Dave Norton, Vice President of Customer Solutions and Support, The Raymond Corporation
After a long and awaited return to Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center, MODEX 2022 did not disappoint. MHI put on a record-setting MODEX event to date, with 20% more visitors than the last MODEX show in 2018. With more than 37,000 visitors connecting with more than 800 exhibitors across 405,000 square feet of exhibit space, MODEX 2022 provided the perfect space for an open forum between customers and their providers to talk about industry challenges.
After this year’s MODEX, customers indicated there were clear trends surrounding integrated, connected and automated intralogistics solutions. Intralogistics solutions is the art of optimizing, connecting and automating the logistical flow of information, processes and material goods within a material handling facility. These solutions not only help create greater visibility within a facility but also help customers increase efficiency and optimize operations through a mix of best-in-class methodologies, innovative products and software-based, data-powered solutions that work seamlessly together to help customers achieve their goals.
Among these solutions were robotics, automated guided vehicles, lean management principles, virtual reality and telematics. With companies across the industry adapting to combat supply chain challenges and optimize their operations, let’s take a look at a few solutions at MODEX 2022:
Telematics to gain operational visibility: Collecting warehouse operations data can reveal inefficiencies and guide future decisions about which solutions to implement to solve existing challenges. Intelligent connected warehouse solutions, including facility optimization and labor assist technologies, allow customers to gather valuable data and connect directly with their fleet, assets and workforce to enhance productivity and visualize improvements — an instrumental part of optimization. Data reports can offer detailed information as to what employees are doing, employee productivity, the age of equipment and batteries, and projected business growth, while creating more space for product and improving workforce productivity and overall efficiency.
Connected technologies to optimize your operation: As technology evolves, the advantages of using semi- and fully automated intelligent warehouse solutions to increase productivity and address the labor shortage are clear. Optimization is a crucial step that must happen before getting too invested in the latest material handling trend. An optimized warehouse creates more space for product, increases workforce productivity and leverages lift trucks for the best suitable task — all of which, ultimately, drive cost savings that can then be used to eventually invest in automation. Intralogistics solutions — such as warehouse management systems and operator assist technologies — supply actionable data for managers to root out inefficiencies throughout their operation.
Automation as a complete system solution: As customers turn to automated solutions, they often explore multiple vendors to seek out the products they need. With that comes the challenges of properly integrating these systems to work together. Real-time centralized control and interconnectivity not only allow much faster reaction to problems but also assist the quick response to changes in demand. The application of automation can likely make production and distribution processes quicker, easily repeatable, consistent and cost-effective. Raymond offers a single source for automated, integrated system solutions with multiple automated technology solutions integrated as a complete system for pallet and product movement without requiring labor.
Turning what we learned at MODEX 2022 into actions
The future of material handling is in the delivery of integrated intralogistics solutions. It’s the synergy of traditional material handling products and cutting-edge advances in technology driving operator assist and automation. This means meeting challenges with strategic consultation and solutions from a team of material handling experts. Even though MODEX 2022 is over, the most important lesson is to take what we have learned and turn that into action.