“The warehouse of 2017 is vastly different from the 20th century warehouse. In the past, warehouses were designed to function solely as storage structures that housed products in an organized and secure location. The function of today’s warehouse is no longer solely about housing products. Those currently managing warehouses must focus on optimizing their assets: people, products, and facilities. With the advancement of conveyor belts, automated guided vehicles, electronic data interchange, automated storage and retrieval systems, slotting optimization and other warehouse management system components, the focus is shifting from storing boxes to managing data. Additionally, robotics and process automation has resulted in improved product management, faster product movement, and less labor-intensive picking and packaging operations. The 21st century warehouse is a lean, data driven autonomous hub aimed at increasing productivity and impacting the speed of the entire supply chain. There are five technological innovations that will significantly impact the warehouse of the future: 1) the Internet of Things (IoT), 2) blockchain, 3) 3D printing, 4) virtual reality (VR), and 5) augmented reality (AR)”…
To read the full article, click here: Food Quality & Safety Magazine