Logistics
25.1.2023

Environmental protection at Sites: Transparency creates more efficiency

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Environmental protection and climate protection are central concerns of today's world. Many people are changing their consumer behavior and are specifically asking under what conditions a product was manufactured and transported. This trend also has a direct impact on logistics. The entire transportation system is being put to the test today.

Companies that consistently focus on more environmental protection at Sites can distinguish themselves and increase their success. Green logistics encompasses the entire supply chain: transport as well as all warehouse processes. Below you will find examples of how more environmental protection can be achieved at Sites .

Table of Contents:

  1. Definition: What does sustainable logistics mean?
  1. Saving energy, generating energy yourself: Successful examples of sustainable logistics
  1. More transparency: One of the most important measures for environmental protection in the Sites
  1. Examples for more environmental protection in Sites

Definition: What does sustainable logistics mean?

Sustainable logistics - also known as green logistics - aims to implement logistics processes in a way that conserves resources, saves energy and is as eco-efficient as possible. In view of the current climate protection debate and legal regulations, for example in the form of the Supply Chain Act, this topic is currently gaining in importance.

The dimensions of sustainability

Sustainability always encompasses several dimensions: Because what serves ecology and climate protection also brings economic benefits. For example, driving in a fuel-efficient manner or using less electricity at Sites not only reduces climate-damaging CO2 emissions, but also pays off financially in the form of cost savings. Companies can thus operate more cost-effectively, maintain their profitability or, in the best case, even increase it.  

How investments in environmental protection pay off

Ideally, sustainability in logistics means that investments pay for themselves over time. An essential step toward this goal is to critically examine all processes along the supply chain in warehouse logistics as well as in transport logistics on an ongoing basis. This is the only way to identify potential for improvement in the processes - and to realize them in the sense of sustainable, green logistics.

Electric forklifts will gradually replace conventional forklifts.

Saving energy, generating energy yourself: Successful examples of sustainable logistics

Almost every Sites has hidden potential for savings and optimization that can be leveraged for sustainable logistics. In many cases, government subsidies can also be used for their implementation. Here are three typical examples that can be implemented at almost any warehouse location.

  • Putting energy consumers on a diet: Measures such as optimizing air conditioning, ventilation and heating or switching to energy-saving LED lighting systems bring directly measurable benefits in terms of energy consumption and running costs.
  • From energy consumer to energy producer: Large roof areas of logistics halls are perfect for generating their own renewable electricity with high-performance solar modules and, if possible, using most of it themselves. This means fewer emissions, lower energy costs and greater self-sufficiency from public supply networks.
  • Implementing electrification at Sites : E-forklifts are increasingly replacing conventional models - the ecological balance is ideal if the forklifts are charged with the solar power they generate themselves.

More transparency: One of the most important measures for environmental protection in the Sites

Many companies have already recognized the above concepts for more sustainability in warehouse logistics and have started to implement them. The realized savings are convincing. But this is by no means the end of the story. Great potential for improving sustainability is hidden not only in the building equipment - but much more in the processes that take place here.

How are deliveries and drop-offs timed? How well is the utilization of personnel resources throughout the day? Are there avoidable peaks, are there even waiting times and delays? And: How much paper still passes through the hands of the people involved in the logistical processes? These few questions alone make it clear that processes in warehouse logistics can often be designed much more efficiently than before.

Sustainably optimize processes in warehouse logistics

The decisive key to more sustainability in warehouse logistics therefore lies in the optimization of processes - transparency is the essential prerequisite for this. After all, transparency means having comprehensive information available on an ongoing basis in real time to enable effective warehouse planning. This applies to the planning of time slots for deliveries and pickups just as much as it does to picking, inventory management, or the improvement of walkways within the warehouse.

Using software tools not only saves a lot of paper, but also increases transparency and efficiency in Sites.

Examples for more environmental protection in Sites

Consistent process optimization is therefore one of the key levers for more sustainability and environmental protection at Sites . Suitable warehouse management software solutions provide indispensable services and can bring about optimization at many levels.

Precisely plan and improve delivery times

Efficient organization and good coordination of all processes are indispensable for a sustainable Sites. If delivery times are precisely planned and cleverly coordinated, the company's own resources can be used optimally. Bottlenecks are thus significantly reduced, as are annoying and emission-increasing waiting times of trucks in front of the Sites.  

Loading times are also optimized and shortened in a similar way. Automatic warehouse management systems also provide highly useful services for the storage process as well as for subsequent picking. Routes in the Sites and, in turn, emissions and energy consumption are reduced, and the CO2 footprint of the warehouse is significantly improved.

In today's largely digitalized world, it is hard to understand why logistical processes still generate mountains of paper. The environmental protection organization WWF has calculated that almost 20 percent of industrially felled trees go to the paper industry.  

Digital communication instead of paper

Every year, many kilos of paper could be saved at the average Sites if suitable software tools were used instead to focus consistently on digital communication and information exchange, handhelds, hand scanners and the like. Reducing and ultimately avoiding the use of paper is therefore also one of the key environmental protection measures at Sites. This not only benefits the environment - modern, digital Logistics 4.0 also increases transparency and efficiency throughout the entire process.

Other welcome additional effects of digitization: The flow frequency in the Sites increases, sources of error are minimized, and inventory monitoring is improved. The entire process sequence up to the outbound runs much smoother and more efficiently. Scheduling can work more flexibly and purposefully, previously tedious controlling functions are significantly simplified and are possible in real time at any time.

Your entry into sustainable warehouse logistics

Efficient processes, sound information and transparency at all times form the basis for more sustainability and environmental protection in warehouse logistics. Without digitization, this is inconceivable nowadays. With TradeLink, you always have all processes in view. The intuitive software is used to coordinate all deliveries and track them in real time.  

Communicate efficiently and transparently with all delivery partners and involved parties. Expensive and inefficient paper processes, phone calls or e-mails become superfluous. The warehouse optimization tool not only controls all processes, but also offers a wide range of reporting and controlling functions.  

This means true sustainability: With a significantly improved CO2 footprint of your warehouse as well as cost savings of up to 30 percent in your goods inbound and outbound processes. At the same time, your warehouse capacity increases by up to 20 percent. Learn about all the benefits of end-to-end digitization in a no-obligation initial consultation now.

Digitization creates more sustainability in logistics  

Inefficient processes, avoidable sources of error, annoying waiting times, unnecessary mountains of paper: weaknesses in warehouse logistics cause unnecessarily high costs and unnecessary emissions. Consistent digitization paves the way to greater sustainability in logistics. Comprehensive optimization potential can be realized in warehouse processes with the help of suitable software solutions.  

This is efficient and good for the environment - and equally good for the company's profitability and business success. After all, sustainability brings ecological and economic benefits under one roof. The third level is image benefits, which warehouse operators can use to convince their potential customers and business partners. In this way, environmental protection at Sites leads to a real win-win-win situation.

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