MECHANICAL MARVELS
Felicity Stredder goes behind the scenes
with both provider and customer in the
intricate world of warehouse solutions.
Space at an airport is
precious and limited.
Warehouses on or around
the site are essential for the
storage and processing of import
and export cargo carried by air,
but they must also be compact,
efficient and cleverly designed,
to maximise available area and
operational capacity.
This is where warehouse
systems come in. Systems
can take a variety of forms
over a vast spectrum, from
rudimentary, manual structures,
all the way up to complex
mechanised webs that wouldn’t
be out of place in a supervillain’s
underground lair. As well as
off-the-shelf solutions, providers
can work with their clients to
custom-design a solution – and
when this is the case, the sky is
the limit in terms of technical
capabilities, particularly as the
technology available continues
to advance.
The provider
ALS Logistic Solutions
specialises in the automation of
materials handling systems, air
cargo centres and car parks. “As
a specialised designer of these
solutions, we know the value
of accuracy and engineering
proficiency because when it
comes to automation, the
millisecond matters; when it
comes to operations, improved
results speak louder than any
promised sales statements,”
explains Walid Khoury, ALS
Managing Director.
Far more than the sum
of its parts, a company’s
freight handling system is its
competitive edge, he continues.
“With open borders and global
economic developments,
businesses are always changing
and looking for innovative
solutions to stay up-to-date and
competitive on the market.
Warehouse automation, with
its sophisticated technologies
such as Automated Storage
and Retrieval System (ASRS),
variety of conveyor systems,
transfer vehicles and modern
IT solutions, is one of the
attributes of the successfully
operating distribution and
production centres.”
That being said, when
designing your ideal solution,
whether or not to automate
is an important question,
Khoury relates. “Automation
requires significant
investment. It is essential to
conduct research, evaluate
the potential and predict
the results to minimise the
risks of mistakes. It is always
a good idea to learn from
case studies, ask advice and
apply the knowledge to your
field with the help of reputed
solution providers.”
WAREHOUSE
SYSTEMS
www.airlogisticsinternational.com February 2020 37
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