MMH    Topics     Technology    White Papers

What Costs Less? Doing Nothing or Automating Your DC?

Obsolete warehouse hardware and software cannot keep up with increasingly complex fulfillment requirements, especially for multi-channel retailers.


Modernizing a distribution center requires significant investment, so businesses often choose to postpone or avoid expansion of warehouse capabilities and functionality. What’s surprising, however, is how business leaders can overlook the steps necessary to truly understand the costs of doing nothing. Businesses routinely choose to not invest in distribution without giving careful consideration to the impact on operational costs and missed business opportunities.

They thoroughly evaluate whether to purchase material handling equipment, warehouse software and distribution buildings. The same scrutiny should be applied to real and often hidden expenses and the opportunity costs of the option to do nothing. This approach needs to be included in decisions that lead to a business case for automation or other improvements that expand the warehouse operation.

View or download

Article Topics

Resources
White Papers
Technology
Automation
Automation
FORTE Industries
   All topics

White Papers News & Resources

Optimize Parcel Packing to Reduce Costs
The Paccurate Report
The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Warehouse Travel
Re-evaluate Parcel Fulfillment This Year
Cut costs and emissions with lithium-ion forklifts
Color-Line Scan Camera Tackles High Conveyor Speeds
2024 Warehouse Outlook and Trends Research Brief
More White Papers

Latest in Materials Handling

Hyster recognizes Dealers of Distinction for 2023
Carolina Handling names Joe Perkins as COO
C-suite Interview with Keith Moore, CEO, AutoScheduler.AI: MODEX was a meeting place for innovation
Walmart deploying autonomous lift trucks at four of its high-tech DCs
Coles shops big for automation
Kathleen Phelps to join FORTNA as chief financial officer
Coles automates grocery distribution in Australia
More Materials Handling

Subscribe to Materials Handling Magazine

Subscribe today!
Not a subscriber? Sign up today!
Subscribe today. It's FREE.
Find out what the world's most innovative companies are doing to improve productivity in their plants and distribution centers.
Start your FREE subscription today.

Latest Resources

Optimize Parcel Packing to Reduce Costs
Improve order packing with a Powerful Cartonization Engine - Download Optimize Parcel Packing to Reduce Costs White Paper Today!
The Paccurate Report
The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Warehouse Travel
More resources

Latest Resources

2023 Automation Study: Usage & Implementation of Warehouse/DC Automation Solutions
2023 Automation Study: Usage & Implementation of Warehouse/DC Automation Solutions
This research was conducted by Peerless Research Group on behalf of Modern Materials Handling to assess usage and purchase intentions forautomation systems...
How Your Storage Practices Can Affect Your Pest Control Program
How Your Storage Practices Can Affect Your Pest Control Program
Discover how your storage practices could be affecting your pest control program and how to prevent pest infestations in your business. Join...

Warehousing Outlook 2023
Warehousing Outlook 2023
2023 is here, and so are new warehousing trends.
Extend the Life of Brownfield Warehouses
Extend the Life of Brownfield Warehouses
Today’s robotic and data-driven automation systems can minimize disruptions and improve the life and productivity of warehouse operations.
Power Supply in Overhead Cranes: Energy Chains vs. Festoons
Power Supply in Overhead Cranes: Energy Chains vs. Festoons
Download this white paper to learn more about how both systems compare.