EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
Chillventa and WorldSkills 2022 Compiled by Benjamin Brits
Keeping refrigeration and air conditioning working is essential to the modern world . This is the main driver for this category of WorldSkills .
A
refrigeration and air conditioning technician works on commercial , residential , public and industrial projects , including transportation and storage .
There is a direct relationship between the nature and quality of the product and service required and the resulting cost and price . Therefore , this branch of engineering covers a wide range of products and services . It is also essential for a refrigeration and air conditioning technician to meet high and growing standards of service in order to comply with the requirements of the customer and maintain and grow the business .
Refrigeration and air conditioning is closely associated with other parts of construction , processing , industrial and transportation industries at all stages and is equally affected by rapid change in these sectors , including growing environmental trends , and requirements .
“ RAC technicians generally work inside domestic , commercial , or public buildings during and after construction and production , and on projects of all sizes and types . He or she will plan and design , install , test , commission , report , maintain , fault find and repair systems to a high standard . Work organisation and self-management , communication and interpersonal skills , problem solving , flexibility and a deep body of knowledge are the universal attributes of the outstanding practitioner ” – according to WorldSkills .
Whether the refrigeration and air conditioning technician is working alone or in a team , the individual takes on a high level of personal responsibility and autonomy . From ensuring a safe and reliable installation and maintenance service , in accordance with relevant standards , through to diagnosing malfunctions , upgrading and
Cold Link Africa | Dale Macnamara
Chillventa hosted the 2022 WorldSkills competition : refrigeration and airconditioning where South Africa and Namibia had representing technicians .
commissioning , fault finding and correction , the skills of concentration , precision , accuracy and attention to detail at every step in the process are crucial .
Mistakes may be expensive and damaging , while substandard work will significantly undermine the performance of the facility or equipment that it is intended to serve .
The cold chain also plays a significant role in modern global trade in all food commodities , and skilled refrigeration
BUSINESS
Warehouse management and the power of synergy Paul Bouchier , sales director at iOCO , an Infor Gold Partner .
In the past , effective control , communication and coordination were enough for warehouse management to find great success .
While these are still critical , today , warehouse management systems ( WMS ) must deliver agility and usability to yield real results .
In a world that thrives on instant gratification , customers have heightened expectations around service and value . There is no room for negotiation when it comes to availability , cost , and speed . Businesses must deliver all three consistently and simultaneously . According to Infor , market dynamics , evolving product portfolios , growing complexity , and a changing labour force challenge companies to leverage automation and better utilise assets to fuel profitable growth .
Modern warehouses must run on an advanced WMS which combines core warehouse functionality with labour management , task management , wave management , and third-party logistics ( 3PL ) management on one highly configurable , scalable database . When this is combined with a contemporary user interface , open API framework , and advanced features such as Web RF , 3D visual warehousing , and voice processing , the business is empowered to manage multiple channels ( B2B / B2C ) from a single warehouse .
With an intuitive solution that delivers one unified approach , businesses can holistically assess requirements , incorporate value-added services , prioritise tasks , and eliminate bottlenecks . This effectively means order fulfilment is perfected , while improving throughput and costs . Now , when speed and accuracy are critical to customer satisfaction , businesses heavily rely on their warehouses to keep the supply chain moving . To achieve this their WMS must give unprecedented visibility into inventory , orders , equipment , and people .
As a mission-critical function of the supply chain , warehouse operations must continue to evolve to changing business models to meet fulfilment needs for both B2B and B2C customers . Current best practices require warehouses to devise and implement improved strategies to help drive operational excellence across
Edmund DelSol | Pixabay
Modern warehouses today need to run advanced systems which combine core functionality with labour management , task management , wave management , and third-party logistics to ensure the heightened needs of customer as met .
the organisation ' s distribution network .
To succeed , warehouses must deploy a WMS that supports omni-channel commerce from a single site , drives efficiencies that decrease logistics and fulfilment costs , empower the business to meet increasing customer service level demands , enhance inventory tracking , and optimise resource utilisation .
This may sound like a tall order – but it is all possible with innovative solutions that offer increased integrated warehouse automation , and more . With better visibility of the facility , inventory management is improved and streamlined , bottlenecks avoided , best practices achieved , and customers are left satisfied at every interaction . CLA
22 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za COLD LINK AFRICA • January / February 2023