INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN
AUTOMATION & TECHNOLOGY people – such as employees who may take 30 hours to do what they used to take on average 80 hours to .
Automation is also a means for companies in the cold chain to differentiate themselves . At the moment , many warehouses are designed exactly the same according to an identical blueprint . All they can do to compete is to buy cheaper or pay their staff less – instead of creating efficiencies by looking at the design of the facility and going for more automation . With a lower headcount , instead of paying staff less they could rather pay them more for a more satisfied employee , and be more competitive .
The point of automation is not to retrench people but convert them into competitively-skilled persons working in other areas of the business as the benefits of automation kicks in and the company grows . That is the secret to China ’ s success – but is South Africa ’ s failing . In South Africa we have a fear that automation is simply a process of removing people from the equation through retrenchment rather than making our people more intelligent and skilled .
The immediate benefit of automation is increased profitability . However , there is a limit – the level of production has to be sufficiently high to justify the capex . There are instances where full automation is not appropriate – but one should nonetheless look at becoming partially-automated wherever possible .
Automation equipment in a freezer has to be robust enough that it can remain frozen constantly . Other equipment can be removed but the automation cannot as it most likely is operating 24 / 7 . Lighting has to be different for semi-automated spaces and also for maintenance .
CAN I AFFORD NOT TO AUTOMATE MY WAREHOUSE ? With semi-automated and automated systems , the capex is slightly higher but the saving is entirely due to the reduced opex over the lifespan of the facility , which is proven by a full lifecycle costing . For instance , a company that doesn ’ t have to increase its opex by 10 % each year ( because of labour increases for instance ) can use that money to either invest in the business or take as profit .
Automated systems have an extremely low maintenance requirement because they have become so well designed and engineered over recent years . It ’ s unbreakable . It eliminates the risk of damage to forklifts and from forklifts . This is one of the major contributors to damages in a warehouse that we see today , and is typically also extremely expensive to repair in a freezer store when an upright is knocked . A shuttle system totally removes the risk of forklift damage – the fewer the people the fewer the accidents .
As I mentioned in my previous columns , if the facility is designed properly , it can be designed more densely – the land useage for instance can be increased to 70 % from the usual 50 % limit according to regulations . This makes another exponential saving possible as many other cost factors can also be lowered .
Reduced energy bills are another benefit as a refrigeration system ’ s energy consumption is the second biggest cost after labour . Automated facilities typically operate with less-energy demanding machines and other technologies designed to reduce energy bills and this is particularly important in facilities that operate 24 hours a day , again , which is something humans cannot do . CLA
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COLD LINK AFRICA • January / February 2023 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 9 Website : www . lsegroup . co . za www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 9