Tick-tock; Time is inescapable for the beverage industry

By: Morgan Williams, Marketing Design Coordinator

We cannot forget about the age-old cliché from our Founding Father, Benjamin Franklin: time is money. And when money is part of the equation, nothing can be taken for granted. But time is inescapable and it plays an essential role in the beverage industry, particularly in the production of alcoholic beverages.

According to John Peter Koss, beverage operations advisor for Beverage Industry, “Processing products and/or formulation in alcohol is predicated on time or aging cycles to ensure required product quality characteristics. When such time specifications are not adhered to, unfavorable products and unnecessary costs can be incurred.” In order to reduce, or even eliminate the probability of missing an important time deadline, many companies have begun to rely on software systems to automate their operations.

As users generate orders for fulfillment, the warehouse software will break down the order and then direct either the accompanied automated equipment, or the manual labor to execute the work. However, time can still be lost due to common causes such as delayed startups, faulty maintenance or lack of supplies – all of which are controlled by line technicians. “Time spent producing salable product to generate revenue truly is productive time; the point at which time definitely is money,” says Koss.

Although not as time critical to the quality of the product, operations can cause delays in picking and staging orders for transportation. Today’s fast-paced supply chain has resulted in many warehouses preparing and staging orders typically up to 24 hours in advance of the trucks arrival. But what happens if the truck doesn’t arrive until hours after it’s due? The staged order ends up sitting in the facility, clogging up valuable space and incurring costs. And then, when the truck finally does arrive, many carrier companies require a quick turnaround time for loading and shipping orders or the warehouse can face a fee.

Fortunately, this is another issue that can be solved utilizing an automated solution, such as just-in-time order fulfillment. This process allows warehouses to keep items in storage and not release them from inventory until the truck arrives. It is now not necessary to stage orders near the loading dock, which frees up space and keeps everything flowing. 

Publisher: Beverage Industry

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