Annual Automation Survey: More automation, please

摘要

As robots, automated equipment, artificial intelligence (Al) and other advanced technologies continue to make their way into the world's warehouses and DCs, the number of companies using them is also proliferating. Driven by the need to manage high-velocity operations with limited labor resources while meeting the ever-changing needs of their customers, more companies are looking to automation to help them solve their most pressing fulfillment problems. Modern's 2019 "Usage and Implementation of Warehouse and DC Automation Solutions" survey more than proves this point and paints a picture of a distribution landscape that's ripe for innovation. Conducted by Peerless Research Group on behalf of Modern, the survey assessed usage and purchase intentions for automation systems and solutions being used in warehouses and DCs. When evaluating such systems, companies say their top priorities are durability, reliability and uptime (90%); support/service response time (82%); total cost of ownership (TCO), return on investment (ROI) and maintenance costs (81%); and integration and compatibility with existing equipment (72%). Other key considerations are parts availability, risk of obsolescence, purchase price and warranty program. Asked about the automation they currently have in place, 42% of respondents have either fully or partially automated conveyance, while 38% have fully or partially done so with their labeling operations. Other functions that have been automated include reporting (57%), replenishment (35%) and packaging (23%). Over the next two years, 61% of companies want to improve their warehouse capacity utilization, 59% their picking efficiency, and 55% are interested in better order accuracy. Other areas ready for improvement include labor reduction, throughput and packaging.