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Intralogistics: What is it and how to optimize it?

When we talk about logistics, it is natural that trucks and cargo being transported over long distances come to mind. In a country with continental dimensions, it is natural that this is one of the great challenges for those who live the routine of the sector.

However, there is also logistics within the factory or distribution center. In fact, intralogistics is where there are the greatest possibilities for optimization and improvement in operational efficiency.

 

What is intralogistics?

We can call intralogistics the internal flow of equipment and materials in a factory, warehouse or distribution center. In other words, we are talking about material handling and cargo handling within companies.

It is very important to pay attention to intralogistics because an organized and efficient process can generate a reduction in waste and greater productivity. There are many factors at play: internal routes, organization of processes, equipment used, distribution of appropriate tools, etc.

When we talk about external logistics, on the other hand, the optimization margins are lower. That is why managers also need to look inside the home to increase the efficiency of the logistics sector.

 

What are the advantages of good intralogistics?

Optimizing the internal logistics flow can bring great benefits to the company. The main ones are:

 

Cost Reduction

As we have already commented, when applying good intralogistics practices, bottlenecks are much more noticeable. The manager starts to see which are the most inefficient processes, which routes can be improved and how to make better use of their forklifts and mobile equipment.

All of this will have a direct impact on the company’s cash: the employees’ time will be better used, the equipment will tend to last longer and the whole operation will be more agile.

 

Better employee experience

Employees themselves also benefit from a good intralogistics plan. This is because the tendency is that the internal flow is much more organized, the equipment is new and undergoes regular maintenance and the internal routes are optimized.

Thus, the professional who is in the field will have less unexpected problems, will lose less time with tasks that do not add value and, consequently, will have a better quality in their day-to-day.

 

Increased productivity

With more organized processes, more motivated employees and bottlenecks removed, the natural tendency is for the productivity of your operation to multiply.

That is, you will be able to produce more in less time. Basically, everyone wins: company, employee and the end customer.

 

How to optimize your company’s intralogistics?

But, after all, how to put all this into practice? We have prepared some quick tips of what you need to do:

 

Create good planning

The first step is to study the internal movement of your operation. Dedicate yourself to map how processes are executed, what equipment is used, what materials are involved, who are responsible for each activity, how long each task takes to be performed and other possible factors.

With this mapping in hand, it becomes easier to identify the main bottlenecks of the operation. So, it is time that managers need to evaluate how to solve these problems, which can be with the use of technological tools, redesign of the layout, acquisition of new equipment, among other ideas.

 

Use technology to your advantage

There are numerous technological platforms that can assist in the optimization of intralogistics. Inventory management software, for example, helps to organize and improve the efficiency of materials within the logistics yard.

From another perspective, robots are able to assist in the movement of pallets or product separation, accelerating loading and unloading in the environment.

And even the entire internal flow can be monitored by IoT sensors, which monitor everything that is happening in the operation and provide insights for managers to further optimize the work performed.

These are just a few examples that prove that technology can be applied from different perspectives. Just identify which one will solve the problems you have mapped.

 

Focus on continuous improvement

Finally, it is important that the optimization of intralogistics represent a constant cycle within the company. That is, it is not enough to reformulate the entire internal flow once and believe that the work is done.

After all, new problems will arise, new technologies will be created and the competition will always be looking for better performance. Thus, it is necessary to focus on continuous improvement, redoing the process of mapping processes, identifying bottlenecks and making decisions for improvement.

 

How does Novidá assist in intralogistics?

Novidá has developed an indoor geolocation solution that can be crucial to monitor your intralogistic operation. Through beacons, smartphones and IoT sensors, we monitor the movement of employees and mobile equipment in any environment.

In this way, logistics managers can monitor forklift routes, locate a professional or equipment in real time, calculate times and movements for each activity and optimize internal processes.

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