When inventory, assets, and materials are not accurately monitored in the field, this results in lower productivity and lost opportunities for revenue generation. The mining environment provides limited to no connectivity, meaning that mining firms have been forced to rely on paper-based methods when tracking high-value assets. Read further as LinkedERP (Pty) Ltd gives a closer look at the mining industry and the importance of inventory visibility.
Mining industry
Compared to other industries, mining companies have been slower to embrace new technology. This can result in costly delays in accessing and communicating valuable information. One challenge mining firms have is the availability of spare parts that ensure their equipment remains fully functional in the field.
As a result of inadequate field inventory management, some companies end up overbuying to hedge against the risk of a stockout. At times they even end up overpaying to expedite the transfer of parts to the mining site in the event of an unexpected shortage. This can be avoided with an approach that provides improved inventory visibility.
Alternative inventory management solutions
When inventory and assets are spread across multiple locations, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems often lack the mobile capabilities to accurately track and control resources in real-time. These inventory management processes are not equipped to handle environments in which inventory needs to move at a fast pace.
This fast pace is required for optimal productivity and to capture real-time information as to the status of assets and inventory. Mobile-first, cloud-based inventory management solutions are designed to address the gaps in inventory management. These solutions provide levels of visibility that transform field operations from cost centers to efficient revenue-generating engines.
Visibility
The optimal inventory management platform driven by the cloud allows instant, mobile access to a chain of custody so that inventory can be monitored at any time, anywhere. A mobile-first emphasis means that field technicians and teams can capture data needed to ensure inventory visibility using mobile devices while operating in field locations. This data can be shared across operations in real-time. For example, staff operating equipment on a site can log when parts are running low, avoiding stockouts and ensuring that the necessary equipment continues to function efficiently without overstocking unnecessary inventory.
Benefits of inventory visibility
Tracking time manually is a time-consuming process. With advances in technology like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification )and barcode scanners, inventory tracking can be much more automated than in the past, allowing for more efficient use of time. Visibility also improves predictability which is key in order to be successful. Another added benefit is increased security and quality control, as tracking of production is made easy. Improving inventory visibility implies creating a more accurate picture of current inventory levels and this allows for appropriate distribution of resources.
It is difficult to prescribe a single solution to improve visibility that will make sense for all businesses. With that being said improvement will likely boil down to a combination of technologies, likely including RFID or barcode scanners, a warehouse execution software, and other automation technologies. All this information could be overwhelming so for expert advice that makes solutions simpler contact LinkedERP (Pty) Ltd.
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