With supply chains continually growing and evolving, so is the automation technology that streamlines logistics management. Here are five examples of how automation technology is improving warehousing and materials handling in logistics management.
#1. Self-Driving Forklifts
Forklifts that are autonomous help cut labor costs in warehouses. They can also improve safety by eliminating human errors that cause work-related accidents.
#2. Drones
Amazon began testing drone deliveries in 2016 in the United Kingdom and AHA launched the first drone delivery service in Reykjavik, Iceland this past summer. Drone delivery can cut costs and delivery times, but the traditional fleet still handles the vast majority of shipping needs.
#3. Robots
Amazon uses Kiva robots in their warehouses as “pickers” — a job that consists of collecting inventory off shelves to be packed for shipment. These robots have cut the company’s warehouse operating costs by 20 percent.
#4. Self-Driving Cars and Trucks
Sending shipments via self-driving cars and trucks will help save on labor costs. It can also decrease shipping times, as human drivers need to take breaks under federal transportation laws. The trucking industry has long suffered from driver shortages, with roughly 50,000 unfilled positions in 2017.
#5. Inventory Control Systems
American Western Distribution utilizes a proprietary inventory control system that is a cutting-edge web based tool. It gives the company’s customers a 24/7 secure window to their products or materials that are warehoused at AWD and alerts them to receiving and shipment dates.
AWD puts automation technology to work alongside experienced human workers in order to provide customers with the best service possible.
