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While there are many factors that contribute to food waste within the supply chain, it is commonly caused by delays during distribution. Traditional logistics processes are far too slow and inefficient for fresh food handling, significantly increasing the likelihood of spoilage and waste. To combat this issue, food companies are implementing modern automated solutions within their production facilities and distribution centers( DCs).
Today’ s automated solutions integrate robotic storage and order picking technology into one fast, seamless operation. The solutions rapidly and accurately move perishable food products through the entire distribution process, from receipt and storage to order picking and dispatch. Automation’ s high speed and precision directly translate to shorter lead times, minimizing the chance of spoilage during transportation and ensuring fresh food lasts longer in consumers’ homes.
Reducing energy consumption
Beyond addressing the food waste problem, automation is improving sustainability through energy efficiency. Today’ s automated systems are built for low energy consumption. They optimize each step food products take through distribution, minimizing unnecessary movements and conserving energy.
While there are many kinds of automated systems on the market, gantry-style solutions are one type that’ s ideal for energy efficiency. Designed for overhead product handling, gantry robots are made from lightweight, durable materials like aluminum. This design allows them to make quick and precise movements, while offering the strength to handle multiple crates or cases of food at the same time for added efficiency. Some gantry-based solutions even incorporate regenerative braking technology, allowing the system to recover approximately
30 percent of energy and feed it back to the power grid.
When it comes to constructing new distribution facilities, food businesses can reduce future energy needs by utilizing space-efficient automation. High-density automated storage solutions require half as much space as a traditional setup, enabling companies to design their ideal DC within a much smaller footprint. These scaled-down facilities will be able to handle as much capacity or more than a typical DC, while requiring much less energy for lighting, heating, and cooling.
Tackling air pollution
Greenhouse gas emissions are another major environmental concern for the food industry. While ground transportation is necessary for moving shipments through links in the supply chain, delivery trucks and vehicles generate CO₂ and other greenhouse gases that contribute to pollution and climate change. Fortunately, automation can drive improvements within the DC that reduce transportation emissions out on the road.
Managed by an intelligent Warehouse Control System( WCS), automated order fulfillment solutions can build route-friendly outbound orders, and they can load pallets efficiently within delivery vehicles to make the best use of available truck space. By optimizing how products are packed and routed to stores, food distributors can deliver greater order volumes while using fewer trucks and driving fewer miles. They ultimately reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while staying on top of deliveries.
Building transparent supply chains
Improving traceability is crucial in today’ s food supply chain. Companies need to maintain detailed records of product origins and track their movements from
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