In 2021, with the covid-19 pandemic changing people's lifestyle and shopping habits and increasing attention to environmental issues, we see several trends in the material handling and logistics industry accelerating. So it will be interesting to see what 2022 will reveal. We discussed the forecasts of industry experts for this year.
In 2021, we saw several trends in the material handling and logistics industry accelerate in response to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, changing people's lifestyles and shopping habits, and increasing attention to environmental issues. So it will be interesting to see what will change in 2022. Let's discuss the forecasts of industry experts for this year.
Environmental sustainability and carbon footprint reduction
The importance of green logistics continues to grow, and as we move towards 2022, the industry will adapt more and more. As more and more people seek to reduce their carbon footprint, this year will see many changes in warehouse management technology. As consumers demand more products to be manufactured and distributed in a responsible manner, logistics companies will seek to improve their environmental impact to remain competitive. Therefore, whether it is biodegradable packaging, electric and solar powered forklifts and vehicles, or reducing road mileage and intelligent transportation mode, the company will explore the best way to reduce its overall carbon footprint.
Retain drivers and employees
In the past 12 months, there have been many news reports about the shortage of HGV (heavy truck) drivers, but it is reported that there is also a shortage of forklift drivers, which means that more supply chains are under pressure. Without a sufficient number of drivers, the warehouse will not be able to operate at full capacity, and its productivity goal will be severely tested. The demand for trained drivers will continue until 2022, especially with the increasing demand for a fast-paced supply chain. Therefore, for those engaged in material handling, such as warehouse managers, it will be more important to attract and retain appropriate employees. Investment in driver retention, such as competitive wages, continuous training, benefits, incentives and a correct and safe working environment, will remain a key focus.
In addition, the trend to hire more professionals will continue, as the skills required for employees to work in the industry have changed dramatically over the past few years. The company will require employees to have skills commensurate with the latest technology. Some of the most popular and valuable people will be experts in the fields of big data, artificial intelligence and automation, as well as those who can use the Internet of things to develop an intelligent environment.
Automation (artificial intelligence and machine learning), robotics and technology
This year, the trend of improving technology and automation will continue to grow rapidly, as new distribution strategies are needed to meet the challenges and adapt to unforeseen changes in the future. According to McKinsey, a management consulting firm, automation will be one of the top agendas of most logistics companies due to three factors: increased demand from online retailers, growing labor shortages, and exciting technological advances.
Warehouse managers will look for ways to effectively optimize sorting, packaging and transportation through the implementation of robotics, machine learning and artificial intelligence, so as to improve operations and focus employees on higher value tasks. Things to note include the automation of labor-intensive activities, autonomous ground vehicles and equipment, self driving forklifts, the increasing use of drones to transport small products, and other tasks that reduce human dependence.
Localization and shift of supply chain to the last mile delivery solution
In order to achieve sustainable development and respond to customers' requirements for faster, more accurate and cheaper delivery, the trend of companies turning to the last mile and localized delivery continues to rise. Many companies will focus on improving their local delivery of goods and providing customers with a more personalized experience, which is also a more convenient and cost-effective method. Therefore, in 2022, it is expected to see the budget used to solve the delivery efficiency of the last mile and invest heavily in technical solutions such as UAVs, autonomous vehicles and freight bicycles.
Blockchain and smarter Logistics
For the logistics industry, the use of blockchain technology is relatively new and will become more common in 2022, making the business more efficient, secure and transparent than ever before. Blockchain is a distributed and encrypted computer file system designed to provide real-time and tamper free records, so it helps companies improve the visibility of their inventory levels and obtain real-time notification of the whereabouts of their goods. Products can be tracked and traced from leaving the factory to reaching customers. The system records all relevant supply chain information in the database and executes the smart contract after meeting some conditions. Together with the Internet of things, blockchain will realize more intelligent logistics and enable the company to track warehouse operation and transportation in real time more effectively, which will eventually change warehouse management.
Change the present
It can be said that in the foreseeable future, environmental sustainability, continuous changes in consumer demand and purchase habits, coupled with major technological changes, will become the frontier issues of the logistics industry. We will begin to see more material handling equipment and intelligent integration to improve productivity, better cooperation between systems and environment, and highly trained and skilled employees operating high intelligent machines to help the logistics field.
