First Covid-19, then war in Europe, and now, an energy crisis. For years we have been moving from one crisis to the next, which was previously unthinkable. But, even if the first two are still red-hot and far from forgotten, the next topic is already waiting to be considered: ENERGY.

A hotly debated topic at the moment is the availability of energy. While in the beginning, it was diesel at petrol stations that were in short supply, the blackout issue is on nearly everyone’s mind. The pharmacy sector is not spared either. Digitalisation and automation have also made inroads here. In addition to lighting, automatic doors, and air conditioning, for example, all demand its daily bread in the form of electricity. So, what happens when it fails? And what if this horrific scenario lasts for several days?

But what if the situation worsens and a large-scale and prolonged blackout occurs? Although experts consider this scenario to be implausible, we are nevertheless receiving more and more enquiries. Let us say in advance: the automatic warehouse is only a small piece of the puzzle in the overall structure of a pharmacy. Think about it. Which systems in your pharmacy need electricity? The answer will be a very lengthy list. These are cash register systems, refrigerators, shop window lighting, doors, Etc. As I said, the list is long – and of course, includes the order picker. Therefore, if you consider all the “electricity-dependent” items mentioned, there can only be one conclusion. The only sure and reliable solution is to get a specialist company and/or an electrician on board. If you are considering equipping your pharmacy against a prolonged blackout, we will be happy to provide you with all the essential documents with technical data and power consumption. Simply use the contact form here.

For most BD Rowa™ automated picking machines, we can offer you a backup module (available in the BD Rowa™ webshop). In the event of a long-term blackout and failure of both computers installed in the Rowa, the backup module system enables you to transfer a copy of the inventory database of all stored packages to a mobile laptop, for example. This means you can still easily find the desired medicines and take them out by hand. Once the power supply is restored, we transfer the data from the backup module back to your Rowa and update the warehouse.