Author: eduard.lecha

MIM AT LOGISTICS&AUTOMATION PORTO 2024

On April 17th and 18th, our company will be participating for the second time in Logistics&Automation Porto. The Logistics&Automation trade fair is one of the largest meeting points for logistics professionals in Portugal, encompassing four sectors: Warehousing and Equipment, Intralogistics and Supply, Robotics and Automation, and Traceability and Services.

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THE CONCERN OVER INDUSTRIAL LAND

The logistics real estate sector in Spain is experiencing growth despite the economic challenges both in Spain and elsewhere. One current drawback is the lack of industrial land, which is a real problem for foreign companies looking to invest and for Spanish companies looking to expand. This surge in demand for industrial land skyrocketed in 2020 with COVID-19 and the growth of e-commerce, which led logistics real estate investors to choose to invest in warehouses and logistics centers. But why do national and international companies choose to have a logistics location in Spain?

Strategic Location and Competitive Advantages

Spain occupies a perfect strategic global logistics location, starting with the 8,000 km of coastline we have with access to the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This fact makes land transport a perfect combination with maritime transport, allowing access to all European countries. We are also located at the crossroads of major trade routes connecting Europe with the Americas and Africa.

It seems that companies are not fully aware that land is finite and that solutions to this problem will have to be found. We propose a couple without having to change location.

Vertical Solutions

Since horizontal expansion is experiencing challenges due to the lack of industrial land and its sky-high price, a possible solution to continue increasing the capacity of an industrial warehouse and thus continue growing globally without having to move warehouses would be to use vertical logistics. But what does a vertical logistics plant consist of?

We have different vertical logistics solutions:

Multi-platform centers / mezzanines à Creation of new floors in existing warehouses to generate more space for storage or intralogistics management.
Automation à Improving repetitive processes with technological tools to improve logistics efficiency.
Vertical shelving
Elevators and level conveyors
Overhead conveyors
Benefits of vertical logistics

Optimization of industrial space
Reduces surface area consumption by 35%
Option to reuse obsolete warehouses due to lack of space
Use of new technologies: robotics or automation.
It is more sustainable than building a new warehouse.

B2B and B2C

What is B2B?

B2B (business-to-business) is a business model in which one company sells a product or service to another company. The sales funnel is longer, as the purchasing process takes longer. The company offering the product or service acts as the supplier to the other company. In B2B, there are commercial participants on both sides, and the purchasing decision is based on a well-thought-out need and has a long-term impact on the company.

What is B2C?

In contrast, B2C (business-to-consumer) is a business model in which products are sold directly to the end consumer. B2C can include retail businesses such as digital platforms and physical stores, large supermarket chains, online entertainment platforms, etc. One characteristic of B2C is that it must attract many customers to achieve good sales results. In B2C, it’s based more on expectations than needs.

The differences between B2C and B2B:

Volume: The quantity of products purchased is usually much higher in B2B.

Vocabulary: B2B uses technical terms, while B2C uses familiar language.

Customer: B2B deals with one or more decision-makers; in contrast, in B2C, the relationship is individual.

Sales time: In B2B, face-to-face and online meetings are held to negotiate and present various solutions, while in B2C, the sale is usually immediate.

Pricing: B2B has a high level of negotiation, as the solution and the profits it will generate are valued (a margin is set, depending on the customer or the size of the order). However, in B2C, prices are usually set equally for all customers.

Activitiesà In B2B, presentations are prepared where the needs of the potential client are investigated, demonstrations of how the product or service works can be made, whereas in B2C, efforts are usually reduced for the client and the offer is presented directly.

What is a warehouse management system?

A WMS (Warehouse Management System) is a set of software solutions for managing, controlling, and computerizing the processes and operations of companies’ warehouses and distribution centers. This software collects storage data to control, locate, and prepare goods by using automatic identification elements such as barcodes, RFID, pick-to-light displays, or voice picking. In other words, it manages the shipping and storage of goods, etc.

In addition, goods are moved within the warehouse using machines such as miniloads, stacker cranes, or conveyors, and these movements are recorded by the WMS (traceability). Another application of this software is to keep track of employee salaries, transport to other warehouses, and the hiring of necessary personnel. A characteristic of a WMS is that it allows picking to be performed automatically, either by voice or manually.

What are its functions?

The mission of a WMS is to manage, record, and optimize these movements within a warehouse. Connected to other software (such as ERP), it monitors orders, provides product traceability, etc.

Its functions include structuring storage, primary data management, inventory management, transportation management, internal warehouse processes (relocation, replenishment, new reservations, control center), incoming goods (notification, reception, breakdown of the received order into different units, quality inspection, storage), and outgoing goods (order management, picking, consolidation, packaging, shipping).

Conclusion

Having mentioned some of its features and functions, we can conclude that this software offers high usability and accessibility, allowing for comfortable interaction with its users.

Robomap is a customer service software that helps monitor and optimize a company’s resources. It tracks everything from time clocks and vacations to kilometers per worker, etc.

Where is ROBOMAP located and how does it work?

The room where Robomap operates is located in Can Fatjo dels Urons in Cerdanyola del Vallès, where the MIM group’s workshops and technical and operational offices are located. The room is characterized by the large number of screens displaying quadrants, whether maps or Linx (maintenance and personnel management software). The ROBOMAP office operates 24 hours a day, with two or three people per shift. If we ask the staff working in this department, “the work is similar to a puzzle, as they work to make all the pieces fit together.” In practice, this means that an operator must be scheduled for their entire workday, and the ROBOMAP room is responsible for managing technical staff across MIM’s various clients, both permanent and rotating. Furthermore, the hotline for remote customer assistance in the event of a breakdown is also managed.

Finally, it should be noted that technicians working at MIM Robomap must be trained in the use of this software program for optimizing resources for numerous companies.

The Magnificent 10

MIM Academy, in its ongoing commitment to technical training for its employees, has completed the training program called “The Magnificent 10,” a pioneering program within the company that aims to focus intensive learning on a group of 10 technicians. The program was successfully completed. This achievement, both at the company and individual levels, reflects the importance of individual professional development. This achievement has been accredited by FESTO’s professional trainers in collaboration with MIM Academy.

The technical training was meticulously created using the FESTO training program, designed and adapted to the industrial needs currently faced by the MIM group. The 600-hour training program covered a wide variety of technical aspects, including six levels of electricity, four levels of pneumatics, five levels of hydraulics, and four levels of programming. In addition to technical skills, the training also focused on developing organizational skills, such as effective maintenance techniques, team coordination, and change management, recognized as key elements for success in work environments requiring mid-level positions within the organization.

Participants were selected from various sectors of the company, with different professional categories. Their job analysis was evaluated based on the company’s expectations for each profile. The starting point was the MIM identity and an understanding of the company’s philosophy, based on mutual trust in the need for training to ensure long-lasting job security and enable technical development within the company. Participants shared experiences and knowledge, creating a collaborative environment that enriched the learning experience and created a strong, effective bond between them and the instructors.

MIM Academy affirms its commitment to the development of its employees with two clear learning paths: maintaining a block of periodic training called “recycling” and incorporating high-level specialization groups such as the aforementioned “Magnificent 10.” This not only benefits the company’s assets but also presents a valuable opportunity for the company, which continually invests in the training of its technical staff, achieving more qualified teams for its services that can improve operational efficiency, drive innovation, and confidently face constantly evolving technological changes.

The next step for the company will be to consolidate the training groups as a core asset, providing the necessary value to meet the industrial demand currently required by the sector, while maintaining their loyalty and the company’s identity as a fundamental pillar for all assets in the organization.