Page 29 - FoodFocusThailand No.212 NOVEMBER 2023

SPECIAL FOCUS

The fast-paced lives of individuals who dedicate the majority of their time to work have led to a significant surge
in the demand for ready-to-eat foods (RTE). Within the manufacturing sector, there have been substantial
improvements in production processes, warehousing, and transportation systems. These enhancements are
designed to ensure the efficient delivery of prepared food while maintaining its quality and freshness until it
reaches the hands of consumers.

In this matter, warehouse management distribution, sorting, record-keeping, merchandise moving, and inventory
plays a crucial role in ensuring the timely management. Whether you operate a compact corner store or a sprawling
and consistent delivery of ready-to-eat food convenience food enterprise, the integration of warehouse automation can either
products. The management of these replace the existing system or enhance its efficiency significantly.
facilities includes the critical task of
controlling storage temperatures for various
types of ready-to-eat foods. For instance, More Information Service Info C002
chilled food should be stored at temperatures
around 4-7 °C, with a shelf life of 3-7 days.
Whereas frozen food must be stored at
temperatures not exceeding -18°C to
preserve the freshness and flavors of the
ready-to-eat meals for up to 18 months.
Improving the Efficiency of Storage
and Distribution of RTE Foods with
Warehouse Automation
Maintaining food products at low
temperatures necessitates an advanced
storage system, such as a computer-
controlled system or an automated storage
and retrieval system (AS/RS). This
technology is necessary for efficient tracking
and recording of storage and distribution
processes. Given the lightweight nature of
these food products and their relatively short
shelf lives, the AS/RS with height-adjustable
features proves highly effective. Besides,
for streamlined operations and to reduce
manual labor in storage and distribution, the
use of automated equipment like automatic
guided vehicles (AGVs) or shuttle cars is
recommended. These machines can be
controlled remotely, allowing seamless
inbound and outbound management as per
specific orders. Also, the four-way shuttle
system can enhance the flexibility of product
relocation, both vertically and horizontally.
These advancements in AS/RS solutions
not only improve space utilization but also
reduce the need for costly cold storage room
construction. In addition, AS/AR
implementations also integrate warehouse
management systems (WMS) and
warehouse control systems (WCS) for
efficient operations. The WMS can record
the movement of individual SKU products
during inbound and outbound processes. It
then sends this information to WCS,
enabling WCS to execute tasks like storage,
picking, counting, etc. Moreover, this
coordinating approach establishes a first-
expire, first-out (FEFO) system, prioritizing
products closest to their expiration date for
distribution and reducing the risk of food
products expiring or remaining in the
warehouse.
Automated warehouse management
systems offer diverse capabilities, including
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