MODULE 13 The warehouse of the future Flashcards
“The best way to predict your future is to create it.”
(Abraham Lincoln
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Globally we have a growing but ageing population
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As economies grow and the population gets older there will be greater competition for staff.
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Sustainability will play a significant role in supply chain operations in the future
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Fuel and energy costs will continue to rise as fossil fuels continue to decline
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The potential introduction of government taxation initiatives to encourage companies to reduce their impact on the environment.
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An increasing pressure on companies to collaborate and share resources
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Technology will continue to improve, evolve and become more affordable
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The current trend seems to be towards greater centralization of warehousing, with retailers building bigger sheds with more automation, replacing smaller regional centres.
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These centres will act as replenishment centres for stores, and continued growth in e-retailing will increase home delivery significantly.
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Automation will play a big part in the warehouse of the future and it is likely that we will have many types of robots criss-crossing the floor, collecting and depositing pallets, cartons and totes to wherever they are needed, with very few humans in sight.
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Conveyors will abound and robots will move both horizontally and vertically, making full use of the cube of the warehouse. Radio frequency sensors will be placed strategically
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The warehouses will operate 24 hours per day.
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The equipment will be regenerative and all operations will benefit from energy-efficient lighting and heating.
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The increase in product lines could also see greater use of mezzanine floors.
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