INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Automation & technology
Benjamin Brits / Cold Link Africa
The LSE team at Frigair 2022 .
CALCULATING AND COMPARING LABOUR COSTS BY PROCESS
The processes within a cold storage operation that require the most labour hours are often the ones where automation will deliver the greatest benefits . To determine which processes are the most labour intensive , compare the average amount of time workers spend in each area to handle pallets or cases .
Further , implementing automation within these manual processing areas will not only increase worker productivity , but will also decrease the costs associated with the indirect labour required to support overall operations . Among them :
• Security and safety equipment
• Human resources staff and training time
• Maintenance services
• Housekeeping and cleaning
• Information Technology ( IT ) staff
• Customer service
• Facility , operations and shift management
EVALUATING THE AUTOMATION OPTIONS
Once the most optimal process areas for automation implementation have been identified , it ’ s time to compare the different automated solution options .
A partial automated installation could include conveyors to transport cases or pallets into and out of refrigerated or frozen areas . Conversely , a more comprehensive installation might incorporate an automated storage and retrieval system ( AS / RS ), to place and remove pallets or cases at multiple levels to minimise a facility ’ s footprint while boosting storage density . ( Sample calculations are to be provided in the next edition by the author ).
Assess the different scenarios based on their anticipated labour and payroll savings to determine the optimal solution .
THE BENEFITS Operations that implement automation as a labour strategy in their temperaturecontrolled warehouses and distribution centres will realise numerous benefits .
Enhancing the bottom line are :
• Lower operating costs through increased productivity , greater efficiency , reduced environmental footprint , lower energy consumption ,
optimised utilisation of floorspace , less need for temporary labour , a reduction in the need to recruit and hire new workers , and more .
• Enhanced workforce retention as the automation handles the monotonous , repetitive tasks workers find boring or tiring . In a temperature-controlled operation , automation can minimise the amount of time personnel spend in the cold . Instead , workers can be reallocated to new tasks that are less physically taxing and more ergonomic . Further , with automation a company can offer more competitive wages , making it easier to recruit and retain employees .
• Higher customer satisfaction because automation allows managers to focus less on guiding and overseeing people and more on ensuring processes are running as they should . This ensures greater consistency , higher productivity , increased accuracy , faster throughput , and reduced lead times — all of which make customers happy .
THE ANSWER Elevate the productivity , dependability , sustainability , accuracy and safety of your cold storage application by leveraging automation as a labour strategy .
Every single day , automated warehouse systems designed by LSE ( myself and the expert professionals in the sector at LSE ) supply solutions that support the shipment of millions of kilogrammes of frozen food . They range from direct support of food producers and food wholesalers to refrigerated warehouses of many variable sizes and demands , and leverage the expertise available to help customers save energy , increase productivity , reduce cycle times and improve workforce safety and satisfaction – all while reducing the footprint needed to fulfil orders .
Whether optimising or modernising an existing process ( brownfield projects ), or designing a greenfield location , I believe it is invaluable to understand the importance of the technology partner as no customer will know what all the systems are that are available . Experts in frozen foods warehousing and those who can also provide solutions that exceed expectations are a must , as having one without the other will not yield the guaranteed results . CLA
COLD LINK AFRICA • June 2023 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 9