Automated Warehousing Systems for Freezer Applications

The human body isn’t designed to work in sub-zero temperatures, yet the majority of frozen food operations conduct warehousing activities manually, requiring workers to physically withstand harsh environments.

This is not only risky for the worker, but the operation as a whole. With workers taking frequent, but necessary, “warm-up” breaks and the need to move product out of the freezer and into a more favorable environment for picking, the organization is quick to realize inefficiencies in time, labor, and energy usage.

In order to combat these inefficiencies, today’s most forward-thinking food operations are turning to automation technology to decouple labor from subzero environments. While there are many benefits of an automated storage/retrieval system (AS/RS), such as improving productivity and increasing inventory accuracy, many companies are hesitant to make the investment.

Why? Often, companies deem automation too expensive or too large of an undertaking. Or, companies are putting off the inevitable investments due to the need to achieve short term goals. Simply put, they are intent on the quick fix, rather than on the long-term solution that will allow for a clear competitive advantage.

Despite the preconceptions about automation technology, it is simple to decide whether an AS/RS system for freezer applications is the right investment by taking the following three-fold approach.

First, perform an analysis of the warehousing system’s existing design and framework. Then, examine some basic, yet key, criteria to determine if the operation is suited for automation technology. And, finally, justify the basic cost for such a system by demonstrating its overall benefits.