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Automation Check

Can your internal transport be automated? Seventeen questions on volume, loads, floor, control and staffing, and you know straight away where you stand. Per transport flow, honestly, even if the answer is “not yet”.

The pressure is already there: finding people for physical work gets harder every year. That is why this check is not about what a robot costs, but about the question that has to be answered first: can it be done at your site?

About 5 minutes · instant result on screen · full report free by email

What you know after five minutes

  • Whether automation is possible for your operation, with a feasibility score.
  • Which of your transport flows are most promising, and which are not (yet).
  • What limits your chances now, and whether you can change it yourself or it is a given.
  • In the report: which kinds of solutions fit and what it means for your staffing.

Why independence makes the difference

There are dozens of suppliers of AGVs, AMRs, conveyors and automated warehouses. Each of them shows you their own solution, and none of them will say: “we cannot do this, but that party can”.

OctaFlow does not sell systems and receives no commission. For us, every solution is a possible solution. We know which party can do what, and build the project that fits your operation around it.

Who will do the work?

According to the Statistics Netherlands (CBS) forecast, the number of people aged 65 and over grows from 3.8 million now to 4.8 million around 2040. The group aged 20 to 65 stays roughly the same size over that period. So no extra hands are coming, while the work in logistics is not getting any less.

That makes automation not just a question of cost, but also of how you keep your operation running in ten years’ time. Read more about the ageing workforce and labour shortages in logistics.

Frequently asked questions

Can my internal transport be automated?

That mainly depends on four things: how much repetition there is in your transport, how uniform your loads are, what your floor and routes look like and how settled your process and control are. The Automation Check gives a first, honest answer on this in a few minutes, per transport flow.

What is the difference between an AGV and an AMR?

An AGV (automated guided vehicle) follows predefined routes. An AMR (autonomous mobile robot) plans its own route and drives around obstacles. AGVs are strong in heavy, predictable pallet flows, AMRs in environments where people and routes change more often. Which one fits depends on your loads, your space and your traffic.

From how many pallet movements does automation pay off?

There is no fixed number. A system running three shifts pays for itself much faster than the same system on a day shift. Distance, the number of flows you can combine and how hard it is to find people also count. That is why the check looks at the whole picture rather than a threshold.

Why an independent adviser rather than going straight to a supplier?

A supplier shows you their own solution, and will rarely say that someone else can do it better. There are dozens of parties in the market, each with their own strengths. OctaFlow does not sell systems and receives no commission. That allows us to look at which solution really fits and which party can best deliver it.

Should I optimise before I automate?

Usually, yes. Automating a poorly organised process simply means doing the inefficiency faster. There are often gains in the layout, the routes and the division of work. After that it also becomes clearer where automation delivers the most.

What does the Automation Check cost?

Nothing. You see the result on screen straight away. If you want the full report with the kinds of solutions that fit and what it means for your staffing, we send it free by email. An intake call to discuss the result is also free and without obligation.