Pharma giant Merck utilises voice and SAP in warehouse
Patients, pharmacies and hospitals receive stocks, including medicines, in fraction of the time
Global health company Merck’s Portuguese warehouse carries out 9,000 warehousing operations across 30,000 product lines each month. Operators handle four types of merchandise typical to pharma companies including promotional stocks, inventory from partner companies and chilled goods.
Previously, movement of goods was performed using fixed or mobile terminals scanning barcodes but it was time-consuming as operators could not work hands and eyes free. Added to this, their estate did not comply with Merck’s safety requirements.
Merck improved its warehouse with a voice solution to optimise goods receiving, put-away, replenishment and picking. Zetes Burótica integrated the 3iV Crystal voice solution with SAP WM.
Eight operators now use mobile voice terminals and headsets, via which they receive and confirm real-time orders. This makes shipping of pharma products to pharmacies and hospitals quicker and more accurate. Overall, warehouse planning is more effective and streamlined. Individual operators work faster, with greater ease and greater job satisfaction.
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