Cool Thoughts

Maintaining growth is a challenge for every business leader, and success in doing so is an important marker of success.

For A-N-C CEO Alex Sanchez, growth is made possible by strong industry expertise and a willingness to continue learning and developing new strategies. After starting his career with another California-based cold storage company 25 years ago, Alex soon developed the knowledge and skills required to grow his own company.

When it comes to the internet of things in logistics, there are huge changes on the horizon.

For some people the internet of things (IoT) is confined to wearable technology and smart appliances for the home, but there is huge potential for the IoT and logistics. According to research firm Gartner there will be a thirty-fold increase in the number of connected devices by the year 2020, a development that will have a significant effect on the supply chain operations.

The term automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) has been around in cold storage since the 1950s, but advances in technology mean that interest has surged in recent years.

An ASRS system is one that uses equipment and controls to handle, store and retrieve materials automatically with speed and accuracy, with no direct input from a human employee. They are used as an alternative to conventional warehousing systems that require forklift truck operators.

Automation has been a buzzword in a wide variety of industries for quite some time, but cold storage companies have been slow to exploit the possibilities of technology until now.

Cold storage automation involves the use of robots to reduce the need for human input in the running of a facility. After a slow initial uptake, thought leaders are now pointing out the benefits of automation in cold storage.

Running a profitable cold storage facility means optimizing every aspect of operations, from energy efficiency to pallet racking.

 Warehouse racking is a great way to increase storage density in your facility, allowing more products to be stored in the same amount of space. Choose the right pallet racking system and you will quickly see the benefits.