CARGOCONNECT JULY2024 - Flipbook - Page 37
COVERSTORY
WAREHOUSING ADVANCES
At Kuehne+Nagel, Dubey elaborates on
their customer-centric approach, emphasising their commitment to customer success
through close collaboration and leveraging
their global footprint and local expertise.
He highlights their intuitive platforms that
ensure full visibility and control over shipments, guaranteeing timely arrivals. “Our
bespoke software solutions are meticulously
tailored to align with each client’s unique
business processes, enhancing e昀케ciency and
operational streamlining. These solutions
seamlessly integrate with existing systems
and technologies, forti昀椀ed with robust security
measures to protect sensitive data,” he notes.
Dubey also reveals Kuehne+Nagel’s
digital transformation initiative, eTouch,
aimed at creating a seamless digital customer journey. This initiative optimises
operational interactions, enhances e昀케ciency,
and improves overall customer satisfaction.
Further, Dubey elaborates on
Kuehne+Nagel’s integration of scalable
automation in distribution and fulfilment, emphasising e昀케ciency and reduced
turnaround times through streamlined
workflows and automation of repetitive
tasks. He highlights their use of advanced
ability e昀昀orts. Our Control Towers streamline the entire shipping process, including
order management, load optimisation,
rating, routing, freight auditing, payment,
and business intelligence. Additionally,
leveraging advanced technology tools, our
digital solutions provide real-time or near
real-time updates via EDI connectivity with
transportation partners and customers,
enhancing operational transparency and
e昀케ciency throughout the supply chain.”
Technological Innovation
and Speed to Market
Warehouses are increasingly needing more
capacity for various reasons such as heightened inventory levels, meeting escalated
demand, and requiring additional space
to optimise packaging and dispatch. These
factors necessitate the expansion of storage
locations and the distribution of capacity.
Additional capacity is being allocated
to smaller, decentralised warehouses,
enhancing the total warehouse space.
Some manufacturers are leveraging these
decentralised facilities strategically, while
In particular, retailers today require
bespoke solutions that offer flexibility
and the benefits of shared resources
like space, labour, equipment, and
transportation. They seek consistently
high operational standards supported
by robust IT capabilities. Technology,
particularly scalable automation,
is driving significant changes in
distribution and fulfilment operations.
Automation not only supplements labour
but also expands market opportunities
due to its scalability.
digital platforms to enhance customer
connections, o昀昀ering real-time tracking,
visibility, personalised communication, and
self-service options to prioritise customer
satisfaction.
“For instance, Kuehne+Nagel’s seaexplorer platform includes a carbon calculator
for sustainable route selection in sea shipments, with real-time tracking of container
ships globally for transit time anticipation.
Meanwhile, the myKN digital platform
consolidates logistics services, offering
convenience and e昀케ciency from transport
options to shipment tracking.”
“In air freight, Kuehne+Nagel utilises
technologies like the Shipment Data Wallet
for digitised bookings, supporting sustain-
others are engaging established 3PLs.
Simultaneously, new satellite distribution
centres are being established, prompting
3PLs to adopt high-density automation
to minimise footprint and reduce initial
investment and labour costs. 3PLs and
warehouse managers are intensifying their
focus on advanced Automated Storage and
Retrieval System (AS/RS) technologies to
boost capacity within existing facilities,
catering to increased inventory demands
and scaling up for e-commerce ful昀椀lment.
As e-commerce and omnichannel distribution continue to thrive, the trend towards
picking individual items over full cases
for end customers is gaining momentum.
Consequently, warehouse and distribution
centres, alongside 3PLs, are seeking advanced
processes, technologies, and software to
e昀케ciently support omnichannel distribution
amid evolving delivery options.
Intralogistics and warehouse automation solutions company, Falcon Autotech is
committed to helping customers e昀케ciently
optimise and utilise their warehouse space
both vertically and horizontally. Sandeep
Bansal, Chief Business O昀케cer, Falcon
Autotech emphasising the importance of
leveraging vertical space in today’s landscape
where space is at a premium, shines the
light on their 3D AS/RS robotics system,
NEO, speci昀椀cally designed to meet this need.
“NEO is a completely modular system
with a scalable structure that allows businesses to maximise their vertical space. It
can be easily scaled up or down in response
to demand 昀氀uctuations, ensuring that space
is used optimally regardless of changing
conditions,” explains Bansal.
“As demand and supply rise and fall
sharply, NEO’s modularity provides the
昀氀exibility needed to adapt quickly,” he continues. “This agility ensures that operations
remain efficient and cost-effective even
during periods of high or low demand. When
demand is lower, the reduced usage of robots
leads to lower maintenance and system
running costs, contributing to overall cost
and energy e昀케ciency,” he adds and mentions
that Falcon pertinently focusses on o昀昀ering
cost-e昀케cient maintenance solutions during
these periods. “By implementing predictive
maintenance practices and leveraging data
analytics, we can minimise downtime and
extend the lifespan of our equipment. This
approach not only reduces maintenance
costs but also enhances the reliability and
performance of our systems.”
“With India’s GDP projected to reach
10 trillion dollars, the need for warehouse
automation solutions will be immense,
supporting businesses in managing their
growing requirements efficiently,” says
leading global robotics and automation
company, Addverb Technologies’ Cofounder and Chief Business O昀케cer Bir
Singh, implying that Indian companies
are embracing robotics and automation
to scale their operations e昀昀ectively and in
this transformative landscape, Addverb is
at the forefront of innovation.
In essence, Addverb’s services encompass
automated guided vehicles, pallet shuttles,
and industrial IoT solutions that leverage
technical insights and extensive operational
experience to integrate operational and
information technologies e昀昀ectively. Through
a diverse product portfolio including mobile
robots, AS/RS, picking technologies, and
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