Trucks, drones, robots, AI systems. Automation is changing the world of warehousing and logistics

Automation is a necessity in logistics, and almost all logistics companies are counting on it at least partially in the coming years, whether they plan to deploy autonomous handling technology, mobile robots or start working with artificial intelligence. This was confirmed by this year's Trends in Czech Logistics survey, which was prepared by Ipsos for the Society of Competent Logistics and Suppliers (SKLAD). Representatives of this society and one of their customers met in September in a debate of Hospodářské noviny to present the news on the logistics automation market.

They began by discussing the selection of suitable premises for automated warehouses. "In the Czech Republic, unfortunately, we have old zoning plans in force that only allow building heights of up to 13 metres. But whoever wants to automate today usually needs a taller building, 15 to 20 metres as a standard," Jakub Holec, managing director of 108 Real Estate, pointed out one of the common problems.

From this point of view, it seems to be advantageous to use brownfield sites for the construction of industrial halls, where buildings are built according to older zoning plans and can be significantly higher. An example is the modern distribution centre built three years ago by Amazon on the site of a former sugar factory near Kojetín. "The hall is 27 metres high and has three identical floors with a robotic fleet above it. Thanks to its height, it can have a floor plan a quarter of the size of our distribution centre in Dobrovíz near Prague," said Jan Vavřík, general manager of Amazon's logistics centre in Kojetín.

The situation is different for companies that are building their warehouses on greenfield sites. "When stationary automation is planned today, it often starts not with the building, but with the automated system itself. And only on the basis of its parameters is the technology then wrapped around the building," explained Josef Murgaš from the intralogistics company Still in the debate. This is how stationary automation differs from mobile automation, where individual mobile devices are integrated into a predefined space and then move around in it.

According to the experts, the key trend in their design is flexibility. Technology is evolving so rapidly that it is impossible to rely on one solution for the long term; companies must be able to adapt to future market changes and innovations yet to come. "Mobile automation in particular is growing enormously, with new, cheaper technologies coming to us from China every month. Today, there is almost no project that can be repeated twice, because after half a year there are already innovations on the market that are worth considering," described Aimtec's technology manager Rostislav Schwob.

Of course, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in this. It can optimise the operation of robotic systems, plan trolley routes and obstacle avoidance, predict service and suggest improvements to the process. "When you work efficiently with this technology, it learns from you and goes towards you. Individual buildings are then able to develop themselves, and we see a 10 percent improvement in them every year," Vavřík said, pointing to the example of the use of AI in the Kojetín industrial hall, where operators work in symbiosis with the robotic fleet. "We attach small devices to different parts of the technology that monitor vibrations, temperature changes and other indicators. Based on this data, the system is then able to provide us with clear maintenance predictions and other information," Vavrik explained.

In practice, the optimisation also translates into sustainability. For example, the system helps to save packaging materials, water or energy. "For investors and banks today, sustainability is a crucial topic. Buildings that do not have sustainability certification are almost unsaleable," Holec confirmed in the debate.

But like any other investment, however, one in automation may or may not be profitable. "The returns can be calculated, but you need to have real data analysis. For example, we have encountered projects where the company's product range or business plan changed during the course of the project and the originally planned combination of technologies suddenly didn't work," Schwob pointed out.

Sometimes a company will also plan a partial automation process that, although it saves one worker per shift, is not worth it in terms of additional costs. "That's why it's a good idea to consult the data with a partner who can go through the entire warehouse with you and tell you where the payback is more realistic and what all can be included," Murgaš advised. In addition to replacing human labour, it also includes administrative savings associated with recruiting and training employees, as well as energy savings. "An automated warehouse doesn't need as much heat, it just needs minimal lighting or can work in complete darkness," Murgaš mentioned the advantages.

At the end of the debate, the participants stressed the scalability of automation solutions, which must be prepared for the possibility of future expansion. "Try to outsource the processes that cannot be automated, so that you can focus on what has the greatest added value," Holec added his recommendation.