Industry 4.0 and distribution centers Transforming distribution operations through innovation
Counts:495 Time: 20-09-16 From: Suzhou Teknect Engineering Co., Ltd.
RECENT years have seen the rise of connected
technologies throughout the manufacturing
and distribution value chain.1
This marriage
of digital and physical systems—known as Industry
4.0—has paved the way for increasingly connected
experiences that impact everything from product
design and planning to supply chain and production.2
Beyond the processes of designing and producing goods, however, the technologies inherent
in Industry 4.0 can also
impact the manner in
which finished goods
are moved, warehoused,
and distributed.
Industry 4.0 technologies enable warehousing
facilities to adapt to significant changes in their
business. The last several years have seen the
migration away from
warehouse-based stockpiling of inventory to
high-velocity operations,
pushing more products
through the same physical assets while bringing
down overall costs.
Known as distribution
centers (DCs) rather than warehouses, they are an
important component of the supply chain infrastructure and are increasingly treated no longer as
cost centers, but rather as strategic facilities to provide competitive advantage. As the need for greater
order customization, shorter lead times, better
quality control, reduced labor costs, and higher production output is increasing, adaptable advanced
technologies are emerging as a solution to achieve
these goals.