As we settle in a post-pandemic world, the beginning of 2024 signals significant developments
in warehouse technology trends. The biggest drivers of these shifts are a continued labor
shortage experienced by the industry in the last few years, accelerating advancement of
technology as well as a greater focus on automation to fill the gap left by a dwindling workforce.
Here are three trends you need to keep in mind this year.
1. Continued Labor Gap in Warehousing Industry
The labor gap is only expected to increase in the next five years. Per Gartner, by 2028, there
will be more smart robots than frontline workers in manufacturing, retail, and logistics due to
labor shortages. Companies must strategize how to fill the labor gap as we begin the new year,
since labor shortages have become a big constraint on operational performances. In the near
future, it’s not a question if companies will use automation to fill the employment gap but a
question of when, where, and what and what an optimized collaboration looks like between
humans and automation.
2. Increased Automation to Fill Labor Gap
More companies are investing in cyber-physical automation due to labor availability issues, per
Gartner, with over two million industrial robots already in use. So much of the focus is being put
on the labor gap that supply chain leaders are investing in technology to drive employee
engagement. By 2028, 40% of large warehouse operations will deploy employee engagement
tools to motivate their workforces.
3. Greater Focus on Composable Solutions
Automation subsystems are evolving rapidly, with the primary objective of maximizing efficiency
while maintaining control and flexibility on warehouse floors. The trend is moving away from
relying on a single system or vendor. Instead, it is shifting towards leveraging multiple
subsystems and solutions from various vendors to optimize operational functionality and offset
resource limitations.
In the realm of Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), the future is not about large, broad
platform vendors. It is about more specialized, composable solutions tailored to specific
operational and workflow needs. These solutions offer the flexibility to adapt to changing
operational requirements quickly while having the capabilities of integrating new technologies
seamlessly. With such solutions, customers are well-positioned to find the ideal combination
that works best for their tailored business needs.
The Right WMS Partner Helps You Excel
Softeon, with over 20 years delivering success to supply chain leaders, is at the forefront of
these trends. With a focus on fulfillment solutions and providing tools for composability, Softeon
is an expert in navigating these changing market currents with minimal disruptions. With a 100%
track record of deployment success, Softeon helps increase productivity and offers cost-
effective implementations by providing software that closely aligns with operational flows. The
aim is to help customers achieve immediate and long-term value by offering software that aligns
closely with their operations and business goals, thereby helping improve the bottom line.
Companies need a WMS partner that leads with a customer-focused approach and expertise in
the warehouse market. Partnering with Softeon allows you access to composability tools that
easily connect automation subsystems and vendors without the need for coding. The ability to
quickly adapt to changing market and consumer needs while continuously introducing new
integration technologies is crucial in the evolving warehouse landscape, and that’s why it’s
paramount to partner with the right warehouse solutions provider.
The warehouse trends for 2024 highlight a shift towards automation and specialized solutions to
address labor shortages and maximize efficiency. With a focus on customer-specific needs and
systems composability, Softeon is an industry leader in this evolving landscape and crucial to
the success of any warehouse ecosystem.
