Technology is an ever-evolving and ever-influential part of our everyday lives – and it’s advancing so swiftly that it can be difficult to prophesy what is coming next. This sentiment is individually true regarding the fields of warehousing, distribution, and logistics. If we purchase, or influence purchases, within our operation, we’ve been well aware of the emergence of the “smart warehouse.” Once regarded as a buzzword, or even a far-fetched pipe dream, the progressive warehouse is becoming a reality, backed by ready-to-purchase technologies that are changing the way warehouses do business.

The world of smart warehousing can be a challenging one to operate, especially once we take the time to acknowledge the rate at which new products are being introduced to the market. That’s why we’ve dug through the most popular products and processes to bring to us the 3 must-have active warehouse technologies:

Automated Picking Tools

Now, warehouses can benefit from near-perfect picking rates when picking automation elements are integrated into the flow. There are a variety of various tools that can be used to boost picking methods, such as voice automated order picking, robotic order picking, and pick-to-light. These technologies also make use of cutting-edge barcoding options that integrate seamlessly with our preferred management software for the fastest, precisely automated reporting expertise.

Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs)

There’s no better way to ramp up our storage and retrieval methods than to integrate automated guided vehicles, otherwise known as AGVs, into our warehouse. The structural integrity of AGVs is evolving as technology moves forward. Some of their most important functions include pallet, rack, and other container storage, and even functions that control and automate the entire receiving method.

Automated Inventory Control Platforms

When used in combination with a handful of other technological mainstays, such as asset and inventory tags, automated inventory control platforms are implemented to take the labour, guesswork, and extraneous time out of traditional inventory control. Most of these platforms are built to automatically count the inventory and synthesize the data for fast, real-time, and ultra-accurate reporting that can be accessed remotely.

We don’t need to build a comprehensive overhaul of our warehouse to make it smarter and more efficient; instead, introduce the technologies that make sense for our business and all of its processes first. Then, we will see that any warehouse can become a “smart” warehouse!