S
ustainability remains a key concern in manufactur-
ing, as industrial processes account for a significant
proportion of global pollution and greenhouse gases.
Automation, another frequently discussed process in manu-
facturing in recent years, plays an interesting role in sustain-
ability. In this piece, we’ll look at the environmental impact of
automation in warehouses.
• Lights-out shifts: With the right technology in place, you
can run third shift (or any shift you desire) in a totally
automated fashion. This means less or no environmen-
tal conditioning for your warehouse (such as heating or
cooling), and no need to keep the lights on.
• Lower overall energy expenditures through efficient
usage: Using data and feedback mechanisms, automa-
tion has made unparalleled advances in more efficient
energy usage. Rather than manual processes where 100%
energy use is the only solution, automation can expend
the amount of energy only needed to pick and move, for
instance, lower-weight inventory in your facility.
• Sustainable supply chain management: Sustainable
supply chain is yet another critical concern for manufac-
turers, and automation plays a major role in achieving
that goal. When put in place upstream and downstream
in a supply chain, automated processes can have an
exponentially positive effect on the environment. As an
automated facility, you may increase your chances of
being selected as a vendor by environmentally conscious
customers as well.
Automation and the Environmental Impact of
Warehouses
The environmental impact of automation is more of a com-
plex topic than one might think. In some cases, automation
is viewed as increasing carbon emissions, as human process-
es are replaced by machines. The benefits that automation
can offer, however, typically outweigh that factor, and in
many cases, automated processes are not powered by pollu-
tion-emitting methods.
In addition to being better for the environment, warehouse
automation can provide several ancillary benefits for you:
•
•
It can improve your warehouse processes and supply
chain management.
It can result in financial benefits for your business.
Let’s take a closer look at how automating warehouse process-
es can impact the environment, and some of those benefits to
your business.
How Do Automated Warehouses Impact the
Environment?
Automated warehouses can favorably affect the environment
in several ways. These include:
• Smaller warehouse footprint required: One area where
automation excels is efficiently moving and storing
inventory. With automation systems such as an AS/RS
in place, inventory can be stored higher, can be stacked
deeper, and will use the available space more efficiently
than manual methods. As a result, less warehouse space
is required. For you, this means less square footage to
manage and pay for, and for the environment it means a
reduced warehouse carbon footprint (less space to power,
heat, and cool, etc.)
•
Replacing combustion engines: Systems such as an
AS/RS can often serve to reduce or eliminate the
number of combustion engine-powered forklifts
required in your warehouse. While these systems are
electrically powered, they also typically incorporate
regenerative braking technology, using stored potential
energy from braking processes to power movement.
www.WestfaliaUSA.com
And the
Award
Goes to...
Westfalia Technologies, Inc. has
earned the following awards:
• FL Top Green Provider
• FL 100+
• SDCE Green Supply Chain
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