Move pallets faster and reassign skilled operators
Call it the perfect storm: a shrinking skilled-labor force meets soaring demand for next-day delivery. Unfortunately for warehouse operators, slowing down is not an option.
Your workforce is stretched thin and that’s unlikely to change. But by simply adding an autonomous tugger you can maximize your current workforce and accelerate throughput. This investment will allow you to move more pallets in less time while reducing your reliance on hard-to-recruit operators
Beyond productivity gains, automated tuggers offer other significant benefits:
- They don’t call in sick, quit or need retraining.
- You can eliminate payroll from the task a tugger replaces and assign it elsewhere.
- You can reassign that employee to more-skilled tasks in dock operations or in picking.
Think Big by Starting Small
Getting started with automation can be as simple as identifying a critical task and imagining how automation can transform it.
For many warehouses, deploying a single autonomous long-haul tugger to carry material over long distances can eliminate costly deadhead runs. In fact, an autonomous tugger and two trailers can do the same amount of work as four manual operators.
But what about ROI? The good news is that an investment in an autonomous tugger can pay for itself in less than a year thanks to increases in velocity, efficiency and reliability. Once you see the benefits of automation, chances are you’ll soon begin to see more opportunities to implement it across your operations.
Future-Proof Your Workflows
Accurate picking and timely delivery are critical to keeping your orders moving to your customers’ docks and doors. By turning to automation as a strategy for overcoming today’s workforce shortages, you can prepare for what’s next — and be ready for it, quickly.
Heartland Automation is here to guide you through your automation journey. We have the expertise to identify facility-specific opportunities that can deliver ROI quickly. Contact us to learn more.