SUPPLY CHAIN: Inventory & storage systems - Optimising efficiency - Automation transforms racking & shelving
As retailers and supermarkets adapt to the growing demands of ecommerce and omnichannel strategies, automation in racking and shelving systems is emerging as a key solution. By optimising space, improving inventory management and speeding up order fulfilment, automated racking and shelving systems can enhance operational efficiency. These innovations are not only streamlining traditional retail operations, but also helping businesses meet the fast-paced requirements of online orders, providing quicker and more accurate fulfilment in an increasingly competitive retail environment. According to Floris Visser, CEO at Relog, any retail strategy should start with a focus on the customer’s needs – an approach that should be substantiated by proper research and data.
"We often speak about waste in the food supply chain, and the majority can be attributed to perceived customer requirements on quality, which for the most part is focused on visual quality before anything else". With this in mind, Visser emphasises the importance of careful consideration before starting a digitisation journey. Businesses should ask themselves key questions; why are they digitising, what outcomes do they want to achieve, and whether they truly need all the data points currently being collected, or if more critical ones are being missed. “How can the business automate the capture of some data points to improve efficiency and accuracy?” he adds.
Rising customer expectations, global supply chain complexities, and operational costs require companies to adopt smarter logistics solutions to streamline operations, improve cost efficiency, and allow businesses to focus on their core activities. By leveraging warehouse management software, businesses can optimise logistics operations and gain a competitive edge.
Evolving role of storage & material handling
E-commerce and omnichannel retail strategies have significantly changed storage and material handling requirements. Alan Richard, owner of Apex Real Time Solutions, notes that the shift from bulk shipments to handling higher volumes of smaller orders has increased the pressure for accuracy and speed. “Retailers must simultaneously manage physical restocking and online fulfilment, which drives demand for agile and tech-driven systems. Rising warehouse rentals in South Africa highlight the need for efficient solutions like robotics and automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), which streamline processes and optimise storage,” says Richard.
These trends are reshaping how businesses approach fulfilment. Visser stresses that storage solutions must facilitate rapid picking, while minimising errors. High-density storage systems, goods-to-person solutions and real-time inventory visibility are all essential to improving picking speed and reducing manual handling errors. Richard agrees, highlighting how omnichannel strategies demand even greater synchronisation between in-store and online fulfilment. “Think about how we shop today – maybe you browse online, pick up in-store or get same-day delivery to your doorstep.
Coordinating all this requires advanced warehouse technology,” he says. Companies like Apex are making this possible by integrating robotics, guided vehicles and light guided picking systems that work together to ensure products are picked, packed and delivered quickly and accurately. “These frictionless workflows support faster restocking, efficient order fulfilment and enhanced customer satisfaction. Whether it’s restocking shelves in a Johannesburg store or delivering an online order to Lagos, these flexible systems ensure seamless service,” he explains.
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