Let’s look at stock transparency and stock keeping in the news. Recently, a John Lewis worker was caught having stolen Apple and Samsung laptops and phones worth £45,000 from the stockroom.

According to ITV, a stockroom worker who stole more than £45,000 worth of Apple, Windows and Samsung items from John Lewis at Bluewater, and then sold the goods online has been jailed for two and a half years. This may seem an extreme example, but in truth, warehouses and storerooms like this often fall victim to insider theft. This only serves to illustrate the need for enhanced security in such environments. Safeguarding and futureproofing organisations with technology is the only way to ensure total stock transparency and security.

With the Hänel Rotomats and Lean-Lifts from Industore, all valuable inventory is stored within an enclosed unit, under lock and key, improving stock transparency and stock keeping. Smooth-action, lockable sliding doors protect goods and inventory from unauthorised access – as well as from dust and dirt. Password access, keycard swipe, barcode scan or RFID reader options can provide even further protection where desirable. This added security reduces costs due to pilferage and theft, and mitigates issues caused by inventory, packing and picking mistakes. Moreover, organisations experience fewer supply shortages and expired items when an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) is keeping watch over their inventory, thanks to the available technology within our units.

HänelSoft inventory management software allows organisations to track supplies and inventory with a complete audit trail, essentially providing a fingerprint for each transaction, or each item. The system clearly shows who has removed supplies from their storage unit, in what quantity and when it occurred – offering full transparency of goods throughout the product lifecycle – improving stock transparency and stock keeping.

In addition to enhanced security, vertical storage units from Industore Limited are designed to significantly reduce the space necessary for storage, providing a much smaller area to secure. Also, their ergonomic access points mean better staff health, because employees do not need to risk injury by reaching, bending or climbing for supplies. All of these benefits translate into greater productivity, allowing organisations to facilitate staff tasks more efficiently.