We live in an increasingly “I want it now!” society. We want shoes, paper towels and electronics delivered to our doorstep
faster than ever. Amazon already offers two-hour delivery in some cities.
While consumers want product to show up soon after they order it, so do retailers.
To speed up delivering products to retailers, distribution centers are automating many of their processes like picking, packing, stacking and even stretch wrapping. And many picking systems in distribution warehouses have turned to robotics.
“Goods will be broken down into smaller units, and future automation will allow robots to pick products – pens, say – and package them in any quantity you want, says Ulf Henriksson, CEO of supply chain optimizer Dematic.
As we continue to see a shift to an even more time-sensitive marketplace, companies have little to no choice to adjust their processes to make them even faster.
But, speed isn’t the only challenge when shipping products.
In an effort to become more sustainable, companies often reduce packaging materials.
“Even product shapes and delivery mechanisms will shift, as companies work to eliminate extra packaging and evaluate delivery containers, moving away from ubiquitous cardboard boxes that we receive today to be simpler cheaper and more compact options,” Henriksson says.
This, combined with the always present pressure to reduce costs and the new imperative for speed, has resulted in a “triple whammy” that makes product loads more prone to being damaged during shipment than ever before.
Many factors contribute to shipping damage. But the biggest contributor, and the easiest to fix, is ineffective stretch wrapping. Our research shows that ineffective stretch wrapping contributed to half the damage that happens to pallet loads of products during shipment – resulting in global waste that exceeds $60 billion a year.
The good news is that ineffective stretch wrapping can be fixed – the principles are simple and direct and anyone can use them, regardless of stretch wrapping method or brand of stretch wrapping machines.
Don’t be victimized by the triple whammy. Effective stretch wrapping is the first line of defense. Start protecting yourself by evaluating the current condition of your stretch wrapping. If you need some help, download our 10 Step Process for Damage Reduction through More Effective Stretch Wrapping.
This post was published on April 15, 2016 and updated on April 15, 2016.
April 15, 2016
