The death of the warehouse is greatly exaggerated: Supply chains have certainly become leaner as businesses remove inventory to reduce costs and cash tied up in unsold items. The challenge is always to minimise inventory without compromising the ability to meet customer expectations and fulfil orders. It could in theory be possible to remove so much inventory from the supply chain that the warehouse becomes redundant. With modern systems it is easy to make an item to order and deliver it direct to the customer at a specific time and place.

 

There is no need to ever visit a warehouse and there are plenty of examples of this type of supply chain. That might work for high value bespoke items, but it is hard to see it being suitable for most consumer products and even harder to see how that might change.

 

In reality the warehouse fulfils an important role: If nothing else it offers a buffer between producer and end-user, as the most efficient way to produce many items is in bulk. That is probably true everywhere but especially for those choosing to manufacture overseas with the consequent long lead times. While savings in overseas labour and production costs outweigh international transport costs this globalisation will continue. The warehouse manages the onward supply of incoming items in smaller volumes to another business or direct to customer. Buffering also provides some – but not total – resilience against disruptions caused by bad weather and other unforeseen events.

 

Just build bigger “sheds”. Despite this we are seeing yet another revolution. For years the trend was to build bigger “sheds” to serve as regional or National Distribution Centres (NDCs). Built to scale they benefitted from economies derived from centralisation of infrastructure, and resources. The internet and eCommerce changed that, and the Covid-19 pandemic arguably drove it even harder with increased numbers of home workers. With customers increasingly expecting same day and next day delivery the few-and-large model is no longer optimal. Instead, there is a significant move towards small-and-local (or large and local in Amazon’s case) as businesses seek to service customers within a few miles and minutes.

 

These smaller warehouses still need replenishing. That could easily be from the centralised NDC, but it may be that businesses find ways to eliminate these and introduce new networks with major suppliers offering the warehouse component. Could this, shorter lead times, and the need to reduce carbon emissions across the supply chain create opportunities to manufacture closer to home? It would be nice to think that the need for warehousing will decline because hats are made in Stockport and shoes are made in Northampton but how realistic is that?

 

Where does this leave the stock or warehouse management system? In reality, the best ones will be flexible and scalable enough to service pretty much any model that the market chooses. It really doesn’t matter where the item is located because, if properly configured, the Warehouse Management System (WMS) will simply treat it as a “black box” to be tracked as it moves through the supply chain. Along the way the WMS will, with other business applications, make decisions to ensure the item is available for order and delivered on time. And while it’s a well-established WMS model to utilise a separate application at each site, a single application could also manage multiple sites.

 

Joe O’Shea, Director, Principal Logistics Technologies

About Principal Logistics Technologies

Principal Logistics Technologies (Chess Logistics Technology) is a leader in the design and delivery of innovative Warehouse Management Software (WMS) and Enterprise Sales & Purchase Order Management (ERP) software which optimise operational performance, reduce cost and increase revenue for 3PL Logistics, Distribution, Wholesale and Retail warehouse operators.

Stand-in stackers are among the safest, most space-efficient and profitable handling equipment available. UniCarriers pioneered this technology and are now welcoming the next generation of the successful ERGO A series with the 2022 models.

The 2022 ERGO A series, comprising of the ASR125, ASR160, ASR200 (including initial lift models), is the latest evolution of an unprecedented success story in material handling, with improved operator functionality, new electrical architecture and even better performance. Since the launch of the very first stand-in stacker in 1961, pioneered by UniCarriers, the versatile, space-saving and safe design has provided its customers with World-Class ergonomics and efficiency.

Stand-in stackers guarantee a fast return on investment, regardless of the type of warehouse, warehouse utilization or logistics strategy – by reducing operating costs to a minimum. Truck design around human needs makes people more productive and happier at work.  The next-generation Stand-in stackers contribute to a low total cost of ownership (TCO), as a result of improved truck safety, ergonomics and design.

Safe operations, unmatched ergonomics

The outstanding safety feature of the ERGO is its design. The central concept is that the driver stays inside the machine, regardless of driving position or operation. This in turn minimizes the risk of accidents, while providing unlimited working positions. UniCarriers have developed the ergonomics further with the operator in mind, preventing operator fatigue and improving body position.  A new steering wheel design, adjustable in height and angle depending on driving direction; new presence control – an optical sensor instead of a pedal, which results in a more relaxed driving position in all driving directions; a new ergonomic handle, and multi-function display to support several options, such as weight and height indicator. Additional features including sensitive power steering and cornering control, provide excellent stability when on the move, regardless of speed or load. As before, the unique ProVision mast design offers unrestricted all-round visibility; furthermore, the truck’s mast is outstandingly quieter than the previous generation. 

Space- and cost-efficient

The ERGO is perfectly at home in tight and confined conditions, with its minimal dimensions and tight turning radius, and so it can make optimum use of expensive space for storage and retrieval. Because of its design, the ERGO can work in far narrower aisles than a platform truck. This adds up to a 10% saving in floor space in a normal warehouse. With lift heights of up to 7 metres, storage density and utilization of floor space can be further optimized using higher racks which offer up to 43% better volume density than other stackers.

To increase residual capacity and improve stability, the trucks can be equipped with a new design of foldable stabilizers that allow them to lift heavy loads as high as a significantly more expensive reach truck. This considerably increases the profitability of an existing warehouse, and green-field facilities can be built smaller and so more environmentally cost-effective.

Powerful and effective

The ERGO is a particularly powerful machine. Fast drive speeds and excellent lift and lowering speeds enable best possible throughput and efficiency. Its fully integrated, high-performance batteries, paired with high energy efficiency and intelligent solutions for battery replacement, all make the ERGO the perfect solution for long, high-performance, multi-shift operation and intense 24/7 use. Customers now have the option to choose between energy efficient and maintenance free, built-in fully integrated Li-ion batteries for 24/7 operation with only quick opportunity charging, or traditional lead-acid for the ultra-compact Junior versions, while the larger Senior size is available with lead acid batteries.

With its overall performance, safety aspects and space saving design, the new ERGO stand-in stacker is the best choice when it comes to flexible transport or stacking in light to heavy duty operations, in warehousing, manufacturing or anywhere a safe and productive stacker is required. A new milestone for a technology that, after sixty years of continuous development, now fits the times and modern requirements for safety and efficiency better than ever before.

The new models are available for loads of 1.25, 1.6 and 2.0 tonne.

The ERGO A is available now. For more information visit

https://www.unicarrierseurope.com/uk/products/stackers/asrergo