View original at www.manufacturing.net

John Hinchey In today’s technology-centric world, it’s no surprise that a wide range of bakery products are being produced within fully automated processes. An increasing number of bakeries are turning toward warehouse automation to efficiently manage the short shelf life of fresh products, minimize labor costs and product damage, and maximize inventory accuracy and warehouse capacity. The implementation of automation allows bakeries to reduce overhead costs while increasing sales, since each item is on the store shelves well before its expiration date. The implementation of warehouse automation allows bakeries to make better use of resources for more efficient throughput. An automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) coupled with a warehouse execution system (WES) allows bakeries to have an increased level of visibility for better planning, and to better control inventory by providing real-time data. This high level of insight can improve overall operational efficiency, and allows manufacturers to use data for future production and supply chain planning. Fresh Bakeries Many bakeries are embracing automation to reduce labor costs, maximize order efficiency and accuracy, and decrease the time it takes to get perishable products from the production line to the shelves in order to meet customer demand and minimize returned items. Automation is attractive to bakeries because it requires less human interaction on the production line — which means less product handling in the overall operation — creating safer working environments for employees and reducing labor risks. As automation continues to evolve and improve, machines will become smarter from natural language processing, resulting in reduced need for governance and human operator interaction. Real-time inventory accuracy provides insights on how to plan future production to meet consumer demand. Bakeries that implement warehouse automation technologies like a WES and AS/RS will be prepared to meet the growing consumer demand of bakery products, […]