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The Real Meaning of “Future” - One thing that everyone hates to admit about “future articles” is that the reality of what they talk about is already here. The rest of us are behind the curve trying to catch up!  While we are assigning these innovations to the “future” - perhaps to give us more time to budget for them – it certainly doesn’t hurt to invest our time into learning our options and planning ahead for the opportunity to take the leap with something new.

Lean practitioners are probably aware of the “Water Spider” which is an important role on the floor of the manufacturing shop. And you may also know that it, like many other lean terms like “Kanban,” “Gemba” and “Kaizen,” it originates from the Japanese language, where lean got its start.

Despite the fact that ‘Sophia’, a humanoid robot, was granted citizenship by Saudi Arabia and the growing fear and trepidation among retail and warehouse workers in the past decade, the integration of robotics and automation into warehouse processes is hardly the job “Robot Job Stealing Apocalypse” it has been made out to be.

The most essential core component of any good warehouse efficiency strategy begins and ends with quality control. Your team may not be responsible for the quality of the products you deliver, or for the commitment to customer satisfaction that comes from products, but they are just as responsible as the manufacturer when it comes to the quality of their work. Each product is handled by your team as it passes through your distribution center on their way to retailers, consumers, or to another destination.

There is nothing quite as satisfying in a distribution center as a well-balanced inventory. Orders arrive, orders are shipped, and your fulfillment and delivery flows consistently like the tides. Inventory does not become overstock to take up space and have a negative impact on cash flow. With excellent inventory control, being out of stock of any item is a rare occasion.

Sadly, the perfectly balanced inventory is somewhat of a Zen-like ideal: The moment you identify the inventory as ‘balanced’, it morphs. The best you can do to manage the factors that affect inventory to control overstock or short-stocked items on the warehouse floor.

With some careful planning and a few deft adjustments to inventory management processes, you eventually establish a balance that you can maintain.

How can this be accomplished?

How well does your receiving process flow? Where is your warehouse at its strongest and what needs improvement?

Today we want to share four processes that include common shipping and receiving actions found in most businesses. We break down into three rating tiers:

• Marginal
• Average
• Oustanding

"That Looks Cool! Wonder How I Can Use It?"

For the true gadget lovers, we have the experience of being in a store full of gadgets and machines and occasionally see something that compels us to say, "I am not sure what it is, but how can I find a way to use it?"

If you haven't seen one yet, dimensional scanners definitely fall into that category. No one will be surprised if a true distribution center process nerd brings it home one day for personal use. 

What is a "Dimensional Scanner"?

A dimensional scanner is a specialized equipment that will scan and record the dimensions of an object - of any shape. When paired with a scale, the complete shape, weight and dimensions of any product can be recorded to a database and be the source of efficiency in multiple areas of the business.

...but how can we use a dimensional scanner?

If you are in the business of warehouse management, then you already know that efficiency is your critical metric when it comes to replenishment. After all, it never pays to work harder and not smarter when you are responsible for the safety and effectiveness of your warehouse crew.

If you’re looking to improve your manufacturing process or supply chain, talk to your warehouse workers.

Managers and executive leadership can learn a lot from their workforce. The insights given by employees can help managers:

Understanding your supply chain is critical to running a successful business. Supply chain analytics refers to the insights and conclusions made from examining your supply chain.

There are specific drivers worth paying attention to. This article touches on four drivers in your supply chain that you need to know.