Featured

A recent survey of 200 global manufacturing decision makers found that the most pressing challenges manufacturers are likely to face in 2024 includes creating more agile and resilient production cycles. This is due in large part to the continued skilled labor shortage, and how increased consumer demand for a variety of goods is forcing manufacturers to figure out how to maintain productivity in the face of a limited labor pool. As a result, manufacturers are incorporating more advanced automation solutions to help unlock greater levels of productivity and efficiency in the coming year. In fact, creating a more connected ecosystem can accelerate the enclosure assembly and installation process, and this helps increase your speed to market and makes for more flexible production.

One of the more pressing concerns for automation architects in the last year is specifying equipment that can help manufacturers reduce the footprint of their industrial automation infrastructure. This is particularly important for manufacturers who are looking to retrofit existing facilities for warehouse automation, as older buildings often come with unique floor plans or space constraints.

A recent article on the challenges manufacturers will face in 2024 highlighted that the continued shortage of skilled labor remains one of the biggest obstacles in the way of productivity and growth. What’s more, consumer demand for new, innovative products — electric vehicles in the automotive space, or plant-based foods in the food and beverage industry — is pushing manufacturers to diversify production programs, and the more specialized skills required to facilitate these variable production programs only exacerbates the current labor shortage.

The material handling industry is projected to eclipse $300 billion in market size by 2029. Couple this with a recent report that found up to 25% of material handlers are currently experiencing labor shortages and you have a pathway for evolving warehouse automation to help material handlers process increased parcel quantities while also overcoming their staffing challenges. But there’s more to this story than a fast-growing market and labor shortages. Let’s look at a couple of other reasons why material handlers are retrofitting distribution centers for warehouse automation, and what automation designers and engineers should consider when retrofitting existing facilities for an industrial automation framework.