Case Study
P&G LIMA Warehouse Dispatcher Process Automation
Automation has revolutionized inventory transfers at P&G’s LIMA Warehouse, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and better resource utilization. Today, 90% of trailer movements, once manually managed, are now automated.
The benefits of this groundbreaking automation are substantial, long-lasting, and scalable to warehouses and distribution centres worldwide. If you’re interested in achieving similar automation efficiencies, contact us today for a free consultation.
Challenges & Objectives
LIMA struggled with inconsistent decisions, high workloads, conveyor defects, unreliable workflows, and inefficient resource use. Unpredictable trailer movements and error-prone manual processes hindered productivity, accuracy, and efficiency between the Plant and Distribution Centres.
Benefits of the Automation
The automation now manages 90% of ATLS trailer movements, streamlining inventory transfers by prioritizing Auto Unload Doors, directing inventory to the correct Modules, and adapting to ATLS trailer availability. Operating 24/7, it minimizes manual intervention, ensuring efficiency, consistency, and process standardization.
The most successful aspect of the automation has been consistent work process reinforcement and the touch elimination of the dispatcher.
Kristy Klay - P&G Dock & Welcome Center Area Leader
Project Overview
The automation tackles several key operational challenges faced by LIMA:
Efficient Trailer Movement: By instructing human drivers via the RTCIS application, the automation reduces delays in communication and ensures that roller bed trailers, capable of carrying up to 32 units, are transported consistently from the Plant to the Distribution Centre.
Door Utilization and Unloading: The system prioritizes the use of Auto Unload (Turbo) Doors, enabling automated unloading and minimizing the need for manual intervention.
Inventory Sorting and Storage: The automation directs trailers to specific Distribution Centre Modules (MODs) based on inventory type, with all storage locations logged in the ACTIV (ASRS) system.
Resource Management: The solution dynamically adapts to trailer availability, focusing solely on ATLS trailers while excluding non-ATLS trailers from its scope.
24/7 Operational Continuity: Designed to run continuously with minimal disruption, the automation ensures reliability and consistent operation, barring scheduled maintenance windows.
By addressing these objectives, the automation not only enhances operational efficiency but also reinforces consistent work processes and improved resource utilization.
Trailer moves from the plant to the warehouse are more predictable, reliable, and consistent. The process also enforces the ‘ASK ACTIV’ work process, which users previously followed inconsistently.
Kristy Klay - P&G Dock & Welcome Center Area Leader
Key Benefits Delivered
Feedback from LIMA’s management highlights several significant benefits from the automation.
Consistency and Accuracy in Decision-Making: Before the automation, ensuring consistency among multiple users making calculated decisions was a challenge. The automation addresses this by enforcing uniform decision-making processes, resulting in predictable and reliable trailer movements.
Streamlined Workforce Operations: Drivers across shifts experience a smoother workflow, while plant resources are able to focus on fixing defects highlighted by the automation. This not only improves the overall system but also reduces manual oversight.
Eliminating Manual Dispatcher Tasks: The automation relieves dispatchers of repetitive tasks, giving them more flexibility and downtime during shifts.
Improved Inventory Accuracy: While inventory inaccuracy at the ASRS was addressed before implementation, the automation maintains high levels of accuracy and reinforces operational consistency.
Drivers have consistent workflow, and plant resources are forced to fix defects that the automation puts light on. For instance, addressing issues like tracking ULs on ATLS conveyors has led to better accuracy.
Kristy Klay - P&G Dock & Welcome Center Area Leader
Key Successes
Several aspects of the automation stood out as particularly successful:
Consistent Work Process Reinforcement: The automation enforced consistent workflows across shifts, eliminating variability and ensuring standard operating procedures were followed.
Touch Elimination for Dispatchers: By automating dispatcher tasks, the system reduced manual interventions and freed up valuable time for the team.
Accurate and Reliable Operations: The automation ensured that trailers were delivered to the right doors and modules, reinforcing the “right place, right time” principle.
Future development: While the automation has delivered significant benefits, there are opportunities to further enhance its capabilities. LIMA’s management are looking at faster consideration of different triggers the automation evaluates, potentially incorporating additional bots to expand functionality.
The most successful aspect of the automation has been consistent work process reinforcement and the touch elimination of the dispatcher.
Kristy Klay - P&G Dock & Welcome Center Area Leader
Implementation and Collaboration
The implementation of the automation was a collaborative effort involving the Virtual Operations team and LIMA’s management. The Virtual Operations team worked closely with LIMA, accommodating time differences and adjusting to the site’s availability.
Security compliance requirements for one application posed challenges during the project. The team demonstrated agility by proposing and implementing alternative approaches. While delays occurred due to site-specific factors, the Virtual Operations team showed readiness to move forward as quickly as LIMA allowed.
