Warehouse Automation

Harness the power of warehouse automation technology to:

Reduce your dependence on expensive and hard-to-find labor
Improve throughput to keep up with demand
Improve customer satisfaction with fewer errors

Battling Labor Shortages? Warehouse Automation Can Help

Are you struggling with labor shortages while also trying to increase your throughput?

With the national labor shortage showing no signs of stopping soon, you’ve got to do something.

Luckily, there’s a solution: Warehouse automation.

No Longer Science Fiction

Warehouse automation and robotics are now well established and widely used.

And with Conger’s assistance, you can reap many benefits from adopting automated solutions in your warehouse, including:

Reducing your reliance on expensive and hard-to-find labor
Freeing existing employees from repetitive tasks so they can focus on other value-added activities
Improving safety by reducing worker strain, fatigue, and injury
Lowering your operating costs by reducing your labor costs
Reducing picking, packing, and shipping errors by removing the human element

In fact, a survey by the Robotics Business Review showed that warehouses that adopt automation technologies are 76% more likely to improve inventory accuracy, 36% more likely to reduce labor costs, and 40% more likely to consistently make one-day shipping commitments!

Many Automation Options to Choose From

Warehouse automation technologies are as diverse as they are effective.

Here are a few examples:

Autonomous Vehicles

These vehicles are designed to perform repetitive tasks like traveling long distances and loading/unloading materials.

By adopting autonomous vehicles, your operation can benefit from:

Reduced damage to product, equipment, and infrastructure
Improved efficiency and consistency by using the same programmed path, at the same travel speed, and at the same times
Reduced costs by freeing up labor to focus on value-added tasks like quality control

Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems

These systems are designed to move items to and from storage using vehicles, cranes, and carousels.

By adopting an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), you can realize many rewards, including:

Maximizing vertical storage space by using high-reach AS/RS machines
Reducing errors by eliminating human intervention in the picking process
Responding to market changes by leveraging the scalability of AS/RS systems to accommodate growth

Collaborative Robots

Also called “cobots,” collaborative robots work side-by-side with warehouse workers to pick, pack, and even inspect orders.

Using cobots, warehouses can benefit from:

Improved order accuracy by replacing human action with robotic precision
Increased productivity by leveraging the speed of robots
Reduced worker fatigue and injury by offloading labor-intensive tasks

Of course, these few options only scratch the surface of available warehouse automation technologies.

To learn more about your automation options, check out this post.

There are many different warehouse automation technologies on the market.

So many in fact that choosing the best one for your operations can be daunting.

But don’t worry – you can leverage Conger’s 65 years of expertise in material handling to get help choosing the right warehouse automation options.

Our experts will consider your entire warehousing operation from A to Z, including your material handling needs, labor resources, and budget.

And we’ll work within your constraints to find the best technologies to improve your productivity, reduce your costs, and improve workplace safety – all without breaking the bank.

How does warehouse automation reduce costs?

By adopting automated solutions, you can reduce costs by:

Reducing your reliance on hard-to-find and expensive labor
Improving throughput to meet customer demand
Improving customer satisfaction with fewer errors
Reducing handling costs

How do I know if warehouse automation is right for me?

Any operation that is struggling with labor shortages, high costs, and increasing customer demand can benefit from warehouse automation. With help from our automation experts, we will analyze your operation and make a plan that fits your needs and budget.

What is the difference between AGV and AMR autonomous vehicles?

Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) follow fixed routes, much like a train or car does. In contrast, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are fitted with extra sensors and software that allow them to plan and dynamically modify their own routes and avoid collisions with people and equipment.

I’m on a limited budget. Can I still afford warehouse automation technology?

Completely automating a warehouse can no doubt be an expensive undertaking. But even if you’re working on a tighter budget, you can still implement automated systems. For example, pick-to-light and put-to-light systems are low-cost, high-impact technologies that can improve your efficiency and throughput without breaking the bank.

What are the different types of warehouse automation technologies?

There are many warehouse automation technologies that can help you streamline your operation, including:

Collaborative robots
Autonomous vehicles
Pick-to-light and put-to-light systems
Voice picking
Automated sortation systems

Additionally, there are many software solutions available that can reduce your reliance on expensive and hard-to-find labor, like:

Warehouse management systems
Predictive maintenance
Fleet management
Industrial Internet of Things

For a more detailed discussion of these solutions, check out our article on Warehouse Automation Trends.