Because the labor shortage is expected to continue, warehouse operators must consider investment in robotics, says Stanislas Normand, managing director of Exotec.

If any aspect of supply chain is innovative and ever-changing, it's warehousing. Kaitlin Peterson, senior director of product marketing at Locus Robotics, discusses exciting trends in the industry.

Digital twins offer a real-time, 3D simulation of the physical warehouse, showing actual operations including staff, equipment, space allocation and workflow. 

Digital twins — dynamic 3D replicas of complex industrial operations — have been in use for decades in high-end production lines, power plants and laboratories.

Labor shortage is quickly becoming a major issue for companies across the globe. Automation and technology can help bridge the gaps between output needs during the peaks and valleys of business.

The next step in warehouse automation is the ability to integrate mobile robots from different vendors, enabling heterogenous fleets of robots to work together seamlessly.

In this epilogue to ProMat 2023, industry experts distill, discuss and deconstruct the latest in warehouse technology trends as seen at ProMat.

Variable market conditions and a continuously shrinking workforce have drastically crippled supply chains in recent years. Automation is the only viable option for companies looking to address labor shortages and optimize operations during times of peak demand.

Warehouse automation is gaining traction among operators of manual distribution and fulfillment centers amid demand pressures, customer expectations driving e-commerce, workforce churn and shortages, and an emerging mix of larger and more complex facilities catering to last-mile delivery.