Jerry List, Vice President of Cincinnati, Ohio-based QC Software (www.qcsoftware.com) debunks that any paradigm shift has taken place. "When did warehousing ever go away? The most significant impact on warehousing has been the need for real-time warehouse data via WCS (warehouse control systems.) In today's economy, distribution centers need to be more dynamic to meet the ever changing demands of the global economy. They must constantly re-invent themselves, whether it is simply expanding an existing footprint, adding new operational processes such as value added services, or finding better ways to fulfill orders quicker. Warehouses cannot remain stagnant."
The ability of a warehouse to be dynamic depends on the configurability and scalability of the WCS.
The warehouse control system enables an automated warehouse or distribution center to reach peak operating performance. These new technologies remove the inefficiencies commonly associated with under or over element of lean manufacturing and elimination of waste, a warehouse control system pulls product through an automated warehouse or distribution center increasing overall productivity and throughput.
Some solutions offer that the key to the optimization of material flow by warehouse automation is tracking key performance indicators such as the current and anticipated workloads at workstations in order to make key material routing decisions; inbound and outbound order tasks to make key material release decisions.
In the December issue of World Trade magazine, leading manufacturing journalist, Thomas R. Cutler, described the current nature of "Dynamic Warehousing." According to Cutler there is 'buzz' that heightened concerns about supply chain resiliency are prompting tactics of 'regionalization' of the supply chain process, keeping inventory closer at hand, if not necessarily taking possession sooner. The result is making warehousing a key element in enterprise strategy much more so than just five years ago. The concept of renewed centrality of warehouses within supply chains may be a paradigm shift more about how new warehouse control systems are part of lean efficiency, than simply the new role of warehouses in strategic thinking.
QC Software is the leading provider of Tier 1 warehouse control systems to the warehousing and distribution industries. Since 1996, QC Software, utilizing state of the art technology combined with extensive research, development, and rigorous testing, has developed the QC Enterprise suite of products. Designed to be modular in nature, easily configurable, and platform independent, this highly scalable solution satisfies the needs of any size warehouse.
