive and efficient operations is proving to be a challenge. This is exacerbated by labour shortages making it hard to maintain adequate staffing levels let alone increase them, should volumes suddenly increase.
Faced with this unpredictability, supply chain organisations and warehouse operators are having to think very carefully about investing in the right automation technology to help them overcome the operational challenges they are facing and protect their bottom line.
Something that can be predicted is the role flexible, easy-to-deploy fulfilment solutions play in helping supply chain organisations and warehouse operators navigate the uncertain business climate fuelled by the inability to make accurate forecasts.
For example, if a warehouse operator is looking at investing in a fixed automation solution it is necessary to accurately forecast sales and revenue over the next five to ten years, to calculate the anticipated return on the investment.
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As a result, flexible, easy-to-deploy fulfilment solutions, such as that provided by 6 River Systems, combining autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with AI-driven software, are fast becoming the automation investment of choice for warehouse operators.
AMRs provide a modern and customisable approach to warehouse automation and investment and according to IDTechEx’s report: Mobile Logistics, Warehousing Delivery 2022-2042, deliver return on investment in about one to two years compared to the five to ten years it can take for fixed automation.
Many AMR providers offer flexible renting pricing structures that warehouse operators can take advantage of during peak seasons or during an unpredicted rise in volume. Once demand returns to normal the AMRs can be returned.
Whereas fixed automation solutions are designed to provide the capacity required on the busiest peak day. This means for much of the time warehouse operators are paying for a capacity they do not require.
With no requirement for physical infrastructure, unlike fixed automation solutions, AMRs can be deployed quickly and easily with minimal operational disruption.
Warehouses using AMRs optimise their existing workforce and report an increase of anywhere between 50%-150% increase in productivity, a reduction in picking errors and happier employees.
Training new employees can take as little as 15 minutes, crucial during peak when operations need to quickly scale and when new employees are recruited.
Reliability is vital when running a warehouse operation. With fixed automation if a belt or a conveyor breaks the whole warehouse can potentially grind to a halt. If an AMR goes down, there is less impact to the operation.
In today’s unpredictable world, AMRs provide predictable warehouse automation solutions which help supply chain organisations and warehouse operators to make the right investment decisions.
Fergal Glynn, VP of marketing & enablement for 6 River Systems
For more information, visit https://6river.com
