Schoeller Allibert, a leading UK manufacturer and supplier of returnable and recyclable plastic packaging solutions, has shared five of the core messages shared by speakers at its recent webinar, which outlined the present and future of retail warehouse automation.
Schoeller Allibert Webinar imageInviting system integrators and brands around the globe to understand the state of play for automation on a deeper level, Schoeller Allibert was joined at ‘What next for retail warehousing & automation?’ by speakers from Cloud Fulfilment and Libiao Robotics.
Jon Walkington, Sales & Marketing Director at Schoeller Allibert, commented: “We were extremely pleased to welcome delegates to our webinar and share key information to support businesses involved in the retail and e-commerce supply chain. It was an engaging event that points towards the future of warehousing and supply chain design – and the extremely exciting potential that lies ahead.”
The business has identified five key learning points from the session, which can be viewed in full on the Schoeller Allibert UK website.
Automation is becoming simpler to integrate – Speakers at the event demonstrated that digitising warehouse design is becoming simpler than ever as automation technology becomes more versatile, cost-effective and easy to integrate in existing workflows.
Legacy retail models are gone – An omnichannel offer is now becoming central to warehouse design and development. Facilities now need to be constructed around the e-commerce model, even if traditional brick and mortar is still the central distribution route. Meeting the rising demand for online purchasing, this switches warehouses to an ‘always on’ workflow, with automation effectively extending useable work time.
Robotic integration can bring rapid return – Robotic elements in warehouse workflows are proving valuable in reducing headcount requirements and pressure on workforces. As a result of this and the high volumes involved in today’s retail environment, the cycle of investment, return and breakeven in robotics is becoming much faster, often under two years.
Fulfilment speed matters – A key consideration in supply chain design is speed of fulfilment. Consumers have become used to same day delivery as a benchmark – while this isn’t a suitable distribution model for all businesses, it highlights that a consumer-centric rapid turnaround is becoming ever more crucial to commercial success resulting in the growth of microfulfilment models.
Rapid deployment is king – Automation is taking centre stage in modern day warehouse design, becoming the standard rather than the exception. What will prove most crucial for competitive edge will be how quickly retailers will be able to integrate technologies and keep up innovation momentum.
The webinar also featured Sam Ryall, Key Account Manager at Schoeller Allibert, who gave an overview of the company’s impressive portfolio of durable plastic intralogistics solutions for retailers and system integrators.
Delegates also heard from Chu Zou, Head of Overseas Support at Libiao Robotics, and Tony Matthews, Head of Fulfilment at Cloud Fulfilment, who shared expertise and valuable insight on robotic logistics and the challenges of e-commerce respectively.
