From customers to brands, there has been a shift toward going green. With more and more companies and customers looking for sustainable options, the way inventory is stored and shipped plays an integral role in ensuring a reduced impact.
Across the equipment used, working conditions, and fulfillment methods, every area of the supply chain can benefit from implementing sustainable solutions and best practices.
Sustainability has always been a priority for UNEX. With each solution offered, we look for every opportunity to reduce our environmental impact and help customers reduce theirs.
We know there are a lot of questions about how to maintain a greener operation, and we’re here to answer them! In this article, we’ll look at what steps you can take toward becoming more sustainable, and how UNEX can help.
1. Evaluate solutions carefully
Creating less of an environmental impact centers around being mindful of choices and thinking long-term. What materials are solutions made of? Are they able to effectively reduce waste? Every solution across the supply chain needs to be carefully evaluated for what impact it has and where improvements can be made.
For example, choosing engineered-to-order solutions such as SpanTrack can help. SpanTrack is made partly from recycled materials and drops into existing pallet racks, creating less waste.
Compared to buying a whole new solution or starting 100% from scratch, SpanTrack carton flow solutions like SpanTrack Lane and SpanTrack Wheel Bed easily drop into existing structures to create gravity-fed dynamic storage. Using gravity allows for a greener operation; since it’s not a powered solution, it will help decrease your carbon footprint.
You can easily maximize space and integrate with what you have, which goes a long way in reducing waste and creating a more efficient operation. As a bonus, SpanTrack is made from 60% recycled material. Some parts, such as the individual aluminum components on SpanTrack, are 100% recyclable, making it an even more responsible choice.
2. Design matters
Reducing impact is also about looking at the solutions in a more critical way to see what features they offer when operations suddenly change.
Look for options that offer flexibility and durability because those are the solutions that last. The flexibility ensures that line and process changes can be easily accommodated. If you’re finding that there is never enough space in your warehouse, or that teams are struggling to pack efficiently, it might be that the equipment isn’t serving them as well as it should.
Similarly, the durability ensures that the solution you choose is built to last. You can rely on the equipment, and you have made an investment that will go a long way in reducing your overall impact.
Remember, if it’s a solution that accelerates productivity, it is inevitably a solution that will reduce waste. For example, FlowCell is a flexible, ergonomic solution that increases productivity and is ideal for manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistics operations.
FlowCell flow racks organize inventory and parts, thereby improving picking productivity and reducing waste. This can help reduce your overall impact. FlowCell is made from 55% recycled material, and some FlowCell components can be recycled after use, making it even more of a functional and sustainable option.
3. Space optimization is key
Ultimately, it’s crucial to realize that sustainability is about looking at each part of your process to see where you can improve. Even simple measures such as space optimization can save time and money, benefiting you in the long run.
Working to optimize every cubic inch of your warehouse reduces travel and picking time, and using space efficiently leads to less waste. It’s more of a domino effect in reducing impact that may not seem as obvious, but it can be incredibly beneficial. Space optimization allows you to save more time and money, be more efficient and productive without sacrificing sustainability. It’s a win-win, really!
Solutions such as SpeedCell, SpanTrack, and Pallet Track are just a few of the dynamic storage systems UNEX offers that can help you become more sustainable.
SpanTrack carton flow transforms static storage into a highly efficient, dynamic system that will increase your overall space utilization. This gravity-fed solution is a greener choice. Rather than dealing with higher overhead and higher operation costs, SpanTrack is an alternative that’s both efficient and sustainable compared to other solutions that require power to operate.
Similarly, Pallet Track is a manual solution that seamlessly optimizes pallet flow, without driving up energy consumption. SpeedCell, a dynamic high-density storage solution, dramatically increases pick facings and provides opportunities for increased speed and efficiency, saving time and resources.
UNEX has always set itself apart by focusing on solving problems and creating fully engineered solutions that are tailor-made to meet your exact needs. Our goal in offering sustainable solutions is to help operations across the supply chain find creative ways to reduce their overall impact. To learn more about which solutions may be a good fit for your unique needs, get in touch with a space optimization specialist today!
