Warehouse Of The Future: The Innovative Technologies Set To Transform The Way We Work

Phil Black - PII Editor 02/12/2020

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As we move into the future, industries across the globe are embracing new technologies that improve efficiency and lessen their environmental impact. The warehouse and logistics sector is no exception, with companies quick to adopt promising new innovations that could enhance warehouse processes.

The greater the adoption of new technologies, the more warehouses evolve into automated and sustainable environments. Resolving issues such as capacity management, labor shortages, and energy consumption, technology is a key factor in driving warehouse optimisation and sustainability.

New technologies are arriving on the market regularly, and with new developments always on the horizon, it pays for businesses to keep their finger on the pulse to ensure they’re at the head of the pack and not being left behind.

Robotics remain the way of the future

Robotics is quickly becoming the most popular technology for warehouse management. While robotics has been around for some time now, recent developments have benefited warehouse environments beyond what we ever expected.

Warehouse robotics are the automated systems that take care of time-consuming, repetitive, and often high-risk tasks such as packing, sorting, and transporting. Take pack houses, for example. The packing of fresh produce is quicker, easier, and more efficient than ever thanks to recent advances in fruit packing machinery.

The adoption of this new technology gives workers more time to focus on complicated processes and greatly reduces the impact of labor shortages – seasonal or otherwise – on sectors often hit hardest by a lack of workers such as the fresh produce industry, shipping, and logistics.

Automated vehicles and carts, including self-driving transportation, for example, make it easier to move large and small loads to different locations within the warehouse, while AR/RS robotics are used for retrieving goods to be shipped out and returning goods to their storage space. Some larger warehouses now even rely on drones for full inventory visibility and accurate stock counts.

Industrial weighing technology & scales are getting smarter

Weighing has always been a critical aspect of warehouse environments, but weighing technology has come leaps and bounds in recent times. The benefits of digital weighing technology go beyond improving productivity and worker safety, transforming warehouse systems as a whole by providing accurate data for assigning inventory with appropriate transportation, shipping, and billing.

Businesses are no longer relegated to standard warehouse scales for their operations. While they’ll always have their place, new innovations in weigh scale technology are revolutionising the way, well, things are weighed, improving efficiency and overall warehouse productivity in the process.

Take the increased adoption of digital weigh scales. The remote capabilities afford businesses the opportunity to monitor warehouse inventory and send data to any smart mobile device. This allows warehouse employees to access information from remote locations, making it easier to check for fluctuations in inventory levels in real-time.

Solar panels are powering tomorrow, today

Warehouses require a significant amount of energy to power day-to-day operations. As we learn more about the importance of sustainability, many warehouses are turning to solar power as a way of charging up without the hefty environmental footprint.

Factories and warehouses often have large, flat roofs, perfect for solar panel installation. Without the need for excessive energy use, warehouse managers are less concerned about the impact of potential electricity outages.

Big names are leading the charge. There’s no shortage of power with solar panelling as Amazon and Tesla can attest to. The two big names are committed to reducing their carbon footprint by installing solar panels on their factories.

Solar technology is a crucial component in ensuring a sustainable future. Reducing resource consumption is already a focus for many warehouses, and solar panelling will be yet another key solution in the growing need to protect our environment.

New battery technology is already cutting costs

Lithium-ion batteries are slowly replacing lead-acid batteries in warehouse forklifts, bringing many benefits to both warehouses and the environment. Unlike traditional lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable without emitting gas.

Energy-efficient, long-lasting, and maintenance-free, lithium-ion batteries are becoming the preferred choice to power forklifts. With a life span of approximately ten years, lithium-ion batteries can significantly reduce energy costs without affecting warehouse productivity.

Warehouse management software is streamlining processes

Warehouse management software integrates all warehouse processes, giving managers an easier way to control operations such as inventory transfer and tracking, communication, and labor adjustments.

Management software offers remote data visibility, meaning managers do not have to be on-site to stay in touch with what’s happening on the floor, while warehouse employees can use the software to locate any barcoded item, significantly improving the overall efficiency of warehouse systems.

Recent developments in warehouse management software have seen it grow from basic to advanced, allowing warehouses to keep up with ever-increasing consumer demand, and that trend only looks set to continue in the coming years.

With innovations like these coming in thick and fast, staying one step ahead and ensuring your warehouse is at the cutting edge has never been easier or more exciting. The benefits for business as well as the environment are undeniable, and should only improve as technology continues to advance.