< PreviousFEATURE | FUTURE OF WAREHOUSING 40FEBRUARY 2020 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com their own. In our Dubai Mega DC, we are using advanced shuttle systems to bring ‘goods to persons’ to exponentially increase productivity of warehouse teams. For our deliveries that involve installations we use algorithms to optimise the planning, scheduling and routing of trucks and crews. In addi- tion, we are continuously expanding applications of technology in back offices – whether it is scaling up use of RPA (robotics process automation) or being the first to do a pilot and use case for block chain in our imports transactions,” he noted. Drones in warehousing Drone technology is already part of every day life and, adding this technology to warehouse applications can see a multitude of benefits. The Zebra Warehouse Vision study indicates that, by 2024, 26% of respondents plan to use drones in their opera- tions, (an increase of seven per cent from today). “Drones are viewed as part of the wider automation process that is expected to enhance team and individual worker pro- ductivity that is a priority for almost two-thirds of our survey respondents,” stated Saylawala, Zebra Technologies. Drones are being utilised to complete cycle counts in ware- houses. Moving the process of data capture into the air provides on-demand checks and avoids the additional time and expenses spent on having employees access difficult to reach locations within the warehouse. Moving material around efficiently and accurately enables manufacturers and distributors to reduce costs, improve productivity and meet demanding customer schedules. However, according to Adem, on the practical side, drones require further regulatory steps in terms of air traffic control, definition of routes and pads and the creation of an authority who can control and regulate their use. He foresees drones as part of a delivery network rather than a stand-alone, and most likely they will be used in conjunction with other systems such as a futuristic Click & Collect. Expanding footprints Zebra’s 2024 Warehouse Vision Survey also shows that 64% of businesses plan to increase their number of warehouses and 87% of warehouse de- cision makers said they’re in the process of expanding their footprint. Online shopping and the on- going success of digital retail business such as Amazon, ASOS, and eBay, has pushed organisations to reconfigure their supply chains and ex- pand warehouse space. The study highlights the growing demands on ware- houses: 86% of the survey’s respondents said that they expect to expand shipping volumes; and 81% are in- vesting in returns handling. These trends mean that more space is needed – 87% of respondents are looking to extend sites and 82% to build more. “To keep pace, warehous- es will need to ‘staff-up’. In- dustry projections indicate that worker numbers will need to grow by 17% to 44.6 million. Indeed, recruitment and retention are hot topics as 60% of those surveyed are concerned about these. Finally, and critically, while warehouse leaders under- stand the potential of new technology, 77% of respondents admit that they are slow to im- plement it,” said Saylawala. Landmark Group’s ware- house break-thorough Shah noted that the Landmark Group ‘Mega Distribution Cen- tre’ is a ‘landmark’ in logistics in the region. “As an interesting develop- ment for the logistics world here, Landmark Group, offer- ing this facility for third party logistics use for all industries under its newly created busi- ness of Omega Logistics. For global brands looking for re- gional distribution, this hence now is a great possibility to handle material combinations of pallets, cartons and pieces and even garment on hangers. Our goods to person system can improve productivity for ware- house workers by over 200% and is usable not only for retail but also industries such as spare parts, electronics and FMCG. We even have yard storage to be able to give one stop shop for requirements of all shapes and sizes,” he said. “The main challenge these days is handling volatility and the changing mix of e-com- merce. Averages are no longer pertinent as warehouses need to be able to ramp up and down on short notice. In addition, ware- houses need ability to transform every year to increasing shift to e-commerce, where warehouse becomes the biggest store. In both these aspects, warehouse automation gives us flexible capacity to process in and out with speed both for e-commerce and for store distribution that would not have been possible in a manual warehouse. This is also what Landmark Group’s Omega Logistics offers to third parties who want to use this facility for both regional distri- bution and e-commerce.” We are witnessing a rise in smart technology tools. Some will be successful and some will fade over time. Deployment ex- pertise and process know-how play a big role in the success of any application. Carry Pick robot at work.FUTURE OF WAREHOUSING | FEATURE 41LOGISTICS MIDDLE EAST | FEBRUARY 2020www.logisticsmiddleeast.com There are many interesting smart tech tools or sys- tems in general. My select ion is based on viability in MENA and a personal techni- cal affinity. I have limited my choice to three. WES (warehouse exe c ut ion s of t- ware) – any auto- mated solution has to have a solid , state of art soft- ware Combi Systems – These are light systems featuring two or more hard core automation technologies and a human interface. (two stage sorta- tion, pick and pack) Flexveyor – Flex- veyor are independ- ent conveyor mod- ules featuring all transport function- ality. They can be ea sily intercon- nected and manip- ulated with a sim- ple app to su it different applica- tions. Extremely useful in business- es with constant changes in require- ment and seasonal- ity patterns. - Source: Jacques Adem, co-founder & MD LogSquare The ItemPiQ robot specialises in picking single items. Warehouse management systems (WMS): by 2024, 54% of the study’s respondents plan to have added new modules or deployed best-of-breed warehouse solutions. Automatically updated cloud-based WMS handle the demands of real-time visibility and are designed for changing workflows (such as returns). Almost half the respondents intend to add new, real-time locationing solutions with more planning WMS integration with yard and fleet systems for full supply chain synchronisation. New mobile devices offer more com- fort and better ergonomics (lighter and easier to use). Integrated barcode scan- ning accelerates and streamlines work- flows by enabling fast, first-time, ac- curate, data entry and capture, over longer distances including illegible barcodes. Easily adapting to changing needs such as introducing augmented reality guided picking apps, mobile device expenditure will grow, espe- cially in rugged tablets and industrial scanners. Improving warehouse infrastructure to support more automation and great- er visibility will improve item-level visibility, through data capture and track and trace solutions, especially barcode labelling. Automation: advances in voice-guid- ed apps and heads-up displays will help teams improve team or individ- ual worker productivity, a goal of most of the survey respondents. Sensors: active RFID sensors that automatically register and track bulk or individual items can improve inven- tory management, picking, and cross- docking efficiency. Over a third of the survey respondents expect to roll out more RFID and other sensor-based systems, by 2024, to increase data cap- ture accuracy and speed. - Source: Hozefa Saylawala, Middle East director, Zebra Technologies LOGSQUARE’S TOP SMART TECH/ TOOLS FOR WAREHOUSES ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES’ TOP SMART TECH/TOOLS FOR WAREHOUSESTHE BACK PAGE | 5 MINUTE S WITH: TRISTAR 42FEBRUARY 2020 | LOGISTICS MIDDLE EASTwww.logisticsmiddleeast.com FIVE M I N U TE S WITH ... WHAT ARE SOME OF THE RECENT EFFORTS THAT YOU HAVE MADE TO ‘GREEN’ YOUR OPERATIONS? Tristar’s management team drives a ‘business for purpose’ ethos, which focuses on having a positive impact on the community, and reducing the company’s carbon footprint. The company has set a goal to decrease its dependence on fossil fuel generated electrical energy, and has initiated several projects across its operations. Some of these projects include waste water treatment, EURO IV technology, green buildings, and a rooftop solar project. Waste Water Treatment Hazardous waste water poses a high risk to the environment and the health of the community, if not disposed with adequate measures. In order to address the safe management and disposal of hazardous waste water generated at our operations, Tristar has installed an Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP) at its head office in Dubai. A second upgraded ETP was installed at Tristar’s JAFZA operation, which recycles the waste water to a standard that can be reused within the facility for washing and irrigation. In 2018, 2.8 million imperial gallons of waste water was safely treated by the two ETPs. Green Buildings Tristar integrates green building standards into the construction of operations, such as its new warehouse in JAFZA South. The facility received the US Green Building Council LEED Gold certificate for its compliance with green building standards. Energy intensive conventional lights have been replaced with LED lights at Tristar’s UAE, Oman, Haiti and Tanzania operations and renewable solar lamps are used exclusively at its facility in Haiti. Furthermore, Tristar aims to assess the feasibility of solar energy infrastructure at its other operations in line with UN SDG 12 Responsible consumption and production and SDG 13 Climate Action. WHY DO YOU BELIEVE THIS IS IMPORTANT? Since its establishment in 1998, Tristar has been committed to operating as a socially responsible business, and address the triple bottom line of sustainability: environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The company has and will continue to support the advancement of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as it has an obligation to recognise and promote the need for environmental stability and acknowledge the social impact of its business in the communities in which it operates. HOW HAS ‘GOING GREEN’ SUPPORTED YOUR OPERATIONS? TRISTAR IS WORKING TO ‘GREEN’ ITS ENTIRE OPERATIONS FROM END-TO-END. Tristar looks at sustainability across its operations The Effluent Treatment Plant project was implemented with the involvement of all key stakeholders including employees, government entities and external agencies. By installing the Effluent Treatment Plants, Tristar also achieved considerable economic savings in municipal wastewater disposal charges. With the construction and occupation of a green warehouse that is LEED Gold certified, Tristar has achieved energy savings of over 300 MWh/year and economic savings of over AED100,000 every year compared to operating a standard warehouse of its size. Tristar’s sustainability efforts are regularly communicated to stakeholders through workshops, quarterly newsletters and annual sustainability reports. This communication has aided in providing an open channel of communication with stakeholders and continuous support from clients in our sustainability initiatives.CELEBRATING THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS IN LOGISTICS SUBMIT YOUR NOMINATIONS TODAY! 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