Sustainability through supply chain management

from MEPCA September 2023

Packing in more innovation

As part of the company’s focus on sustainability, Turck Banner outlines three applications in the supply chain management category which demonstrate that sustainability doesn’t have to come at a cost and can, in fact, save money.

At a distribution centre, maintaining the control of Returnable Transport Items (RTIs) can be extremely challenging as different suppliers use different RTIs. Once the RTI has been emptied, it has to be stored before being returned to the supplier. One distribution centre was upgrading its inventory control by utilising Turck Banner’s RFID system, which can read hundreds of tags almost simultaneously as they pass through a gate. In addition to the products having an RFID tag, a tag was added to the RTI. The task of checking-in product inventory was greatly sped up, and product traceability was enhanced, which were the primary objectives of the upgrade. However, the simple addition of tags to the RTI enabled the emptied RTI to be identified and directed to the allocated storage area, based on the type of RTI and the supplier. Damaged RTIs were also recorded by their tag, enabling the supplier to easily identify, repair or remove them. Although RTIs are designed to protect the product that they contain during transport, a damaged RTI can often be the cause of a product being damaged.

The distribution centre achieved its primary objectives of making itself more efficient and saving costs. Whilst using RTIs is, in the majority of cases, far more sustainable than using single-use packaging, the centre was able to enhance its sustainability by greatly reducing product damage and waste from damaged RTIs.

Streamlining product supply

While supply chain management is often thought of as only involving external companies, improvements can often be made in the movement of products around a premises.

Turck Banner was recently approached by a prestigious motor manufacturer to supply a simple light and a switch. When the company asked about the application and business objectives driving the request, it became obvious that by working in partnership with each other huge improvements could be made in the process of moving product from the main warehouse all the way to the assembly station. As a result of implementing the changes, the takt time (time to produce a finished product) was reduced, allowing the manufacturer to increase production, which in turn paid for the changes. The customer also reduced its internal transport and maintenance costs, improving its sustainability.

Invisible traceability

Even in industries where traceability is not a legal requirement, it is often becoming a business requirement in order to generate the data required for improving processes and driving efficiency.

Barcoding is often a cheap and reliable method of marking a product for tracking and traceability. The barcode can be made in a number of ways ranging from Direct Product Marks (DPM) that are etched or stamped into the product, to adhesive labels attached to the product. The majority of these barcodes are visible to the naked eye and consume space on the product. Ultraviolet ink, however, is only visible when illuminated with a black light. By using a filter that blocks visible light but allows UV light to pass, it is possible to print a UV barcode on top of a product that already contains printing or decoration. This facilitates tracking and traceability with all the associated sustainability advantages, without spoiling the aesthetics of a product or requiring a larger product and packaging to accommodate the barcode. www.turckbanner.co.uk

These are just three examples where careful investment in the right products can have a significant impact on both short- and long-term savings, at the same time making the product or process more sustainable.

Schneider Electric now at automation24.co.uk