Modernization: there is still a lot to be done

Absolutely! The targeted use of innovative technical products expands the scope of our individual modernization and concept approach. In this way, we can ensure that our customers are also flexibly and efficiently equipped to meet changing and new requirements in the future following a modernization measure. By integrating new technology in Industry 4.0, we are also using our new ServiceAPP for customer service, modernization, maintenance and servicing with the support of smart devices such as smart glasses, tablets or smartphones.

MFL: What parameters do you use to determine the success of a modernization - and how do your company and your products adapt to this?Pitz: The key success factor is the individual consideration of the conversion and migration concepts. Whereas in previous years the focus was merely on substituting the technology, today the comprehensive consideration and integration of all of our customers' key intralogistics processes plays a key role. These concepts then need to be harmonized with the technology from our portfolio in the Körber Logistics Systems Business Area. We offer solutions under this umbrella together with our sister companies.

stahl cranesystems

Material flow: The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?Thomas Kraus: Absolutely. The ever faster pace of development in the field of digitalization and the resulting possibilities, for example in connection with sensor technology (condition monitoring), are constantly opening up new opportunities to increase processes and efficiency. In general, a great deal of information can be collected and displayed today. However, efficiency can only be increased by correctly evaluating and interpreting the information obtained. And we still see a lot of potential here.

MFL: What parameters do you use to determine the success of a modernization - and how are your company and your products adapting to this?Kraus: In addition to the standard parameters such as time, turnover rate, etc., you should think in advance about which parameters are best suited to measuring the increase in efficiency for the respective application. Our products increasingly use systems that record the use of the systems in real time and clearly show the operator possible savings potential or increases in productivity using specially created algorithms.

CIM

Thomas Kraus, Director Support Center, Stahl CraneSystems - Photo: Stahl CraneSystems

Dipl.-Ing. Fritz Mayr, Managing Director of CIM GmbH LogistikSysteme - Photo: CIM

The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?

In the area of software, the possibilities for modernization have increased considerably. The trend towards standardization and parameterization in recent years is now paying off and leading systems such as Prolag World have such flexible setting options that they can meet all requirements and wishes. This has made it much easier to change processes. And modernizations are also easier, cheaper and faster to implement.

MFL: What parameters do you use to determine the success of modernization - and how are your company and your products adapting to it?Mayr: Success factors are faster, reliable and error-free processing and therefore more output with the same number of staff. We are working paperless with scanners, pick-by-light, pick-by-voice and so on. By dispensing with paper lists as part of the modernization, processing becomes simpler, more efficient and safer. The speed increases without the staff having to work faster. At the same time, the error rate decreases, which has a cost-reducing effect. We regularly provide our customers with ideas for modernization that can be implemented simply through software updates and configuration. In my opinion, the supplier must be the driver here, constantly pointing out new potential to customers and exploiting this through software updates. In this way, a system remains up to date at all times without major changes thanks to a continuous improvement cycle.

Dambach storage systems

Material flow: The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?Dirk Lorenz: In general, a precise analysis of the current processes should be carried out before modernization. In most cases, the requirements have changed since the facility was built, which is often underestimated. Provisional solutions have become commonplace. Today, modern plant control systems offer more possibilities to react flexibly to changes. The flexibility of these systems often fails during modernization due to the installed base of the conveyor system. Especially in the field of pallet conveyor technology, systems are very often designed for just one business process. Changing this process requires changes to the layout - in which case you should do what makes financial sense. Significant improvements can be achieved in the area of operation/diagnosis/service. Modern operating concepts and visualizations are far superior to the systems of 15 to 20 years ago. They increase efficiency and can be easily integrated as part of a modernization project.

MFL: What parameters do youuse to determine the success of a modernization - and how do your company or your products adapt to this?Lorenz: A successful modernization meets the expectations set by the customer, including the cost framework. In addition to adapting to the current business process, this includes increasing or restoring system availability, ensuring the supply of spare parts and, in the meantime, up-to-date IT security. Outdated and vulnerable computer systems, including those in the control area, need to be replaced, which is why modernizations are always comprehensive measures for our company. The same technology is used as for new systems.

Pierau Management Consulting

Dirk Lorenz, Head of Control Systems, Dambach Lagersysteme - Photo: Dambach Lagersysteme

Arne Pierau, Managing Director at Pierau Unternehmensberatung GmbH - Photo: Pierau Unternehmensberatung

The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?

The portfolio of systems and subsystems in intralogistics has increased significantly over the past five years. This is partly due to the high demand from online retailers. Many of these systems are very well suited to being integrated as new elements in an existing overall concept. In particular, the new "pocket technology" or mobile shelving can be easily integrated into existing spaces for partial product ranges. Structural measures are generally not required. The decisive factor is that systems support 1-stage picking according to the goods-to-man principle.

MFL: What parameters do youuse to determine the success of modernization - and how are your company and your products adapting to this?Pierau: Important parameters are, on the one hand, short throughput times - ordered by 4 p.m., delivered the following day, and on the other hand, high employee productivity in terms of parts/mah. Selected products, i.e. only a small proportion of the active range, are stocked decentrally so that same-day delivery is possible. This is made possible by the high proportion of 1-position shipments in online retail in many product groups. In addition, the reduction of throughput time in the series creation of order processing in the WMS is being accelerated. Orders are now often forwarded 1/1 to the WMS after the ERP processes and order processing begins.

AR Racking

Material flow: The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?Laura Garrido: As in many other sectors, there has been significant development in logistics in recent years. Logistics, specifically intralogistics, has evolved fundamentally to make a work process simpler, more agile and therefore more efficient. At AR Racking, we are aware of the importance of well-organized logistics and the advantage for a company of having a flexible, efficient and modern racking system. Thanks to our own Research & Development department, we are clearly oriented towards a culture of innovation, in which technological progress is an essential aspect and adaptation to change is the focus. For AR Racking, the modernization of a warehouse is a constant challenge that we overcome in each new installation and that we adapt to the customer's needs.

MFL : What parameters do youuse to determine the success of a modernization - and how do your company and your products adapt to this?Garrido: For AR Racking, the most important thing when modernizing a warehouse is to meet the demanding needs of both the company and its customers. Therefore, when installing our system, we have several criteria in mind, such as the optimal use of the floor, the type of cargo, the speed at which the cargo is to be accessed, stock control, rotation speed and so on. All this together with the knowledge of the specific needs of storage in each country and exact sector, enables us to fulfill these needs in the best possible way.

Viastore Systems

Laura Garrido, Regional Area Manager DACH, Netherlands, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and South Africa, AR Racking - Photo: AR Racking

Swen Mantel, Head of Retrofit viastore Systems - Photo: Viastore Systems

The trend is towards flexible and efficient intralogistics, and many products and solutions already take this into account. As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased compared to previous years?

Yes. The decisive factors in intralogistics are availability and flexibility. At the latest when these requirements are no longer met or spare parts are no longer available, the time has come for modernization. For such open-heart operations, we have developed a step-by-step model to modernize our customers' systems during ongoing operations without impairing delivery capability. Warehouse management and control software that grows with the system, is scalable and future-proof is also crucial. Our viadat WMS meets these requirements, enables transparency, lower stock levels and is also reliable and intuitive to use.

MFL: What parameters do you use to determine the success of a modernization - and how do your company and your products adapt to this?Mantel: It is essential that the customer remains able to deliver during the modernization and subsequently records more performance and efficiency as well as fewer faults - also thanks to intelligent software. viastore has already modernized more than 3,000 systems. Our modernization department therefore has a great deal of experience and enormous expertise, including in relation to outdated control software. During a retrofit, we proceed in a structured manner and according to the proven step-by-step model. Our standard viadat WMS also enables future-proof and upgradeable warehouse management and control for greater productivity in warehousing, production and distribution.

Witron

Material flow: As things stand today, have the possibilities for modernizing a warehouse increased?Ulrich Schlosser: The reason for many inquiries is no longer just technological change. The short-term goal is certainly to ensure the availability of support and spare parts. In the medium term, however, modernization has overriding objectives. Namely, to generate competitive advantages and thus secure the location. The design of future-oriented work processes that guarantee a high quality and quantity of work is now part of modernization planning. The pace of IT integration in particular means that there is a great need for modernization. Almost all sectors will be directly or indirectly affected by online retail in the future. Individual customer service, extremely short delivery times and exploding product ranges will no longer be possible without high-performance logistics systems. WMS systems that guarantee transparency within the entire supply chain and - based on big data, Industry 4.0 and predictive analytics - provide well-founded recommendations for action are replacing existing technologies.

MFL: What parameters do you use to determine the success of a modernization?Schlosser: In the past, it was mainly about replacing components, but now the focus is on a holistic implementation strategy. These concepts not only include precisely planned, budgeted and scheduled implementation steps, but also proposals for alternative expansion, conversion and extension stages - not only with a view to the distribution center, but also looking ahead to the supply chain, market changes, demographics and legal framework conditions. The effects of the measures on service, maintenance and sustainable system operation are also included. A retrofit was successful if the measures achieved an increase in productivity and the warehouse can "breathe" and grow again in the long term with a high degree of process flexibility.