Automation And Innovation Are Key To The Future Success Of Business.
We are now aware more than ever that Innovation and Automation are Key to the future success of Industry. This year has so far been extraordinary in more ways than one and with recent restrictions, business closures and complete disruption across many Industries, there have been many areas of business where Robotic Automation has become absolutely necessary.
The recent Pandemic has highlighted for example that warehousing in the twenty-first Century is not all about storage. Storage alone will not sustain a profitable business as logistics change rapidly. Profitability and loss for warehouse operators is driven by flow by moving goods in and out of the warehouse but also adding value for customers along the way. It is not more important than ever to provide value added services for customers and automation will play a huge role in this.
The UKWA Conference which took place in March highlighted how much Automation and Robotics will play a role in creating value-added services in the future. Warehouse operators are now facing the challenge of serving different channels such as retailers, home delivery and High street, they are no longer simply sellers of space but carry out a multitude of diverse tasks including personalization, returns management and Co Packing.
A recent study by PWC stated that automation will impact considerably on the warehouse sector on every level. Many smaller Companies have viewed and considered automation to be costly but many studies are showing that Automation is not just for larger Enterprises. There are new and emerging options for small and large Companies such as subscription based services where businesses can try before they buy or lease equipment on a monthly basis.
The Country is now focused on recovering the economy and the logistics Industry is proving key to keeping the economy going. Innovation, Data and systems will be foundational to business success over the next few years and those businesses that do not embrace change will fall behind.