Trend Forecast: 5 Warehouse Management Trends to Expect in 2024
With new technologies constantly developing, the warehouse management landscape is in constant flux. New trends that contribute to improved warehouse efficiency, inventory management, and order fulfillment speed are popping up all the time.
Each year, it is necessary for warehouse managers to stay up to date with regard to these new trends. Failing to do so could mean falling behind in an industry that has become increasingly competitive.
Not only will following the trends help to keep your warehouse competitive, but it will also boost its success in various ways. Ways that lead to faster shipping times, fewer lost or misplaced orders, and higher customer satisfaction overall.
Heading into 2024, eCommerce is at an all-time high. Thus, learning about and employing new and trendy technologies will help you to keep up with increasing demands. With all kinds of new trends on the horizon, the future of warehousing is looking quite exciting.
The Most Noteworthy Warehouse Management Trends to Expect in 2024
Each year, new warehouse management trends arise, some of which catch on while others come and go. Still, it is always a good idea to stay abreast of what these trends are and how to employ them.
Preparing for these upcoming trends now will put your warehouse in an advantageous position.
The following are noteworthy 2024 warehouse management trends to watch for:
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Warehouse automation
Traditionally, warehouse operations tend to be quite labour-intensive. However, that may not be the case for much longer.
Integrating automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots will help minimize human errors while improving inventory and worker safety. In the near future, we may even see autonomous drones within warehouses. Drones that use indoor geolocation technology to capture images of inventory to speed up product-recording processes.
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Advanced warehouse management systems
To track, store, and transport inventory within a warehouse is complicated. Good warehouse management systems significantly simplify such operations. They allow managers to have more fine-tuned control over everything from start to finish.
It is expected that in 2024 advanced warehouse management systems will employ artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. AI that will provide analytics to enhance various operations.
Certain AI-based warehouse management software is currently under development that would make it possible to manage warehouse activities at multiple warehouses simultaneously while also providing inventory forecasting, financial analytics, and product and buyer performance reports.
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Advanced inventory tracking systems
Anywhere from hundreds to thousands of items are constantly moving in or out of a warehouse at any given moment. Because of this, it is crucial for warehouse managers to have an effective system in place. A system to keep track of all of these items to avoid issues like spoilage, theft, damage, and losses.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is an advanced radio wave-based technology that makes this significantly easier. It detects and reads item tags remotely and simultaneously. This kind of technology makes it possible to read thousands of item tags in a matter of seconds.
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Wearable tech
Since the work that warehouse workers do is often time-sensitive and requires maximized efficiency, it is important for them to be able to move around freely without any constraints.
With wearable technologies, warehouse workers can take advantage of hands-free mobility. In addition, wearable technologies can help make warehouses safer by improving workers’ posture when they are lifting and moving things.
Some companies are developing exoskeletons. These assist operators in handling heavy items by adapting to the user’s physical movements and different payloads. This way, they can lift very heavy things with ease.
Other companies are working on the development of smart glasses. Smart glasses equipped with AR and machine-learning technology that feature built-in scanners. Such tech could help improve workers’ pick and pack efficiency.
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Enhanced warehouse security
Warehouses must frequently store valuable inventory items, thus they become ideal targets for thieves. However, as technological advances continue to take place, warehouse security systems will also become increasingly advanced. Such advancements makes it harder for thieves to get away with successful heists.
In 2024, managers who take the security of their warehouse seriously will likely implement various technologies. Technologies such as, alarm systems, video surveillance cameras, broken glass detectors, and smart locks.
To reduce the amount of time and work that is traditionally required to examine surveillance footage, the use of AI and machine-learning technologies will also make this process significantly easier.
How Wills Transfer Limited Can Improve Your Warehouse Management Success in 2024
If you require warehousing services and want to work with a reliable company that you can trust will take advantage of various new technologies and trends to optimize operations, Wills Transfer Limited can provide exactly what you are looking for.
With an incredibly skilled team of warehousing experts, decades of experience, and the latest technology, we are equipped to handle your inventory. No matter what it is or how much of it you need us to store!
We also pride ourselves on significantly boosting our customers’ order fulfillment using the various systems and processes we employ.
Through offerings like inventory management, pick and pack services, asset tagging, and container de-stuffing, we can help you keep track of your inventory with impeccable detail and get orders out to your customers in record times.
Thanks to our security and advanced warehouse management systems, you never have to worry about things getting lost or stolen.
Without such concerns, you will have more time and energy to direct toward the other aspects of your business.
For more information about our warehousing services or to learn more about how we can help you boost your business’s success, call Wills Transfer Limited at 613-704-7549 or contact us here.
