Modern Materials Handling - November 2012

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Pallet FlowPush BackWide SpanCantileverSelective Rack877.632.2589 | www.interlakemecalux.comWAREHOUSERACKINGSYSTEMS
2012 Warehouse/DC Operations Survey WebcastJoin our research team as they dig into all the findings in detail.Thursday, November 29 @ 2:00 p.m. ETGo to mmh.com/WDCbenchmarksurveythese systems can offer—even thoughit may not be the best thing for thewarehouse.”Derewecki agrees, adding that theWMS being offered today by the bigERP players “isn’t as bad for the warehouseas it used to be.” He says that10 years ago some of his clients wereforced to use ERP at the DC levelbecause corporate wanted everyoneto integrate with the company’s ERPsystem. “All of the functionalities thatmanagers used to have with their standaloneWMS just weren’t there,” saysDerewecki. “In some cases, they hadto switch back to more manual operations.”But these days, he adds, developershave significantly improved thefunctionality of ERP’s WMS packages.“As more companies run their businesseswith an ERP system, it’s easierand less costly to simply use that ERP’sWMS,” adds Saenz. “I think this is atrend that’s going to continue.”There’s also a trend toward a moreconsolidated network. Since 2010, thepercentage of respondents with threeor fewer buildings has beenActions taken to lower DC operating costsTaken any action 95%92%Improving warehouse processes64%77%Improving inventory control 60%61%Changing rack/layout configuration48%41%Reducing staff 48%37%Improving warehouseinformation technologyNumber of employees1,000+500 to 999400-499300 or more200 to 299100 to 19950 to 9925 to 49Less than 25Average numberof employees40%32%Renegotiating leases 27%25%Other 3%3%Using 3PL 14%11%2011201212%5%3%5%8%19%13%13%25%300+25%12%5%3%5%8%13%12%15%29%2011 2012252 239Source: Peerless Research Group (PRG)Source: Peerless Research Group (PRG)steadily increasing, while thepercentage with four or morebuildings has been steadilydecreasing. Saenz believesthat it’s all part of a continuingpush by companies to domore with less.“However, with fewer facilities,you may achieve savingsin operating costs, but youmay be potentially increasingyour freight,” Saenz cautions.“This is not a particularlygood move with today’s inflatinggasoline prices.”Even more mixed signalssurface from this year’sfindings. While some networksmay be contracting tofewer facilities, about 60% ofrespondents are planning todo some sort of expansion thisyear. Twenty-six percent areincreasing their number ofSKUs, and 25% are increasingthe number of employees.Despite these plans for expansion,average inventory turns have notimproved and remain steady at 8.2.Derewecki offers a possible explanation:“At many companies, in spite ofthe emphasis on inventory control andthe improvement in information systemstools, the proliferation of SKUshas prevented the overall turn ratiosfrom improving.”300+25%The multi-channel effectFor the first time, wedecided to track how companiesuse market channels—orhow they makeproduct available to theircustomers.Most of the respondents(84%) report servicingmore than one channel:67% report shippingto wholesalers; 57% toretailers; and 29% aree-commerce based, shippingproducts directly tocustomers.“I would be most interestedin tracking e-commercepenetration overthe coming years,” saysDerewecki. “It seems thatdespite what industry ourclients are in, if they arenot using the Internet54 N o v e m b e r 2 0 1 2 / Modern Materials Handling mmh.com
Page 1 and 2:
PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS FOR DISTRIBU
Page 3 and 4: AutoDematic.Keeping watch 24/7/365.
Page 5 and 6: ManagementManagementEnterpriseEnter
Page 7 and 8: www.hyundai-ce.comfurther!Moving yo
Page 9 and 10: WHERE SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS CONNEC
Page 11 and 12: FollowModern Onlinefacebook.com/mmh
Page 14 and 15: MMH-Island-Ryson-BoothNov.indd 110/
Page 16 and 17: YOUR OPERATION NEEDS TO BE MORE EFF
Page 19 and 20: MSC Industrialdelivers onThe distri
Page 21 and 22: modern system report• Put-to-ligh
Page 23 and 24: modern system reportBreaking wavesF
Page 25 and 26: modern system reportfulfillment pro
Page 27 and 28: SHOW HOURSMonday, January 21, 20131
Page 29 and 30: show previewmanufacturing and distr
Page 31: show previewKnowledge Center to hos
Page 34 and 35: Health (NIOSH). This workshop willp
Page 36 and 37: Modern Materials Handling’s Palle
Page 38 and 39: Modern Materials Handling’s Palle
Page 40 and 41: Think Accuracy. Think Productivity.
Page 42 and 43: with small adjustments to the syste
Page 44 and 45: Grow your business byleveraging mar
Page 46 and 47: A cloud-based WMS grants remotevisi
Page 48 and 49: assembly needs. The AGCs use a magn
Page 50 and 51: Visit KNAPP at Booth #3203KNAPP.com
Page 52 and 53: NEWPuzzled overWorkstation Producti
Page 56 and 57: Case and Pallet Handling AS/RS Tech
Page 58 and 59: Trying to cram 15 characters into a
Page 61 and 62: FOCUS ON Automated storageAutomated
Page 63 and 64: Efficient.Productive.Safe.Increase
Page 65 and 66: Longer Lasting BeltsBetter thanLife
Page 67 and 68: modern 60 Seconds with...Ian Hobkir
Page 69: www.cushman.comIntroducing the new
show all

Modern Materials Handling - November 2012

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?