Thinking bigger
June 1st 2010 Selecting suppliers who can take on
more than one aspect of a project brings
advantages, says Bill Goodwin, sales
director of Jungheinrich UK
Warehouse managers no longer simply want to be sold
trucks. They want answers to a wide range of logistical
headaches and need partners who can help address
these. This means choosing a supplier that can offer a broad range
of materials handling products and services and has the core
competencies and skills to design and deliver a logistics system
around them.
To achieve optimum throughput, productivity gains and,
therefore, cost savings, companies across a broad range of
industries are turning in ever greater numbers to integrated
product solutions featuring a mix of handling equipment. If you
are considering such a multi-product system it is vital that you
choose a MHE partner capable of supplying a full line-up of
products and services.Multi-product systems that are designed
around a limited range of equipment seldom work well because
instead of an integrated facility that suits the goods stored and the
pick and product flow rates required, users usually get something
that has been planned primarily to accommodate the restricted
handling equipment their supplier offers.
I have visited numerous sites where, on the advice of a systems
integrator, companies have dramatically mis-specified their
handling system. I have seen highly automated systems perform
far less efficiently than traditional manual systems ever would and
conversely, been to sites bristling with lift trucks where a semiautomated
or even fully automated system would have increased
efficiency and throughput and lowered operating costs tenfold.
Reducing the pressure
Of course, in addition to choosing the right type of trucks or
handling equipment there is a host of other technology designed
to reduce the pressure on warehouse personnel by making his or
her day-to-day operational procedures more straightforward and
thereby generating higher productivity and picking accuracy.
Warehouse management systems, on-truck data capture
systems, RFID-based warehouse navigation systems and forklift
truck personnel protection systems are just some of the
technologies that are available to bring efficiency, productivity and
safety benefits within the store.
However, going forward, it seems clear that truck
manufacturers will increasingly be expected to take on the role of
'system suppliers' if the potential benefits of these integrated
solutions are to be fully realised. There are obvious benefits to be
gained by developing these technologies as part of the truck but it
is essential that the integration of the technology is carefully
carried out and is a robust solution delivered by the actual truck
manufacturer. Simply 'bolting' on lots of additional equipment
will not guarantee the overall benefits and improved efficiencies
that the technology can bring.
It is also important have clearly defined procedures and
structures to establish responsibility for the after sales support and
maintenance of both the truck and any sub-systems that are part
of it.Where a number of suppliers simply bolt sub-systems on to
a forklift truck disputes can arise over the responsibility for the
ongoing management of the critical interfaces. That's why it is
important that users choose a truck manufacturer that can
provide the trucks and the sub-systems – be it RDTs, scanners or
warehouse management systems – and the personnel with the
skills required to maximise their performance as part of their
service support team.
But it isn't just with hi-tech add-ons that the single supplier
approach brings advantages. For example, although it's best
known for its forklift trucks and other materials handling
equipment, Jungheinrich has offered a full range of racking and
storage systems as a core part of its product portfolio for over 20
years and the fact that we can supply a full range of materials
handling equipment and design and build a client's racking
system is an increasingly attractive proposition for many
customers. It is something of a cliché, but being a 'one-stop-shop'
means we are able to simplify a project for a client's management
team by providing full integration of the rack and truck systems
to ensure total value is gained from the project.
Having our own range of batteries and chargers also helps our
clients. By providing both truck and battery charging solutions we
simplify maintenance procedures and eliminate the confusion
that sometimes surrounds the cause of truck downtime.
It is not uncommon in the event of an electric-powered truck
breaking down for the truck supplier to blame battery
malfunction for the problem and the battery supplier to argue
that the cause of the malfunction lies with the mechanics of the
machine itself. Because Jungheinrich is able to offer truck, battery
and charger, our clients never face potentially awkward 'blame
game' problems.
Today's logistics professional is faced with a sometimes
bewildering choice of materials handling equipment and the pros
and cons of using forklift trucks, very narrow aisle (VNA)
equipment, stacker cranes, conveyors or automated guided
vehicles, or a combination of product types,must all be
considered. Then there's the racking and warehouse management
system to think about. But having a partner capable of supplying
and taking responsibility for more than one aspect of the project
can, and does, make life so
much easier. More articles from Jungheinrich UK Ltd: | 
