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Indian pharma’s warehouse efficiency hinges on automation for compliance
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Nandita Vijayasimha, Bengaluru
May 11 , 2024
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Indian pharmaceutical industry’s warehouse efficiency hinges on automation for compliance. This is even as the Union government’s draft guidelines on the Good Distribution Practices (GDP), issued in April this year, will now mandate stringent surveillance as the final regulations come into force.
Nirav Doshi, founder and managing director, NIDO Group, said that tech implementation will help tracking inventory, expiry dates, temperature control, and product handling, which reduces the risk of non-compliance and associated penalties.
Automation is a catalyst for the productivity of Indian pharmaceutical warehouses across various key functions, including put away and picking, order fulfilment, packing and manifesting, sorting by courier partner, and inventory and data management. It is helping pharmaceutical warehouse operations manage the complexities of omni-channel order processing, he added.
Processes of automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), robotic picking solutions, and autonomous case handling robots (ACRs) are transforming how pharmaceutical products are stored and retrieved. Specifically AS/RS systems utilise vertical space efficiently, automatically storing items in an optimal location and retrieving items based on demand & requirement, thereby reducing manual handling and optimising storage space. Robotic picking solutions, accurately select items from shelves, bins, or pallets, with accuracy and speed. ACRs navigate through the warehouse autonomously, transporting goods from storage locations to picking stations, further streamlining the picking process.
Additionally, automated conveyor systems facilitate the smooth flow of products from put-away stations to packing areas, reducing bottlenecks and enhancing throughput. Automated order fulfilment systems, such as put-to-light and voice-directed fulfilment or vertical carriage-based fulfilment modules, improve order accuracy and speed by guiding warehouse staff.
Packing too is a critical stage in pharmaceutical distribution, where accuracy and compliance are paramount. Here, automated packaging machines, barcode scanning and labelling systems reduces the risk of errors, improves traceability and transparency throughout the supply chain. Also, it helps in keeping a check on the courier prices which are based on volumetric weights, said Doshi.
With automation, pharmaceutical warehouses are well-positioned to meet the evolving demands of the healthcare sector, e-pharmacies and brick & mortar chemist outlets while ensuring operational excellence and customer satisfaction. NIDO too is a company at the forefront of the pharma warehouse automation. It has assisted major e-pharmacies, distributors and retail chains in streamlining their warehouse operations. The small size of the products makes handling them a challenge, but using innovative automation and AI-based vision systems, we have helped warehouses take on the challenge of omni-channel distribution head-on, Doshi told Pharmabiz.
We also see that sorting by courier partners is another area where warehouse automation adds value by streamlining the dispatch process. This is enabled by advanced algorithms and mechanisms to sort packages based on destination, courier partner, or delivery priority across diverse geographical regions, he said.
Inventory and data management are central to pharmaceutical warehouse operations. Automated inventory tracking systems, such as RFID tags and barcode scanners, provide real-time visibility into inventory levels, locations, and movements. Even warehouse management systems (WMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, aid proactive inventory management, demand forecasting, and order optimisation. Automated data analytics tools leverage machine learning and AI algorithms to derive actionable insights from warehouse data, empowering decision-makers to make data-driven decisions and continuously improve operational efficiency, said Doshi.
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