The Satellite Review Magazine The Satellite Review Magazine Vol 1 | Page 34

NO SPACE? NO PROBLEM.

No space? No problem:

Using automation to leverage existing assets and accommodate
growth
By Gary Frank,

VP of Automated Systems, Westfalia Technologies, Inc.

After experiencing a period of significant growth, you
realize that your remaining warehouse space is limited.
Your facility is maxed out, and you’re receiving pressure from
upper management to meet these growth needs. In order
to accommodate your booming business, you immediately
decide to embark on an expansion project and begin
weighing your options. Should you build a brand new
warehouse, utilize an off-site storage facility, or expand the
current facility?

Although these options will certainly generate more space, in
actuality, the general construction will yield nothing to ROI
and add minimal value to the growth process. Instead of

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opting for expensive new construction, you may be
overlooking the most practical solution, your existing facility.
All you need is the right type of automation. By retrofitting
your warehouse with the right automation technology, you
can easily leverage your existing assets and real estate to
accommodate growth. Retrofitting opens the door for many
new opportunities and benefits that new construction would
not provide. Introducing high-density Automated Storage
and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) can increase the warehouse’s
storage capacity without
expanding the facility itself.
Oftentimes, AS/RS can increase
the storage space dramatically so
that you can effectively manage
your growth on site. It is also
possible to integrate other
capabilities into the AS/RS with
the existing warehouse, including
order fulfillment case picking to
go along with unit load demand.
As a result, you get even more
value out of your investment.
Second, it is easier to justify the
cost of automation systems if
the general construction can be
reduced or eliminated from the
equation. Facilities themselves do
not generate ROI and only dilute
the return for the automation being considered. To reiterate,
with automation, you’ll not only eliminate the element of
new construction, but also receive the added benefits of
increased productivity, greater inventory accuracy, and

www.WestfaliaUSA.com