Business

Warehouse storage system is a very crucial element in the success of todays organizations. Technologies have been invented to assist in the improvement of efficiency for the services that are provided by the storage system. An Automated StorageRetrieval Systems (ASRS) is a storage system which performs storage and retrieval operations with a defined speed and accuracy under a certain defined degree of automation. It has been established that ASRS systems are continuously becoming a strategic weapon of choice for the success of companies across the world (Groover, 2008).

Advantages
The ASRS are advantageous in the sense that they normally minimize the space and labor that is required in the storage and retrieval of materials. This can prove helpful to the company as costs are cut down especially where the labor charges are proving to be more expensive. The ASRS are also crucial in increasing productivity of the company given that they are run continuously throughout the day. The system can also be used in harsh environments that are considered hazardous to human workforce. Since the system is computerized, there is always a high degree of accuracy expected in inventory control (Reed Business Information, 2010).

Disadvantages
The striking disadvantage of the ASRS storage system is its initial cost when compared to the other systems. The ASRS is expensive to install when compared to the mezzanine or pallet storage systems (Daniels, 2009). The machinery also requires high cost in maintenance. The company will experience significant costs in maintaining and updating the various sub-systems that are involved in the ASRS system. The ASRS also requires investment in the expertise, skills, and experience in running the system (Groover, 2008).

Conclusion
Despite the short comings, ASRS has proven to be a necessity in the current competitive business environment and that the general benefits the system has on the company outweighs the disadvantages by far. It is therefore recommendable that the company adapts the new technology to be able to explore its full potential.