The global economy continues to evolve and adapt to the rapid rate of change and the world of logistics and supply chain management is using technology to keep up with this evolution. Rising operational costs, shrinking labour pool and an ability to fulfil orders fast and accurately has forced industries to adopt automation as an effective, long-term solution — and rightly so. Warehouses, which form an important part of supply chain nodes and fulfilment strategies are increasingly becoming more complex in their operations as they need to handle larger number of SKUs and have to fulfil the order in still lesser time. This effectively means that warehouses need to increase the velocity of inventory movement, while maintaining the accuracy of the inventory. A very efficient way of achieving this is using Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), that can transform these warehouses into efficient inventory management hubs.
These AGVs are revolutionising the way goods are moved, stored, and retrieved within warehouses. AGVs are self-guided vehicles that can be programmed to move materials throughout a warehouse or distribution centre. They are mobile robots that move from point A to point B on fixed paths or routes, guided by wires, magnetic strips, ground markers, or other guidance tools. By eliminating the need for manual labour, AGVs can significantly increase productivity, reduce labour costs, and improve inventory accuracy. As such, they are becoming an increasingly popular choice for companies looking to optimise their warehouse operations and stay competitive in today’s marketplace. The use of AGVs has the added advantage of reducing the risk of workplace injuries, as it eliminates the need for human workers to operate forklifts and other heavy machinery. Warehouses are now moving to another upgrade called Autonomous Mobile Robots, which are basically more flexible and are powered by LiDAR & Camera based navigation systems.