Modernizing, Upgrading and Expanding Warehouse Automation

While the demand for warehouse space continues to increase, spurring both new development and the deployment of new automation systems, older warehouses continue to be vital to most organizations ability to serve their customers.

According to CBRE, a world leader in real estate service, warehouses that are more than ten years old account for 89% of U.S. warehouse inventory and the average age of a warehouse is now 34 years.

Investing in automation — in the form of conveyors, cranes, shuttles and new robotic systems — has enabled many organizations to increase productivity and expand the capacity of these warehouses. Those automation systems, regardless of when they were installed, need to perform reliably day after day, year after year.

Making time for regular modernizations and upgrades can be a challenge amid daily production demands but failing to do so can leave your business exposed to unplanned downtime that creates operational disruption, lost revenue and damaged customer relationships. According to industry calculations, each hour of unplanned downtime in a 750,000 sq. foot warehouse operating 5,200 hours/year costs about $10,000*.

In each case, Swisslog has the resources and expertise to ensure your automation system delivers the reliability and performance you need. This paper reviews three types of programs designed to help warehouse operators reduce downtime and increase the performance of their automation systems:

1. Automation modernization programs that identify and replace components at risk of obsolescence. These programs can also recommend changes to maintain compliance with evolving safety standards and regulations.

2. Software upgrades that bring you up to date with the latest Swisslog software.

3. Systems expansions that add storage capacity or throughput to your existing automation system.