By The Numbers: Using Technology To Address Labor Issues
The persistent labor shortage is forcing many companies to accelerate the automation of their manufacturing plants, warehouses and distribution centers.
This past spring, ABB and Guidance Automation each surveyed executives in the supply chain industry to see how they’re using technology to address manpower issues.
Here are some key findings:
AUTOMATION TRENDS IN THE LABOR MARKET
62%
Respondents who expect their company’s warehouses and distribution centers to become fully automated in the next three years.
60%
Material movement currently performed by autonomous mobile robots instead of manually by employees in warehouses and DCs
39%
Proportion of processes in warehouses and DCs that currently are automated, roughly the same as in 2021.
35%
Respondents saying lower operating costs, including labor savings, is their most desired benefit of automating material movement, compared with 31% citing increased productivity and efficiency.
40%
Think that intralogistics automation is critical for the success of their business, up from 33% in 2021.
61%
Think that intralogistics automation will bring to their business a value higher than their investment over the next five years.
∗Automation Trends 2022 Report by Sapio Research for Guidance Automation, April 2022
