The demands placed on the production and logistics of foodstuffs are increasing. This may be due to stricter regulations, increasing customer requirements or an expanding range with a faster turnaround time. Of course, your organization will comply. Only at what cost? There is always a solution: extra forms or yet another spreadsheet. But is it manageable?
How do you ensure that the increasingly shorter lead time between the time of order and delivery can still be achieved? How do you make sure you don’t have to say no?
How do you prevent the risk of errors being manageable with an ever-expanding assortment? How do you ensure that quality can be increased but costs remain under control?
There comes a point where it is necessary to start looking at integrated IT solutions. An IT solution that has been used more and more successfully in recent years is the Warehouse Management System.
Would you like to know what WMS can do for your company?
A Warehouse Management System enables the exchange of information between logistics (people and machines on the work floor) and the office environment (ERP). By managing the stock in real-time, purchasing, sales and production are aligned and the logistics processes are optimized.
A WMS application consists of different functional modules that are configured according to the needs at that moment.
Important functionalities in Warehouse Management Systems are:
The WMS can already reduce the administrative workload enormously without immediately requiring major changes to the current working method. This includes real-time input of warehouse movements. The stock in the ERP is therefore more up-to-date and more reliable. All data that has become available from the WMS can be viewed afterwards so that an audit trail of the goods can be built up.
The administrative workload can be further reduced with the help of barcode scanners. With a barcode scanner, a goods movement can be performed by two or three scans of barcodes. It is then no longer necessary, with all the associated errors, to manually copy the article number and location numbers.
With a WMS you can not only work more efficiently, but also perform better administration. Because all movements are recorded, goods are lost less quickly. By means of a WMS you can also have control actions carried out in order to further reduce the chance of errors.
Better administration will reduce the number of errors in deliveries to customers. This will prevent complaints and additional urgent shipments.
Every production company works on “continuous improvement”. Because you make fewer mistakes with the help of a WMS, you spend less time fixing these errors. You don’t have to search for lost inventory as much.
A modern WMS is even set up in such a way that it can generate advice based on need on where the goods should be stored in the warehouse in order to work as efficiently as possible. Simultaneous picking of several orders at the same time is also an option.
Curious which WMS can suit you? We know the various suppliers and provide independent advice!
Please contact Jos. He is happy to help you.
The food industry is very bound by legislation and regulations, which means that a WMS in the food sector must contain a number of specific components. Below is a short summary of things that we see repeatedly:
Entry control is a very crucial part of the food chain. We often see that the incoming raw material or semi-finished product ends up in several end products. To ensure that the end product meets all requirements, this starts with determining whether the incoming goods meet the requirements.
Food companies are getting further and further into this. We see more and more that suppliers are divided into quality classes. An entry check is intensified on the basis of this classification. Consideration can also be given to recording various transport documents.
A WMS in the food industry has to do with items that are or should be quarantined. These goods may then not be used until further notice and must be stored separately and closed to avoid possible risks. After the release has been made, these goods are moved to the regular storage location.
In the food industry it is very important to know what the shelf life of your raw materials or semi-finished products is. The WMS must have insight into this data and ensure that the necessary actions are taken.
Before a product can be processed, in some cases it must first be thawed or unpacked. These are things that a WMS must take into account and set out the right tasks in time.
Almost every WMS has the option to park the runners close to the slow runners. But in food you often see products that are not allowed next to or above each other. That is why a WMS in the food industry is more bound by rules regarding storage.
There are a large number of suppliers of Warehouse Management Systems specifically for the processes in the food industry. They differ in field of application, functional wealth, size, (growth) possibilities and price. The best solution will have to be reconsidered for every situation and for every company.
There are software suppliers that specifically target the food industry. These suppliers then have all the know-how of that specific industry and often have components in their software specifically for that industry. There are also suppliers who offer their software for multiple industries. In this you often see that if there is a specific requirement or wish for your industry, this must be built.
Many ERP suppliers indicate that they can also supply WMS. In a sense they are also right they can provide a system that keeps track of inventory. As a rule, the independent WMS packages offer more functionalities with which the greater benefits can be achieved. Of course it differs per situation which is best.
Greywise is a specialist in advising and supporting production companies with IT solutions. To help you with this, we offer the following services:
Would you like to know what WMS can do for your company?
