Warehouse management has become an important part of logistics systems and has the functions of storing materials and goods as well as dealing with real time visibility to information has become an essential objective to ensure accurate flow of materials. Also with the need of special type logistics systems such as cold chain and Hazardous goods logistics, the need of smart environment in warehouse and distributed monitoring has become higher.

Shridhar Upadhyay
Chief Supply Chain Officer, GATI

However, the older version of warehouse management systems have inherent disadvantages in real-time monitoring, adaptive communication and flexible network architecture. Therefore, there is a realisation to develop effective method to design the smart warehouse management systems. As Supply Chain providers have to engage with multiple customers and suppliers, there comes a great deal of information exchange and management. Information flows in a number of ways, including telephone calls, letters, telex, faxes, and electronic data interchange (EDI). With advancement in IT, firms have begun using the power of the internet to create more effective and open transmission protocols for machine-to-machine communication of the same high-frequency data now handled by traditional EDI.

Supply chain information systems require a great deal of data input, both from automated sources such as software applications, control systems, bar code readers, sensors, analytical instruments and manual interactions as well. Manual data entry is still a widespread tradition in most of the warehouse operations, even when machine sources are available in market. Due to manual intervention critical information is often re-entered at many process points in the chain. These manual interventions can easily be reduced by adapting to new technologies such as wireless device, bar code, RFID, Internet, EDI etc. These techniques will ease the redundancy of data entry job and will also protect from incorrect data flow, also with the support of well architecture network and power of intranet and internet it will facilitate in faster (near to real time) flow of information and will also reduce data collection errors. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems further eliminate “double handling,” and provide company-wide data visibility.

“In today’s Scenario of consumption driven supply chain where responsiveness to customer demands has become a Mantra for measuring the supply chain efficiency, logistics providers need to come out with Automation of Fulfilment centres (i.e reduced Manual Interventions in both process flow and information flow) along with Advanced ERP Systems which will make life easier for the fulfilment centres so efficiency will automatically come with it”, says Shridhar Upadhyay, Chief Supply Chain Officer, GATI. Advancement ERP may have many definitions, any ERP tool is as simple as for the end user is as advanced it is.

So what does it mean to be simple, every ERP has the basic operation features inbuilt in it. In addition to that it also should have few more features like easy customisation to customer requirements including any value-added service, ability to generate reports through systems in customer’s format, Global inventory visibility, Integrated tools for efficiency monitoring online and technology framework that facilitates easy integration and business logic extensions to meet changing process requirements by providing Centralised Control over the Supply Network, real-time information etc. Hardware communication devices form the backbone of integration logistics information systems. Barcode with Wireless Scanners, Radio frequency tags, Pick-to-light System, Put-to-Light System, improves productivity of shop floor with reduced operating cost and provides real time data of inventory status.

With the above understanding of the industry requirement Gati have integrated best in class ERP with forecasting and analytical tools to ensure real time visibility across entire supply chain process initiating from demand analytics to last mile fulfilment.

Gati WMS capability: Keeping in mind the challenges faced by across industries in warehousing information flow, Gati with the expertise gained in warehousing has customized two unique Warehouse Management Systems(WMS) with all advanced features of B2B and B2C Segment of supply chain, which solves the key communicate, interface and integration.

It puts way-pick- pack-process and track items at all SKU level or Batch level. Gati has taken a step further at per piece level processing and billing to customer to improve the visibility and information flow. Implementation of such systems increased the core competency of Gati in market, making it well – entrenched express distribution and supply chain Solutions Company. Its current system facilitates us to provide mentioned features to ensure better productivity.

Gati’s Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) traces and tracks vehicles in the Gati network all over India. Real time tracking and monitoring of warehouses through OCC (Operations Control Centre).

The system has been implemented in all the company’s express route and service vehicles and is controlled from a centralized Network Monitoring Centre.
• Ensuring safety of customer’s packages
• Real time tracking of cargo vehicles’ movement
• Ensures on time delivery of packages to customers

Shop Floor Automation: Package level scanning for end-to-end visibility of every single apparel item to major brands.
• Track-and-Trace enabled
• Data consumption (from Major Brands)
• Docket generation
• Data sharing (to Major Brands) to enable track-and-trace

Electronic Data Interchange: EDI-945 and EDI-180 testing under process. It is a cross-channel order fulfillment platform for today’s dynamic supply networks.
• Coordinated, customised fulfillment processes

Real time temperature logs and tracking of reefer trucks:
• Ensures optimum temperature during carriage of temperature sensitive goods
• Real time data updates through mobile tablets
• Ensures reduction of time lag in updating package details

Apart from Warehouse Solutions, customers can also benefit from Gati’s extensive range of service offerings such as Express Distribution, M-VATS (Bulk Load, Point to Point), Cold Chain Solution, E-commerce Logistics, Fulfilment Services, Freight Forwarding, and Trading Solutions. Gati serves the top leading organisations across FMCG, Auto, Textile, Engineering, Pharma, IT, Retail, Electrical Electronics among others.

 

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