Continental Europe’s leading intralogistics exhibition provides an excellent opportunity to discover and evaluate automation suppliers, including a number of AMHSA members.
Rising labour costs, the challenges of e-commerce and the need for supply chain resilience are driving the adoption of automation in logistics, according to Dave Berridge, Secretary of the Automated Material Handling Systems Association (AMHSA). “The convergence of these three drivers,” he says, “means that many companies are not viewing the decision to automate as a purely financial one but more as a way of creating competitive advantage, ensuring a high-quality customer experience or simply surviving.”
Despite supply chain issues (resulting from the pandemic and Brexit) and inflation (due to restricted supply and exacerbated by the war in Ukraine), the demand for logistics automation remains very high. “The problems caused by labour scarcity, particularly in the UK following Brexit,” explains Dave Berridge, “mean that many firms consider automation as a necessity rather than a choice. Also in the mix is a desire for increased supply chain resilience,” he continues, “to make firms better prepared for any potential disruption in the future. With its lower reliance on labour, capacity to handle peak volumes and focus on avoiding single points of failure, automation – powered by AI – is an increasingly attractive option. And, of course, rising wage rates are helping to shift the economics of the decision to automate.”
According to research by Interact Analysis, warehouse automation revenues are forecast to grow from $29b in 2020 to just under $69b in 2025. E-commerce remains an important driver. Although online sales as a proportion of all retail have fallen back somewhat since the lockdowns, the long-term trend is still upwards. Global market research company, Forrester, predicts that online will account for 35% of all retail by 2025. With e-com logistics being more labour-intensive due to the need to pick singles and handle high return rates, the shortage of warehouse staff is driving the adoption of automation.
AMHSA members at LogiMAT
Visitors to LogiMAT, which takes place in Stuttgart from 31 May to 2 June, will have the opportunity to experience a wealth of robotic, automation and software solutions. Represented among the show’s 150+ exhibitors are no less than 25 AMHSA members: Beckhoff, Conveyor Units, Daifuku, Dematic, ek robotics, Ferag, Gebhardt, ifm electronic, Interroll, Jungheinrich, Kardex, KNAPP, Körber, Leuze, Loadhog, MiTek, Nerak, Newland, SEW Eurodrive, Sick, Siemens, SSI Schäfer, Swisslog, System Logistics and Vanderlande.
The voice of UK logistics automation
With over 60 members, AMHSA is the voice of the UK’s automated intralogistics industry. The association provides a programme of training workshops and networking events to facilitate the sharing of best practice, as well as operating its own apprenticeship programme in association with car manufacturer, Toyota. For more details on AMHSA and the benefits of membership, visit www.amhsa.co.uk or call Matthew Jones on 07517 610514.
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