Warehouse Trends and Surveys

On the subject of warehouse management and material handling, there have been a few recent surveys to gauge what’s important to the people who work in today’s warehouses.

During a 2006 survey conducted by Modern Materials Handling magazine, the results were as follows:

• The most important warehouse issues for readers are cost containment, training, ergonomics, and safety.
• More than half (52 percent) expect manufacturing activity to increase in the next two years.
• 94 percent said they will spend the same amount of money, or increase their spending, on materials handling and information systems.
• Top items to be purchased for warehouses are lift trucks and accessories, pallet rack, shelving, totes, bins, and containers.

Logistics Management performed a similar study in 2006 called the Annual Warehousing Trends Survey. Here’s what their survey found:

• More than 90 percent of warehouses still pick orders manually with pallet jacks and carts.
• About 20 percent of warehouses have switched to mechanical picking and a conveyor system.
• The top objectives of warehouses are increased customer satisfaction and reducing costs.
• The most important goals in the warehouse are order accuracy, on-time delivery, and a damage-free shipment.
• 46 percent of respondents said they bought warehouse supplies and material handling equipment in response to warehouse problems, while 40 percent got rid of obsolete stock.
• Also to solve warehouse issues, 35 percent of survey participants purchased storage equipment and reconfigured their warehouses.

What are the goals at your warehouse? Ace Industrial has the products to help your warehouse reach its fullest potential. Please call us at (800) 300-6034.