Deciding to upgrade your facility’s automation will have many ramifications, and can leave managers and owners flooded with questions. In addition to the internal demands of budgets and ROIs, you’ll have to determine the right automation – which can feel like hitting a moving target. An entire industry is built around researching, developing, and integrating automated solutions, and new products are coming to market almost daily.
This makes one decision more important than any other as you automate your processes — who will you partner with to find and integrate the best automation for your needs?
Answers to this question fall into two basic camps: manufacturers and professional integrators. In serving the material handling industry, these two sectors have complementary goals and overlapping interests, but different competencies. Which one you decide to partner with will have consequences both for the integration of your project today, as well as for the ability of that solution to meet your future needs as you grow.
For over 30 years, we’ve made it our mission to solve our client’s needs by integrating the best material handling solutions on the market. We solve the problems of today with an eye on issues that tomorrow might bring, providing integrations that scale as your business grows.
The problems we solve
Primary concerns for manufacturers include R&D and production.
Research and Development (R&D) keeps manufacturers relevant in a competitive industry. It allows them to bring new products to market, increase the functionality of existing products, and optimize manufacturing processes. In tech- and machinery-heavy industries such as warehouse automation, a typical manufacturer spends 1-10% of their total revenue on R&D.
Successful R&D projects have an immediate impact on a company. And as their innovations make their way into the market, the entire industry benefits. In the US in 2019 – the last year the government has collated data – funding in R&D grew by nearly 12% year-over-year. Despite the pandemic, national R&D is expected to have maintained double-digit growth.
As important as R&D is, the primary concern of a manufacturer is to deliver product to market as efficiently and cost effectively as possible. To do this, they’re not only worried about their relationships with the end users of their product; they’re also concerned about all of the machinations that go into manufacturing that product.
The better they succeed at this, the more beneficial it is for everybody. The manufacturers sell a quality product that is both functional and affordable, and the end user gets a product that meets their needs.
The primary concern for systems integrators is the application of a solution in meeting real-life challenges.
At PeakLogix, our mission is to help you find and integrate the best solution for your needs. Because we aren’t committed to any single solution, every option the industry has to offer is on the table. We work with you by taking a deep dive into your processes, discovering your needs and projected growth, and identifying solutions that can address those challenges.
For any situation you might face, likely there are many automated solutions that will provide operational benefits. If you’re looking to improve your pick rate and accuracy, and ask a Pick-to-Voice provider if they can help, they will be able to give you a complete breakdown of all the benefits their solution provides. The same is true of Pick-to-Light providers. And Pick-to-Cart providers. And Warehouse Management System providers… and on and on.
The reality is that each of these solutions can be great at addressing your immediate challenges. Whether or not any individual solution is right for your needs depends on your budget, your projected growth, your processes not only at your pick faces but throughout your warehouse, and more.
Professional integrators take a holistic approach to upgrading systems. While budgets constrain every project, we can help you find the right place to begin the process of upgrading your systems. We can help you chart a path forward so that as you grow your needs are anticipated, their solutions already laid out, and your facility designed so that future equipment and enhancements can be seamlessly integrated.
We measure our success by how well you meet your goals. We succeed as you succeed, and we help you plan for the challenges that your growth will bring.
And because our focus is on meeting real-world challenges, we know how to integrate our solutions in a way that is least-disruptive to your business.
The things we know
Manufacturers know their equipment.
Better than anybody else, manufacturers know their equipment. From the projected sales growth to the proper torque of each and every nut and bolt, there is no expert better than the manufacturer.
If you buy direct from a manufacturer and need to know something about that product, the manufacturer’s customer service department is the right place to call.
Professional integrators know how different technologies work together in real-world situations.
If you buy direct from a manufacturer and later have a problem with the equipment integrating with your systems and processes, that issue might be outside the scope of the manufacturer’s concern. If their equipment is performing optimally, and the issue is with your other systems or how those systems interact, the manufacturer may be unable to resolve, or even troubleshoot, the problem.
At PeakLogix, we stand behind the manufacturers we partner with. They provide world-leading, functional equipment.
We also stand behind our integrations. It’s our job to know both the products we install, and how those products interact with the rest of the equipment, software, systems, and processes in your facility.
The services we provide
Manufacturers support their equipment.
A manufacturer’s goal is to provide you with a quality product that serves your needs. They are knowledgeable about their equipment, and adept at installing it.
After-market support varies by manufacturer, but certainly anything covered in the warranty will be addressed.
System integrators support their integrations.
At PeakLogix, our goal isn’t to install a piece of equipment that solves today’s problem. Rather, our goal is to provide solutions that allow your company to grow.
This means taking a holistic look at your business’s processes and projections. It means integrating solutions in a planned, structured way that develops with your growth. And it means standing by not only the equipment we install, but also how well it integrates with your existing systems.
If problems arise, we offer 24/7 service and support, including delivery and assembly of parts, maintenance and repairs, and system support. We also offer ongoing service and maintenance contracts to help ensure maximum uptime of your operations.
