Month: April 2020

By SnapFulfil’s CEO, UK & Europe, Tony Dobson:

The global impact of Covid-19 is going to be felt for years, long after the virus has been brought under control, with governments and economies struggling to get back on their feet.

But what this crisis has already revealed is the true spirit of human inventiveness as many businesses have adjusted their game plans overnight – whether introducing direct to consumer e-commerce or new lines to meet changing demand.

For many this is going to be a permanent change too, with the need to switch suppliers, invest in automation, reinforce online operations and identify risk mitigation strategies.

At the heart of this is advanced cloud-based WMS technology, such as SnapFulfil, that is key to ensuring the smooth flow in and out of goods, even when having staff on the ground is compromised due to sickness and there is a need to stockpile products.

Here are five ways WMS can maintain efficiency and reduce the pressure of stockpiling:

1. Location, Location, Location: WMS automates your putaway process and helps you to identify the best ‘location’ to store your goods based on the frequency items will be picked and whether they have special storage requirements. The aim should be that every item has a location, so pickers know exactly where to find things and a reference when it’s time to get it out the door.

2. Pick Planning: A WMS like SnapFulfil will use data from the day’s orders to generate electronic ‘pick lists’ based on product locations. A pick list will offer pickers the most efficient routes to take, which can improve efficiency and productivity by up to 30 per cent, which is welcomed when operatives are in short supply!

3. First In, First Out: By using the first in first out principles, a WMS will manage stock rotations based on a product’s shelf life, reducing waste and making sure products are as fresh as possible for your customers. This will also minimise shrink as all stock movements are accurately recorded and will let you know exactly when you need to re-order items.

4. Quality Control: A cloud-based WMS brings control to a warehouse, which can be a complex and chaotic environment. It removes piles of paperwork by automating processes, helping to maintain efficiency and identify any issues within the warehouse. This could be a picker who is consistently slower than average at pulling orders, allowing you to address the situation appropriately.

5. Realtime Data: Data is a key feature of WMS, giving you access to a plethora of reports and trend analysis. These reports allow you to make better forecasting decisions based on solid fact and paint a detailed picture of a product’s lifecycle across the supply chain – from what you’ve sold to where you’ve sold it and frequency.

In Summary:
While we are all absorbed by Covid-19, investing in a WMS might seem the furthest thought from your mind. But now is the ideal time, as downtime is the best time to get your warehouse in order to manage the brave new world.

The truth is, it’s possible to have a cloud-based WMS, such as SnapFulfil, up and running remotely in 45 days or less and it’s not expensive to set in motion, or difficult to realign across multiple locations.

With our unique low cost monthly payments, including equipment lease, the financial barriers are lifted giving you the opportunity to have a world class WMS with no major capital investment.

The benefits are clear with total control over your warehouse logistics – from stock and where to find it, storage space optimisation, improved pick efficiency, despatch accuracy and most significantly, a quick return on investment.

Finding a solution that has the flexibility to not only integrate with other technology platforms but also grow with your business are other important considerations when looking for a WMS partner.

To compensate the cancelled Hanover Fair, PSI will be presenting integrated software solutions for production and logistics at its own virtual trade fair. Interested parties for the April 20 to 24, 2020 event can get information online in various webcasts and individual consultations.

Based on the PSI technology platform, an integrated solution consisting of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution System (MES), Predictive Maintenance and Quality, Warehouse Management System (WMS) and AI-based applications will be presented for agile production and logistics.

The showcase demonstrates the integration of order management, detailed planning and the control of the manufacturing process using an Enterprise Service Bus. Here, the parameterization and control of tools is completely automatic. The processes and data exchange are modeled easily and without programming using workflows based on BPMN 2.0. In addition to AI-based applications, the factory monitor for visual monitoring of the manufacturing process and worker assistance with numerous functions for optimization and error reduction are used.

Two webcasts highlight how production processes can be improved with ERP and MES software, which meats the specific issues of mechanical and plant engineering as well as the automotive industry. Personal consultations with PSI experts round-off the virtual fair.

More information and registration options (only in German): www.psi-automotive-industry.de/de/aktuelles/veranstaltungen/virtuelle-messe-fuer-intelligente-produktion/

Logistics software specialist inconso is outlining the benefits of the cloud with the new generation of its warehouse management system inconsoWMS: Flexibility, scalability and immediate operational readiness are included in the latest cloud release that the company says serves as an excellent starting point for IT-supported warehouse management – and was designed with high availability and IT security in mind.

As a cloud service, the proven inconsoWMS combines all basic functions for mainly manual or forklift-controlled processes in goods receiving, store-in, picking and packing. In addition to standardized processes, inconsoWMS from the cloud also has special functions for dashboards, stock taking and stock management. It is suitable for small and medium warehouses and multi-warehouse users who want to easily and quickly implement additional warehouses and hubs.

This cloud-based solution provides higher security by being run at a certified data centre (ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and SOC 1 and 2) with global service teams. With an availability of over 99.5 percent, the cloud infrastructure makes use of powerful virtualisation, server, storage and network technologies that increase flexibility in system deployment. “We can handle seasonal fluctuations dynamically with these system resources,” explains Wilfried Pfuhl, CEO of inconso. “However, the cloud inconsoWMS was also designed for peak loads, growth and process modification. This makes the new, highly flexible cloud software a welcome addition to the inconso Logistics Suite’s range of solutions and enables our users to overcome all future logistics challenges.”

The cloud-based inconsoWMS is available immediately, unlike standard warehouse management systems. Users do not have to worry about the necessary infrastructure or major security measures. Regular updates provide expanded functions and ensure system security is always up to date. The cloud release’s appearance is based on the familiar user interface of the inconso Logistics Suite.

Logistics software specialist Everysens is joining the solidarity effort created by the current international crisis by making available a Launch version of its collaborative transport visibility platform free of charge, for 2 months. This version will include a set of real-time functionalities to simplify deployment and quick returns without changing their processes.

This means being able to manage the execution of transport by synchronising with different teams remotely, by going digital in order to obtain real-time field visibility and having business collaboration tools that simplify the implementation of transport processes. Industrials and freight forwarders will thus be able to edit their consignment notes in a simplified manner or even monitor the progress of their deliveries (ETA) and inform their customers at the end of the chain.

Everysens says that 72 hours will be enough to set up an account, and to connect the customer’s transport
team and users, so that everyone can collaborate, wherever they are. This will ensure the continuity of operations, so that a high level of service can be maintained despite the current circumstances.

Apply for the system here.