Advertisement A successful case of AB inbev’s 'Forklift Management System' Project

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We are very familiar with the taste of AB inbev Beer. Therefore, in order to ensure the smooth daily supply and distribution of consumables, the warehouse logistics management behind the scenes must play an efficient role, since its overall warehouse operation mode, and the application equipment management involved, are in fact quite a complicated matter.

AB inbev Beer mainly relies on its major production centers for storage, which are widely distributed across many wineries and sales centers throughout China. Currently, there are more than 30 logistics storage and distribution centers attached to the breweries, while there are nearly 20 regional distribution centers set up in the sales center. From an industry point of view, most of the storage operation equipment is still relatively traditional.

Basically, mainly double-pallet/single-pallet forklifts are used for distribution and turnover; therefore, its efficiency is naturally relatively low. 

Nevertheless, more automated distribution methods such as AGV, RGV and three-dimensional warehouses are also being explored to solve manpower shortage and low efficiency problems. It is for this reason that AB inbev Beer has begun to systematically diagnose the equipment operation management problems and optimization schemes in its own logistics storage, to try to solve the various management requirements of warehouse freight transportation.  

In AB inbev’s eyes, beer is a fast-moving consumer product with low SKU number and a high flow rate. Hence, the use of forklift trucks in distribution is a key factor that must be considered. In this regard, Ran Zhu, Warehouse Engineering Manager of AB inbev Beer Asia Pacific Region, taking forklifts as an example, explained that in the finished product warehouse, the forklifts used are mainly those 4-ton electric forklifts with double stations, which can maximize the operation efficiency of single unit.To be specific, in many warehouses, the operation efficiency of forklifts in the finished product warehouse can reach up to 60 pallets per hour. The use of electric forklifts ensures the cleanliness of the finished beer storage environment to the greatest extent, so as to ensure a perfect experience for consumers. 

In addition, in order to minimize the number of batteries used and reduce battery replacement times, we have started to try out lithium battery forklifts in several factories. When the pain points are solved, a promising future can be expected.

Although FMS systems are currently still relatively rare in China, AB inbev has come to the forefront of the industry. The successful introduction of FMS (the Forklift Management System Project) in cooperation with Teknect not only fits the needs of its own management, but also the requirements of future development. From a project management perspective, FMS is like an eye installed on the forklift truck, which can be used monitor the condition of the forklift in real time. Specifically, we can ask: it is running, on standby or shut down? Which forklift worker is driving it? With FMS, all this status information can be viewed in a glance. With FMS, forklift workers’ work efficiency statistics can be attained easily. 

At the same time, FMS is also equipped with a 4G communication module, which supports the transmission of these data to the cloud in real time to automatically conduct data analysis.The reason why the FMS system has been implemented, and Teknect has been selected as a partner, is that project management effectiveness calls for certain key management system project requirements. In this regard, Ran Zhu introduced the difficulties and challenges faced in the implementation of the project in detail. She said that our key requirements mainly lie in efficiency and safety visibility. FMS should not only be able to count pallets and record mileage, but also quickly sound an alarm in cases such as the collisions of forklift trucks and battery abnormalities, etc.Both efficiency and safety are required in forklift managementAs Felix Dai, director of AB inbev Beer Logistics, and Ran Zhu, manager of warehouse engineering, put it, the purpose of a forklift management system is to solve the challenge of balancing efficiency and safety, to meet intelligent storage management needs, improve goods distribution efficiency, and connect to the enterprise information management system.It is true that under the backdrop of digital transformation, AB inbev’s forklift operation management still needs to be further upgraded, especially in terms of forklift safety management. 

As a result, AB inbev is developing the Project COPILOT what is a forklift anti-collision system with Teknect, in an effort to enhance the active safety of forklift management. In the future, it will not only be necessary for people and forklifts to avoid each other, but also when accidents occur, COPILOT should also actively slow down and stop the forklift. During this product’s entire development process, AB inbev’s project team has been deeply involved with Teknect, and the intellectual property rights for their final technological achievements will be jointly owned by the two companies. This is also a project that has attracted global attention from the Anheuser-Busch Group since the early stages of development. It has currently completed a pilot project at the Ningbo factory and will be further rolled out and installed this year. We’re excited to use new technology to make our warehouses safer. " said Ran Zhu.