Among Like-minded People: participation in the All-Ukrainian Logistician Day 2024

KAPELOU increases efficiency

KAPELOU, a reliable manufacturer of modern warehouse equipment, automated systems and a provider of integrated warehouse projects, has presented technologies and equipment that will be useful for companies wishing to increase their efficiency and facilitate logistics processes, overcoming the current challenges. As at the beginning of 2024, KAPELOU has more than 600 implemented warehouse logistics projects in Europe.

In his speech Vitalii Shponko, the Head of Warehouse Logistics Automation at KAPELOU, highlighted the painful topic of the global impact of staff shortages on supply chains, as well as the challenges and scenarios for business survival and evolution associated with it.

The speaker stated one of the options for further logistics development, which involves reducing the deliveries number and at the same time being able to deliver orders to the customers directly from the central distribution centre – without the involvement of regional satellite warehouses. He intoned, this will reduce the burden on transportation logistics, but will lead to more complicated warehouse logistics.

Vitalii Shponko also drew the audience’s attention to the efficiency of KAPELOU’s buffer-sequencer for preliminary preparation and formation of the orders wave. This technology can solve the issue of pallet formation density, minimise physical exertion for employees, and speed up pallet formation. Another automation option that helps to overcome staff shortages, including in the logistics sector, is the use of a sequencer buffer, for example, with an automated packaging station. Such a solution can provide inclusive job places in Ukraine that will be equally suitable for men, women, retired people, people with disabilities and discharged soldiers who, after returning from the Armed Forces, cannot return to their previous job places because of health reasons.

‘This is just a small part of the technologies that will help you adjust your logistics to a new, more productive way, in fact, there are a lot of them. Each task is unique, and there are no standard solutions in logistics. There are many scenarios to overcome challenges, and approaches must be comprehensive. We are open to dialogue for the development of Ukraine’s economy here and now,’ Vitalii Shponko summed up his report.

Being a Paragon

During their speeches and panel discussions, the conference participants repeatedly raised a topic of the shortage of qualified personnel. That is a challenge not only for logistics but also for most Ukrainian employers, and it has become more acute over the past few years.

Throughout the conference, participants shared their experience in implementing projects that help businesses operate successfully in today’s challenging environment, which is exacerbated by the mobilisation and migration of Ukraine’s labour force. Finding skilled workers is the No. 1 problem for almost 60% of Ukrainian enterprises, according to an online survey of employers conducted by the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine in February-March, 2024, with regard to the problems of Ukrainian business. This encourages Ukrainian businesses to think about implementing automation and robotics today. Integrated solutions from KAPELOU, the leader in warehouse logistics in Ukraine, will help to put these plans into effect.

A few years ago, KAPELOU itself set out to overcome the challenge of a shortage of highly skilled personnel, particularly in production. It was a shortage of welders of the highest grades, and it takes a lot of time to find and train them. The purchase of a robotic welder helped to solve the problem. The use of a robotic welding complex made it possible to work without manual semi-automatic welding, which ensured higher quality, high accuracy and repeatability of welds. As a result, customers receive the necessary equipment on time and with the highest quality indicators.

KAPELOU also uses an automated goods storage system to overcome challenges. As of 2024, its warehouse has up to 20 thousand SKUs. However, the receiving, placing goods in cells and picking are already at the stage of robotisation, which increases productivity, accuracy and speed of order picking. Now the process of picking the right unit involves only one employee, who needs to be trained for just one day. Previously, a team of five employees performed this work. In addition, the employee does not need to exert significant physical effort to lift and carry spare parts during picking and sorting – the system performs these processes automatically.

Focusing on the efficiency improvement

About 500 participants of the Logistician’s Day had the opportunity to find solutions to the problems that have long been of concern to companies in the logistics sector, including efficiency increasing and logistics processes simplifying. The event brought together developers of advanced logistics technologies, retailers and distributors ready to share their experience and establish new connections for the development of the logistics industry in Ukraine. New opportunities and overcoming challenges in transport and warehouse logistics were discussed for two days in a row. The conference was concluded with three discussion panels, where participants presented their vision of solving the problems faced by the logistics industry.

The Logistician’s Day has become a platform for getting acquainted with the latest technologies and samples of modern equipment presented during the exhibition, as well as for developing and establishing new business relationships between Ukrainian companies producing logistics equipment and integrators of complex solutions and those businesses that are experiencing operations problems and need to implement automation and robotics to cope with them.

During the discussion, speakers among Ukrainian employers brought up the topic of involving women into professions that are no longer considered atypical for them thanks to automation, as well as the reintegration of employees discharged from the Armed Forces, which also helps companies to combat staff shortages in the context of mobilisation.

The ardent discussions focused on the development of new logistics routes, options for resolving delays at all stages of delivery to the customer, minimising risks, implementing solutions to improve the efficiency and productivity of warehouse equipment and, ultimately, warehouse handling of goods, and working with staff in logistics. The conference was also useful in providing practical recommendations on the nuances of customs logistics for more profitable import/export operations.

Contact us and we will show you the optimizing ways and offer innovative solutions to improve your logistics processes! We look forward to fruitful cooperation!