Warehouse operators work to optimize operations

A report written by VDC Research on behalf of terminal emulation supplier StayLinked provides insight on evolving warehouse operations and operator optimization priorities. “Warehouse Operations 2022: Streamlining Technology Investment Time to Value and Overcoming New Technology Investment Challenges” examines leading warehouse improvement initiatives. It also describes investment barriers to measuring the maturity of various technologies.

The data was gathered from 169 operations technology decision makers in North America, Europe and Asia. The survey focused on warehouse operations technology decision makers in retail, manufacturing, transportation/logistics, retail and wholesale organizations. VDC supplemented the survey-based research with in-depth interviews with leading warehouse technology investment decision makers and solution providers.

“The research was conducted to help warehouse organizations simplify and streamline testing and implement new solutions,” says StayLinked chief technology officer Justin Griffith.

The timing of the research is important. Most warehouse operators, according to the VDC research, are facing significant increases in shipment volumes, number of SKUs managed, and overall inventory turns. Customer service requirements have increased as well. As a result, a greater percentage of products are picked by either the each, the case, or the layer in the modern warehouse.

“The respondents agree that optimizing warehouse performance is critical,” Griffith says. “They are looking for new ways to improve on-time shipment and receipts.”

However, the results show many warehouses rely on manual paper-based processes. They also continue to bleed legacy assets that are not capable of addressing today’s needs. This has created an environment where many warehouses are supported by infrastructure that has not been updated for more than three years and formed a separation between warehouse operations leaders and laggards.

Another priority cited by warehouse leaders is modernizing infrastructures. Improving existing operations, they say, will give them greater agility to seamlessly test, evaluate and implement new technologies prior to making investment decisions.

The conclusions of the report reinforce the need for proven software platforms to simplify deploying new and emerging technologies. These platforms also give warehouse operators ways to measure, monitor and deploy solutions without traditional rip-and-replace costs.

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