Exploring a solution agnostic approach

THERE ARE two common approaches. The first is Solution Dependent. A prospective buyer can be tempted to identify a technology that looks appropriate and simply approach a manufacturer or vendor for advice. It may work out well, but there is a danger that the solution is limited to the vendor’s portfolio of products, imposing a major constraint on the solution design.

As such, the ‘Solution Dependent’ approach tends to be very limited in scope and often fails to flex for future needs, locking clients into systems that are difficult to upgrade or integrate with new technologies.

Solution agnostic approach

The alternative is to take a Solution Agnostic approach, where an independent integrator is chosen that is free to select the most appropriate technology for the task.

There are many advantages to working with an independent integrator. First, and most importantly, being independent means that recommendations relating to technology and potential suppliers are unbiased, and are not determined by the need to sell a proprietary product. A good integrator with strong software capabilities can therefore bring together the very latest and most advanced technologies for the task, producing a best-in-class solution.

Automation can offer a whole host of possible solutions to a range of warehouse processes – from goods-received, storage and order picking to packing, sorting and despatch.

Low capex, fast ROI

Fast-developing technologies, such as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) combined with pick-to-light technology, have transformed goods-to-person order processing in recent years, bringing highly flexible and scalable, low-Capex solutions within easy reach of SMEs. However, the choices can be complex, making unbiased technical expertise an invaluable resource to tap in to.

AMRs are highly flexible and scalable forms of warehouse automation which can offer a really fast ROI. And technologies, such as zone-routing conveyors, flow-racking and cross-belt sorters, can all be brought together as a cohesive value-adding solution. Smarter picking software too can be deployed, along with pick-walls, to create continuous wave picking – boosting productivity and reducing dependency on labour.

As an integrator focused on delivering value to SMEs, Ferag’s solution agnostic approach prioritises the needs of the application over a predefined technology set – ensuring the selection of the right technologies for the best possible outcome.

What success looks like

A successful outcome can take many forms. For one leading retailer, significant operational benefits and savings were achieved through creating an Omni-channel fulfilment operation, integrating a variety of picking, sorting and storage methods for efficient processing of ecommerce orders as well as store replenishment. In another application a prominent 3PL has been able to use modular automation to great effect across multiple clients, scaling up or down as demand dictates – giving the confidence to maintain performance, even at peak.

Key to successful integration of best-of-breed technology is the skilled application of versatile software. Ferag’s intelligent proprietary software, ferag.doWarehouse, has the power to connect, control and manage a whole world of smart warehouse technologies from different suppliers, making Ferag the leading independent integrator for SMEs keen to take their first-step into warehouse automation.

Chris More, head of sales for Ferag’s UK and Nordic regions