Today's warehouse might involve many discrete systems, both software and hardware, to meet customer needs for speed and efficiency. But how do you put the pieces together? Brian Kirst, chief commercial officer with SnapFulfil, has an answer.

A big trend in warehouse technology today is hardware becoming “more obtainable,” Kirst says. Faced with the need to augment their workforce and make tasks less repetitive for human workers, facilities have accelerated adoption of new systems.

Popular choices include autonomous mobile robots and systems for assisting humans in picking. Software is equally important, Kirst says, with an emphasis on orchestration and integration of multiple discrete systems. A key concern is avoiding disruption of operations when one piece of automation if down or being serviced.

Some warehouses have been reluctant to commit to automation out of a fear that they’ll become locked into a configuration when markets shift. For that reason, Kirst says, it’s important to find a system that can scale in line with customer demand. “It’s end to end,” he says. “The right software, all the way down to the right processes.”

To get started with orchestration, warehouses should work with integrators and other parties to scope out their unique challenges and devise solutions that address them. Logistics service providers in particular need systems that are highly adaptable, Kirst says.

At a time when warehouses require a wide range of technologies that must work in concert, orchestration “is the coming thing,” Kirst says.