Automation is all around us and clearly there are savings to be made with regards to labour, but how else can businesses benefit from automating their materials handling operations? Here we talk to Dan Wood, our Automation Sales Manager, about the benefits.
Filling the skills gap
Low unemployment rates and high job vacancy levels are making for a tight labour market, which affects the logistics industry as it does other many areas of business in the UK. Unlike in some other sectors however, warehouse operators have the option of filling skills gaps through automation.
It will make your operation safer
All our automated vehicles are designed to operate in mixed working environments among people and trucks and consequently have various safety devices to make operations as safe as possible. Significantly, our safety technology provides protection only one level down from aircraft safety ratings!
It results in more productivity
Automated trucks can operate 24/7 without coffee or lunch breaks, and even take themselves off for automatic charging! Where basic, repetitive tasks are handled by an automated truck, employees can be freed up to do more productive tasks, resulting in a happier, more engaged workforce. Additionally, automated trucks always can be relied on to deliver and retrieve goods accurately, eliminating stock errors and removing the need for stocktakes.
It’s a flexible solution
An automated solution enables upscaling with ease. Once a route is established, additional trucks can be added to respond to material flow demands, with limited commission required. All of our AGVs run on the same software platform, meaning that different vehicle types can be added into a system to work seamlessly with existing AGVs.
It can save you money
When you look at the costs involved in the ownership of a manual truck, they soon stack up after the initial investment, firstly with the recruitment of an operator. The salary, training, sick pay, pension contributions and all the other associated costs for an employee soon outweigh an automated solution. This is before you even consider damage to racking and loads and inventory accuracy when comparing to a manual operation.
Additionally, customers can now benefit from new fixed-cost financial products that were not available a decade ago. We can help to arrange contract hire or hire purchase facilities which may attract grants and allowances from government.
It's an environmentally friendly solution
As with any electric solution, automated trucks are not only quiet and emission-free, but they require no lighting to carry out their tasks, so work can continue in darkness and you save on your electric bill!
ROI is quicker than you think
Unlike manual trucks, an automated solution can see a return-on-investment break-even point in much less time than many think. Payback scenarios can be tailored to each application and often incorporate a multitude of savings that can be achieved by moving to automation.
Suitable for a whole host of processes
Whether stacking, towing, loading or operating in a very narrow aisle, the list really is endless. With more scalable solutions becoming available to smaller businesses, there is greater opportunity for automated material handling solutions to be embedded in manufacturing and other processes on single sites.
ROI is not just about money
The value of automation is not only seen in monetary terms. By automating dull, dirty and dangerous jobs, employees can develop other skills and focus on more interesting tasks. That creates a more engaged, motivated workforce, in turn increasing customer satisfaction. Along with increased productivity within an existing operation, automation could lead to a completely different and more profitable workflows being introduced into a logistic operation.
