The year 2020 has certainly thrown a curveball at the logistics industry. As a result, members of the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA) are working flat out to keep the automated warehouses of sectors experiencing prolonged peaks operating efficiently, while also responding to a tsunami of requests for new automation projects.
Secretary at AMHSA
AMHSA’s 60+ members – including seven of the world’s top ten system integrators – continue to help revolutionise the UK’s distribution and manufacturing facilities through growing numbers of automated mobile robots, as well as robotic storage and fulfilment systems. The trend of digitalization also continues, with companies keen to exploit technologies such as the IoT, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.
E-com acceleration
This year has seen the growth in e-commerce being accelerated by the pandemic. The labour-intensive order profile and higher return rate of e-com is leading many pure play and omnichannel retailers to invest in automation in order to increase efficiency, reduce costs and enhance customer service. In particular, warehouse automation can help through the consolidation of items into a single parcel, minimising returns via enhanced picking accuracy and ensuring that returns are available for resale as quickly as possible. Another driver of automation is the shortage of labour in the logistics sector, resulting from the relative unattractiveness of warehouse work and an ageing workforce, exacerbated by labour migration due to Brexit and the effects of Covid-19, such as self-isolation requirements.
Another busy year in 2021
With the industry’s flagship exhibition, IMHX, returning to the NEC from 14-16 September, 2021 looks set to be another busy year for AMHSA. The association will once again be heavily involved in the show, staging its ‘Meet the Experts’ seminar programme and enabling members to promote their latest technologies in the AMHSA Pavilion.
Attracting young people into the industry will remain a key focus in 2021, with AMHSA continuing to help recruit talent through its four-year apprenticeship programme in partnership with automotive manufacturer, Toyota. AMHSA will also continue to be the voice of the automated material handling sector in influencing policy and industry standards – including contributing data and ideas to the European standards organisations.
With research by consultants, Frost & Sullivan, showing that the size of the global warehouse automation market is expected to almost double from $14 billion in 2019 to just over $27 billion by 2025, AMHSA members expect the buoyancy currently being experienced to continue for the foreseeable future.
For information on membership, please call Matthew Jones on 07517 610514 or visit www.amhsa.co.uk
AMHSA
01858 414229
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