Post-pandemic, automation in logistics and warehousing has been on the rise. The ever-increasing demand for hyper-fast delivery, disruptions in the macro supply chain, a paucity of skilled labour, and safety issues are some of the problems that challenged the sector in 2022, and the same can be foreseen in 2023. However, reports suggest that in spite of the hindrances, the warehousing and logistics industry will grow exponentially. Knight Frank suggested in its report that India is about to witness the highest warehouse and logistics supply growth in 2023 in the entire APAC region.
Varun Gada, Director of LP Logiscience LLP, a legacy brand that has shaped the logistics sector since its inception in 1919, reflected on the same and hinted towards some of the major factors that will shape the 2023 warehousing industry. These included:-
- SKU Proliferation, Varying Order Profiles, and Peaked Seasonal Demands and how the integration technology automating picking, sorting, packing, and package-carrying with Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) can help
- The need to do more in less space, i.e., digging deep right into the initial design space and making every square foot count for one’s customer
- Ensure the safety of sensitive goods and personnel in warehouses, and how the incorporation of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) into processes can help
- Skilled labour shortage and the rising need to invest qualitatively in automation-related training for those working in these industries
- Green warehousing entails going beyond LEDs and natural lighting to incorporate the IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) on a single platform, resulting in the smooth orchestration of various warehouse operations.
