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10/03/2021

Choosing the right systems for your distribution center

The warehouse or the logistics center is the beginning of the logistics chain and intralogistics processes are essential for the end customer satisfaction

Whether your distribution hub is designated to serve the end customers or distributors, its intralogistics processes are a key element. The warehouse is the beginning, the end or the center of every logistics process and the way operations are held, is fundamental for the success of your business.

Racking systems have the difficult task to store and organize all your goods and items. They have different parameters and loading capacity. Some of them, such as Light Bi Block racks, for example, have a loading capacity of up to 800 kg. on each the shelf. Others, such as pallet racking systems, can store palletized goods weighing 25 to 1,500 kg. Some systems like the Mezzanine Racking System can double the horizontal storage, warehousing or operational space, adding an additional level above the ground.

But apart from the type, volume and weight of the stored items, the level of mechanization and automation of the entire system is essential when choosing pallets or other types of racking technology. How quickly will the logistics hub respond to the increasingly dynamic environment and the growing number of orders to be processed? The level of mechanization and automation also determines your operational costs and lifting equipment maintenance costs - the higher the level of automation and mechanization, the lower these costs will be in the future.

Fully automated vertical lift machines, for automated storing and retrieving of smaller items, are very suitable for eCommerce businesses, seeking for maximum utilization of vertical space. They have to deliver many products to the end customer each day, simultaneously. According to the 2020 European eCommerce Report, Bulgarian online market increased 9% compared to 2019, reaching 974 million Euros. It means increased online demand and consequently - an urgent need for automation and mechanization of the delivery chain processes.

According to SKLADBG, one of the largest platforms for buying and renting warehouse space in Bulgaria, each day transport and courier companies from the food industry are also trying to develop their distribution hubs and get them ready to meet the increased demand for velocity and faster delivery, meaning more automation and mechanization is needed.

Of course, when choosing your racking system, the industrial area you can count on is also very important. According to SKLADBG, the terrains for large logistics centers are a rare and expensive pleasure, leading to the need for maximum utilization of available vertical space. Pallet racks and solutions with a high level of mechanization such as Mobile Racking Storage Systems and Radio Shuttle Racking Systems or even the fully automated pallet warehouses are suitable when you are looking for maximum utilization of available space, fast pallet processing and minimum operational costs.

The higher efficiency and as a result - the delivery speed and better service to the end customers and distributors are the main advantages of these mechanized and automated systems. They are equipped with increasingly "smarter" software solutions, IoT or interconnected devices that transfer data independently, fifth-generation WMS software, allowing to implement the most optimal intralogistics strategies and this way >> achieve faster delivery and happier customers.