Warehousing & Logistics Trends To Watch Out For in 2024

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. , Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of a robust stabilization in e-commerce activity, warehouse construction and automation expenditures are projected to experience a notable surge in 2024. The expenditure in these two areas has been deteriorating in 2023, with a 25% year-on-year decline in the number of added warehouses.

However, there's light at the end of the tunnel, as companies are gearing up to invest heavily in automation over the coming years, with a notable resurgence in warehouse construction anticipated by year's end. This thrust will predominantly ignite the U.S. market's demand for cutting-edge automation solutions throughout 2024 and well into 2025. Let's delve into the significant warehousing trends poised to redefine 2024:

Robot Automation

Forecasts suggest that by mid-term (2025), the warehouse automation market will grow by 1.5 times to reach a market value that could surpass $37.6 billion. This trend will reflect a compound annual growth rate of approximately 10 percent from 2021 to 2030.

Central to this growth are mobile robots, notably automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and automated mobile robots (AMRs) for transporting materials and goods within the warehouse. These robots promise to redefine the conventional landscape of warehousing with enhanced precision, speed, and efficiency, which will streamline tasks and reduce human errors.

Mobile workstations are also set to transform warehouse operations by replacing stationary desks. These desks increase warehouse efficiency by cutting down unnecessary walking, lowering worker exhaustion, boosting labeling precision, and providing instant access to up-to-date data everywhere.

Wearable Technologies

The era of hands-free, high-mobility warehousing is here. Wearable devices enhance operational efficiency and provide rich, contextual information about warehouse inventory and processes. Among the pioneering devices are ProGlove's wireless barcode scanners, which help warehouse teams perform more efficiently.

The wearable scanners are available in various options. However, most of them are designed to add intelligence to picking, sequencing, and sorting processes by communicating essential data that workers need to attain maximum productivity.

Warehouse Growth

The e-commerce boom has heralded an unparalleled demand for sophisticated warehousing and distribution centers. For instance, customers' expectations when shopping online have evolved, and they expect fast delivery of their ordered goods.

As a result, there's a need for strategically located warehouses to meet these expectations, which is, in turn, fueling warehouse construction. While 2020 witnessed a lull in warehouse construction, this very slowdown is now the catalyst for a burgeoning demand for newer, state-of-the-art warehouses driven by the need to fill the gaps in storage and distribution facilities.

As we steer towards 2024, the warehousing sector is buzzing with innovation and growth. With trends such as robot automation, wearables, and an upswing in construction, the industry is on a trajectory of transformation.

MIDCOM has been helping companies with barcode printing solutions since 1982. Talk to one of our specialists about thermal barcode label printers, mobile barcode scanning devices, or mobile workstations today. Call now at (866) 709-9124.

SOURCE MIDCOM Data Technologies