Last winter, I sat in on a panel discussion with a group of materials handling technologies end users. One of the panelists mentioned that she was running a conventional warehouse that was bursting at the seams. "What do I need to know about automation?" she asked. For the next hour, the other panelists shared their experiences with automation. No one suggested a specific technology-such as starting with a conveyor system in a pick module. Instead, they talked about the importance of maintenance. It highlighted the emergence of MRO-maintenance, repair and overhaul-as a new best practice, one that is becoming every bit as important as the technology chosen for a system. MRO is also emerging as an area of competitive differentiation among leading automation providers, who are now touting the depth of their technical bench and their expertise at service parts management.
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