DHL Supply Chain, a subsidiary of Deutsche Post DHL Group, is working with US-tech firm Cisco and software developer Conduce to assess the effectiveness of the Internet of Things (IoT) in warehouses in Germany, the Netherlands and Poland.
The new solution enables DHL to monitor operational activities in real time by displaying a graphical representation of data aggregated from scanners, material handling equipment and the warehouse management system.
To date, the pilots have revealed valuable insights on activity peaks and processes by displaying concentrations of pickers and material handling equipment against a backdrop of real time orders.
Markus Voss, chief information officer and chief operating officer, DHL Supply Chain, said, “By monitoring operational activities in real time rather than retrospectively, we can interpret data more meaningfully, and immediately re-engineer processes or warehouse layouts to boost operational efficiency and address potential safety blind spots.”
Chris Dedicoat, executive vice president, worldwide sales and field operations, Cisco, said, “We are turning IoT into reality within the warehouse environment. This is made possible by leveraging existing Cisco wi-fi infrastructure within the warehouse to obtain location services together with the Conduce solution.”
Kevin Parent, CEO, Conduce, said, “The platform does not just display operational data, it unlocks insights on how well warehouses are running. By pulling together data of all elements in a warehouse environment into one unified, engaging interface, Conduce helps decision makers at DHL to achieve improved, measurable results in the real world.”
May 12 ,2017