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Your Warehouse Will Need 3 Things This New Year

Peak season highlights what consumers are demanding from warehouses so decision-makers can adjust. Higher consumer demands and increased shipping costs pressure warehouse decision-makers to find solutions that improve inventory accuracy and shipping efficiency. To manage the new year, the warehouse industry is employing several strategies to deal with potential shipping problems ahead. Studies indicate that over half of warehouse decision makers intend to grow their networks as a strategy for the new year. Additionally, surveys show that 85% of warehouse decision-makers have implemented mobility solutions, so frontline workers can improve inventory accuracy. Despite this, 79% of warehouse decision makers are concerned they will not meet their business objectives without automated systems to handle the following challenges:

  • More SKUs stores in the warehouse
  • Labor shortages
  • Omnichannel shopping
  • Competition in the on-demand economy
  • Less or unused warehouse space
  • Fulfillment demands

 

Set Your Operations Up for Success

 

Higher returns after peak season, labor shortages, and a greater risk of cybercrime can decrease warehouse efficiency in the new year. To combat these issues, automation experts recommend preparing operations for incoming changes with future-forward technologies. Consider these solutions that make it easier to navigate challenges with simple but effective warehousing:

 

  1. Modernized order fulfillment technologies – A big trend and issue that continues for warehouses this year and next year are labor shortages. Recent studies show that 73% of warehouse operators can’t find enough labor. Enterprise robotics can help manage the pains of fewer workers and higher labor costs with 3 times more productivity and 50% faster order picking. Robotics also puts less stress on employees in smaller labor pools and can keep workers focused on non-repetitive tasks.
  2. Connected warehouses and supply chain – A more connected workforce that is informed on deliveries and orders helps your workers stay prepared for the new year’s challenges. Efficient connectivity can help improve asset visibility for smoother reverse logistics and a stronger enterprise network is prepared for cyber threats.
  3. Easy to use mobile powercarts that improve productivity – Dependable mobility from powercarts provides power to your mobile devices like tablets and printers for more than 8 hours. Reliable power ensures warehouses don’t lose productivity or drain cost. Mobile Power Carts are easy to use and provide unparalleled features for uninterrupted warehousing.

 

After the holiday season, businesses will need enterprise technology to keep up with challenges like continuing labor shortages and higher returns on top of high expectations. Get more information about how you can optimize inventory accuracy and warehouse visibility with the right solutions.

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This is How Avalon Integrates Efficiency

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There is no limit to perfection. It took as close to 75 years for 100 million people to adopt telephones, yet only a day to get that same number of people onto a mobile app. Founder of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schawb, has characterized the blurred lines between technology and society as the 4th Industrial Revolution, and like past technological advancements, the present rise in new systems and operations is set to reshape industries across the globe, including warehousing, T&L, healthcare, and many others. 

However, unlike past innovations, today’s new technologies, such as RFID and advanced machine learning, bring a new level of automation that enhances an employee’s unique capabilities by valuing critical skills and simplifying routine operations. As a result, Avalon Integration explores popular technologies due to redefining modern-day supply chains with more efficiency and visibility.

Efficiency and Developing Purposeful Connected Labor

Zebras RS5100 and WT6000 Improve Warehouse Efficiency

Zebras RS5100 and WT6000 Improve Warehouse Efficiency

As labor costs continue to rise worldwide, the need for purposeful labor increases as well. To develop purposeful and cost-efficient practices, automated systems relieve employees to focus on more pressing tasks. Nevertheless, automation’s usefulness has also been perceived as a threat. Research conducted by the Gallup Research Center found that almost 73% of working Americans believe intelligent machines may eliminate jobs. On the other hand, 61% of responding warehouses reported relying on a combination of both technology and human effort. Today’s most advanced technologies still require human collaboration. Therefore, automation’s goal is not to outright replace labor but to enhance it. A few examples include:

  • RFID – Able to gather over 40 codes into one tag, RFID further maximizes visibility by tracking asset movement, market demands, and storage requirements all through one solution. This reduces the need for extraneous labeling while diminishing processing errors as products are prepared for shipment.
  • Wearable Technology – Further elevating warehouse ergonomics, wearable technology such as Zebra’s WT6000 can increase productivity by 15% by pairing accuracy with speed, so workers can process more inventory with less  Moreover, wearable technology proves to be highly adaptable as it accommodates other technologies with less space. As a matter of fact, over 70% of warehousing facilities seek to employ wearable technology within the next five years.
  • Hands-Free Picking – To eliminate additional time-consuming touchpoints, hands-free picking and voice picking accelerate workflows when integrated into wearable technology.
  • Internet of Things (IoT) – Breaking the established limits of connectivity, IoT expands visibility with real-time updates. Crucial data can be tracked and modified across a whole warehouse…and even outside the four walls.
  • Blockchain – Taking connectivity beyond singular teams, blockchain technology brings every member of your supply chain closer, from manufacturers to retailers. With data safely updated across a whole supply chain, fewer bottlenecks threaten inventory as transparency is maximized.

The future is filled with new uncharted opportunities. To see how these technologies and more can strengthen your workforce, contact us for an in-depth assessment and/or demonstration at your convenience.  

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