FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS


How has the Industry Progressed in terms of material handling?

What type of companies are best suited to AS/RS applications?

What is the best solution for low cost automation for Spare Parts?



How has the Industry Progressed in terms of material handling?

If we look at how the industry has progressed in India over the last decade or so, we find that storage and material handling has been at the bottom in terms of budget allocation. In case there is a financial crunch, it is the first thing to face the axe. Unfortunately, the realisation that such an action can cause tremendous damage has come about rather late.

Yet, a few progressive and forward-looking companies are already using in-plant storage and material handling effectively as a strategic competitive tool. Today, competitive advantage is derived in terms of how well the in-plant logistics is managed, both within the plant as well as within the warehouse. This is going to make a vital difference.

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What type of companies are best suited to AS/RS applications?

AS/RS is not wedded to a certain type of industry. Godrej has done similar installations in traditional government units such as Security Presses. It is not only forward-looking, progressive and customer focused companies, but also public sector and government institutions that have gone ahead with this. The normal impression is that only those companies that have large volumes or varieties of products are the ideal candidates. Of course, these companies are best suited for such applications because unless you have matching warehousing system to match the production unit, it does not make sense.

To give an example, Navneet Publications - Ahmedabad which is into publication of text books and note books is aware of the benefits of AS/RS and has hence invested in it. It would therefore be incorrect to assume that AS/RS would suit only those companies with high volume and high variety. Even a small unit can have a basic and upgradeable module of AS/RS. Today, AS/RS has become a norm in Europe with regard to material handling.

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What is the best solution for low cost automation for Spare Parts?

Miniload storage systems are excellent for spare part storage. In a spare parts store, the whole exercise of retrieving a spare part from a particular location is a painful process and chances of errors are high. The process also requires large manpower. By using a Miniload system, the options available are that goods could come to the man and he picks up whatever items are needed, by order picking and sending the balance back. The advantages in this case are:

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