Optimize Logistics for next Christmas
Christmas: exhausting for logistics… or not?
Even this Christmas is over now.
Always one of the busiest times of the year, while everyone celebrates by exchanging gifts and eating sweets, the world of logistics during Christmas goes through the most profitable and most challenging period at the same time.
In this period of the year the number of purchases increases dramatically and the whole infrastructure of the company is under pressure due to the high number of orders and the need to replenish stocks.
For companies with a more structured business this is ordinary administration. Ensuring a continuous flow of goods from the production plant to the warehouse is a standard logistics process. Only one of the secrets that allow you to always be efficient.
At some point, companies that are climbing the ladder of success will inevitably have to deal with this step, and our suggestion is to prepare in advance, in time for next Christmas, taking advantage of the experience gained with the past one.
Our study is based on the experience gained in the fields that compete with us, therefore our solutions are aimed not only at manufacturing companies, but also to companies that provide service for third parties and to companies that manage airport warehouses.
Christmas logistics: a short analysis
The peculiarity of work peaks such as Christmas is that they are predictable. We already know there will be an increase in demand and we also know when it will happen.
The only thing left to do is increase the efficiency of logistics where it is most lacking.
So let's examine the most common characteristics of Christmas logistics.
Exponential increase of orders: at Christmas the demand for products increases. Managing a greater number of orders involves intensive work not only on the part of the warehouse, which in addition to increasing the pace of work to quickly process requests must spend more time loading and unloading the goods, but also a sudden increase in transport requests to third-party services, which will also find themselves overloaded. This can cause delays and the need to use more workers.
Speed request: as Christmas approaches, last minute orders and requests for delivery within 24-48 hours increase. The time needed to load and unload the goods becomes a serious problem.
Increased probability of mistakes and workplace accidents: working quickly inevitably leads to problems related to human mistake and also the increase of workplace accidents during the handling of the goods.
How to optimize logistics during Christmas
Now that we have an overview, the time has come to examine the solutions with which we can optimize our logistics:
Shuttling optimization: the management of a greater number of products must be supported by improving the process of transferring the goods from the factory to the warehouse to ensure a continuous flow of products which at the same time does not affect the efficiency of any company site, avoiding delays. Let's dive into shuttle optimization in this article.
The adoption of an automatic loading and unloading system, in addition to reducing the times for loading and unloading the goods from the vehicles, reduces workplace accidents during the handling of packages, increasing the safety of company sites.
Set Up for trailers: while palletizing is a technique that facilitates the handling and storage of products, loading and unloading goods from a semi-trailer still takes time, and when orders multiply and it is necessary to transfer a greater quantity of products, simply increasing the number of trailers and handling workers will not solve the problem, because if the building is not adapted accordingly, trailers will have to wait in line for their turn, causing loss of time for the drivers. In case of third-party services, the cost of unproductive time is even higher, because the opportunity to serve other customers is lost.
This problem can be solved by equipping trailers with special roller conveyors which speed up loading and unloading operations.
Upgrade airport warehouses: if online purchases offer the possibility of purchasing from anywhere in the world, it is clear that international transport must adapt to meet the growing demand, and it is not enough to set up the aircraft to be faster. If the airport warehouse does not want to cause a bottleneck, it must be up to it. In this regard, we have developed various solutions both as regards the airport warehouse and the set up of trailers for air cargo pallets handling.
Christmas has just passed. There is time to think about the next one. What's the rush?
The best time to optimize your logistics is immediately after Christmas, because after the holiday season there is a period of calm that gives companies the time they need to renew and update their infrastructure. Waiting until the last moment is not a good idea. Preparing in advance in a period of calm allows you to organize and plan for the long term, with undoubtedly better results.
Managing the increase in activity and keeping costs under control is an activity that must be planned carefully. Companies that want to grow must demonstrate dynamism, flexibility and ability to adapt to respond to the increase in demand that characterizes the Christmas period. Is your company ready to grow and reach a higher step on the ladder of success?
If you want your business to achieve better results, do not hesitate to contact Moveco Systems. We will help you define the best strategy to optimize your logistics.