The ban on the sale of fluorescent tubes has been in force since September 2023. Conventional luminaires, some of which are still based on mercury, may no longer be sold. Companies that have installed affected luminaires in their warehouses - usually in the form of continuous-row lighting systems with T5 and T8 fluorescent tubes - must retrofit accordingly to avoid work stoppages if the old solutions fail. There are also workplace guidelines and standards for lighting, such as DIN EN 12464-1, which warehouse operators must comply with. In accordance with the applicable regulations, companies must ensure the safety and health of their employees in the warehouse. This includes adequate lighting in the workplace.

Energy-saving potential and ESG compliance

Companies that rely on energy-efficient lighting technologies such as LED lights reduce energy consumption and operating costs in the warehouse: compared to conventional lighting, modernized LED lighting saves 60 to 70 percent energy. This figure can be further increased if warehouse operators also use intelligently networked lighting control systems such as the EnergyStage from Welight Intelligent, which only switch the light on where movement is detected. With this type of lighting technology, companies are making a contribution to sustainable warehousing and at the same time ensuring ESG compliance.

With good lighting, warehouse employees can pick goods much faster and more accurately: Searching for the appropriate warehouse goods is much more time-saving with bright, clear lighting than searching in semi-dark aisles. The error rate when identifying and selecting goods is also reduced. If all items are clearly visible, the picker can complete his work more quickly and use the time gained for other activities.

Improve visibility and safety

A well-lit workplace and therefore good visibility also reduce the risk of accidents and injuries. In brightly lit warehouses, obstacles, hazards and potential risks can be seen more clearly. Shelf dimensions, temporarily stored parcels or freely moving AGVs are quicker and easier to recognize. At the same time, daylight simulation reduces employee fatigue. Workstations are also better illuminated thanks to appropriate lighting: For example, if employees are responsible for the mechanical assembly of automated guided vehicles, compressors or similar, LED lighting leads to more precise, clean work. The right lighting conditions therefore optimize working conditions.

To achieve optimum lighting results, companies should consider the warehouse structure and the arrangement of the shelving. Illuminance and light distribution can vary depending on the area of the warehouse - whether shelving, work area or narrow aisle. For example, work areas should be illuminated particularly glare-free and evenly and shelves should be sufficiently illuminated so that individual stored goods can be easily recognized. If companies also rely on intelligently networked LED lighting, they can further optimize their space management: Intelligent lighting solutions record activities such as the duty cycle per luminaire, the energy consumption per luminaire or hall section and the technical status. All the information can be evaluated in an overview on a dashboard, providing important insights into the activity in the hall areas.

Maintenance and service life of the lighting

To ensure the operational safety of a lighting system during operation, companies must carry out regular maintenance and repairs. Upcoming maintenance work ties up investments - usually from maintenance budgets - and restricts the use of the affected hall sections. By converting to energy-efficient, intelligently networked LED lighting solutions, logistics and freight forwarding operators are opting for a longer-lasting alternative to conventional lighting technology or uncontrolled LED luminaires. With an assumed service life of over 100,000 operating hours, an intelligently networked lighting system is two times more durable than conventional lighting technology. This type of lighting also requires significantly less maintenance and is more cost-effective: due to the long service life and replacement cycles, the total cost of ownership and return on investment in logistics companies is usually less than two years.

Technological innovations and future trends

In the course of upgrading to the latest lighting technologies, companies are finding out how intelligent lighting systems can bring additional benefits as IoT applications in the warehouse. The data collected on CO2 levels, daylight usage, footfall and activity by hall area and much more can be evaluated in a dashboard. For the first time, users receive a complete overview of the activity in the hall areas as well as a precise analysis of the energy costs incurred per luminaire, hall section and property. Pioneering lighting technology is therefore not just limited to illuminating the hall, but also offers many other efficiency and planning benefits. One example of such an IoT application in the lighting sector is the EnergyStage Smartmeter from Welight Intelligent.

With modern lighting systems, warehouse operators can increase the efficiency of their warehouse location and invest in sustainability at the same time. Tips for improving warehouse management show how much potential there is in retrofitting warehouse lighting - both in retrofits and when equipping new properties. Intelligently networked LED warehouse lighting enables energy savings of up to 90 percent and provides valuable information for logistics operators in their day-to-day work.