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Voice picking, as offered by Zetes’ 3i Voice solution, improves multiple warehouse operations for Merck.
The pharmaceutical company saw improvements in productivity, operator satisfaction, error rates and planning, with incorporation of just eight Zetes’ 3i voice pickers after integrating Zetes’ 3i Voice solution into its SAP warehouse management system.
The voice picker also streamlined receipt of goods, putting away, replenishment and picking processes.
To optimise time consuming warehouse processes and ensure compliance with system safety requirements, Merck has implemented Zetes’ 3i Voice solution (3iV) into its SAP warehouse management system.
After voice enabling just eight operators, important business improvements have been seen including increased productivity, improved operator satisfaction, reduced error rate and improved planning.
Merck is a global healthcare company with 40,000 employees in 64 countries. Its busy Portuguese warehouse carries out approximately 9000 warehousing operations on a total of 30,000 lines each month.
Four types of merchandise come into the warehouse: Merck Group goods (via other Merck distribution centres or laboratories), goods from partners for whom the company manages inventory, promotional materials and pharmaceutical products requiring refrigeration.
Merck’s original warehouse processes based on barcode scanning were time consuming and the equipment used no longer complied with the company’s systems’ safety requirements.
In 2010, they implemented a 3i Voice solution to improve process efficiency.
“We had already worked with Zetes in the past, and we were aware that they implemented voice picking systems.
“During a site visit to an existing installation, we saw first hand the advantages of adopting this technology”, explains Luis Azevedo, Merck’s IT Manager.
