S P O N S O R E D
DC AUTOMATION GETS REAL
EII’s Chameleon® processes parcels.
W hile rack-crawling robots and remote forklift operations grab headlines, a vast swath of distribution centers operate with little to no automation at all. These operations rely on manual labor and outdated systems to keep up the pace in an increasingly complex and demanding operating environment. Industry experts estimate that about 80% of warehouses have no automation, 15% have some automation, and 5% have implemented advanced solutions. A study from nShift reveals that about one-third of logistics workers spend more than 50% of their time on manual tasks. These distribution
While pie-in-the- sky technologies capture imaginations, these systems do the heavy lifting and boost worker safety and productivity in warehouses right now.
centers (DCs) and warehouses miss out on the benefits of automation as they face rising labor costs and struggle to manage growing volumes and the complexity of the ecommerce boom. Automation solutions can help improve efficiency, profitability, and customer satisfaction. But what is automation? How is it defined?
46 Inbound Logistics • November 2024
Powered by FlippingBook