E-COMMERCE STILL DRIVING THE TRAIN
These changes in warehouse picking patterns and processes underline the continuing
impact of the e-commerce trends we first
identified in the 2016 study on warehouse
operations. Just as they are today, facilities
back then were seeing a widescale shift away
from the traditional pallet- and case-picking
operations toward piece picking.
Participants in both studies also sent a
consistent message when it came to the
process “pain points” they most wanted to
address with new technologies. The top two
responses from the 2016 study—shipping
and goods retrieval/order picking—remained
unchanged in the 2019 study.
Then as now, consumer expectations are
driving sweeping change in warehouses
across the country as operations scramble to
rev up fulfillment. As shoppers’ expectations
continue to ramp up, look for further changes in the warehousing universe as DC leaders
rethink their processes, technology requirements, operational priorities, and even their
role in the supply chain.
WMS (real-time with radio-frequency, voice, etc.) 80
Conveyors/Automatic sortation 40
Palletizing/Depalletizing automation 35
Warehouse labor management software 30
Pick to light/Put to light 25
AS/RS, mini-load (100– 1,000 lbs) 25
Voice recognition 20
Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) or autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) 20
AS/RS, unit-load ( 1,000+ lbs) 10
Shuttle system/micro-load (100 lbs or less) 0
EXHIBIT 5
Which of the following warehouse tech investments
are the highest priority for your organization?
(Percentage of respondents)
Note: Respondents could select up to four technologies.
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