Warehouse jobs are physically demanding, uncomfortable and require lengthy and sometimes overnight shifts. Warehouse operators also see inconsistent unloading speeds and rising costs due to the exhausting and injury-prone tasks that come with case handling. In addition, trucks and shipping containers are not temperature controlled (temperatures can drop as low as -21ºF and reach as high as 135ºF), creating a perfect storm for warehouse workers to endure. Because these facilities rely so heavily on labor availability, unreliable labor can have major implications for a business's bottom line. This is where the deployment of automated robots makes a difference in the well-being of warehouse workers and ensures predictability for the business.
Avoiding injury, fatigue and inconsistency
People require rest, breaks and time off, something not required of robots that can maintain peak efficiency despite long hours of lifting and moving heavy boxes. This is particularly valuable during busy periods like the holiday season when product demand can increase by 600% , and many businesses operate 24/7. Imagine if a large truck were to come into the warehouse around 11 pm at the end of a long shift. A person tasked with unloading this container after having already worked 10+ hours will likely unload at a much slower rate, whereas robots like Stretch offer a steady rate of unloading all day compared to the peaks and dips in energy that come with manual unloading.
DHL, for example, uses Stretch to unload cases at a steady rate without fatigue , allowing the facility to get its units where they need to go as quickly and as safely as possible. Autonomous robots also help minimize employee injuries. For example, in 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Recorded over 321,000 cases of overexertion related to lifting and lowering.
Robots take the load off people while continuing to let warehouses perform productively and keep their customers happy. Finally, with robots like Stretch taking on the more physically taxing jobs that workers don’t necessarily want to do, managers can assign people to more thoughtful tasks that require intelligence, cognitive skills, communication, or more manual dexterity. Some job seekers will even look for organizations that leverage autonomous robots because they make their jobs easier and more enjoyable, transforming the job in ways that people may not have ever thought possible.
Automation to improve operational agility
Automating the warehouse improves predictability in the case unloading process, enhancing logistics planning and boosting truck unloading efficiency. Unreliable labor can disrupt warehouse operations, causing bottlenecks for manufacturers and logistics teams. Logistics operators have to plan how many trailers workers can unload during shifts to properly route trucks and make decisions further down the supply chain. Because people unload at varying speeds, this unpredictability makes it difficult to maintain a consistent schedule, disrupting operations even more. Inconsistencies can lead to resource misallocation, truck delays and potentially even unhappy customers.
Take this example: say you have to unload 1,200 cases in Los Angeles. If you have an automated system with a fixed unloading pace in place, operators will know how many cases to expect and how long that process will take. This transforms planning into forecasting and ensures brands can meet customer demand. Autonomous robots can help create a more predictable, adaptable and observable inbound logistics process, allowing companies to achieve significantly improved outcomes that extend beyond trucks and warehouses. This control is instrumental in helping manufacturers achieve supply chain efficiency.
The dual benefits of robotics in warehouse operations
By automating warehouse processes with robots like Stretch, operators can overcome labor shortages and mitigate high injury rates while experiencing more predictability and efficiency in their operations. Looking ahead, robots will revolutionize company supply chains and improve employee well-being, resulting in better business outcomes and improved customer satisfaction.
