The Australian storage industry is very robust and it’s been growing constantly for the past 15 years in almost all industrial fields and in every part of the country. However, there are a few new trends to notice and adjust to. First of all, manufacturing jobs are moving overseas due to globalization, while retail businesses and other customer-based businesses keep growing. There’s also a growth in the tech industry and tech-based startups.
This means, that there’s going to be a need for the warehouse industry to expand and adapt in order to accommodate these changes and the needs of the clients in various fields.
On-demand shipping
Every retail business needs to deal with a lot of competitors. They come in two basic shapes – the first type are the companies that span the globe and provide almost every kind of shipping service you can imagine, while the second type is local stores.
Nowadays, however, all retail businesses need to provide on-demand shipping, delivering goods in a matter of days, or preferably even in one day. This sort of demand requires the retailers to have a much wider network of storages. It’s an additional expense, but you can’t allow yourself not to offer a service your competitors do.
Automation
Automation is the next big thing for a lot of industries, and warehouses will be among the first to change. This industry is very well suited to utilize the benefits of automation, and there are no downsides to it, except for the initial investment needed to implement the changes.
Using automation in a warehouse will reduce costs of labor and it will allow the companies to be much more productive, especially if they also deal with shipping. It’s also a safer way to deal with the cargo.
Organizing the warehouse
Warehouses are going to get bigger. This is mostly due to the general increase in demand, but also because a lot of smaller companies will rent large warehouse spaces to save money on storage. This will require the warehouses to be better organized and safer to work in.
Modern shelving solutions allow individual access to all products, making it possible to use the whole height of the warehouse. They are also compatible with many different types of equipment since they are to be used by businesses in a variety of industries.
Wearable devices
Wearable devices have made a big splash recently, but they haven’t found a good use for them as an everyday product yet, except in the fitness industry. However, they can also be used as a tool in a variety of specialized industries, such as the storage industry. Wearable devices are small and versatile, which means that they can be used on the job without having to fear damaging them.
These devices will let you keep track of everything that’s happening in your warehouse. This will reduce shrinkage and increase the safety of your employee. Moreover, it also allows you to keep track of your employees, and thus make them more productive.
Going green
This trend is taking over all industries, and warehouses are also changing due to the growing concerns about the environment. These measures are about helping the planet, but they are also about reducing costs and showing the customers that you share their values and concerns.
The main way to make your warhouses greener is by cutting down on the energy they are wasting. This means that you’re going to have to start using materials and the transportation methods that take into account the effect they have on the carbon footprint of your company.
Instant warehouses
Finally, the way warehouses are being built is going to change as well. This has many complicated reasons. For instance, there are going to be much more small businesses and they won’t last as long as they have in the past. This means that smaller and easier to install warehouses are going to be in demand.
There’s technology out there that allows smaller warehouses to be built in a matter of days. This is the future of this business because such warehouses are going to be better suited to the needs of small companies, and they are cheaper to build too.
These trends will affect the storage industry in the year to come, and the changes, in turn, will affect all the industries that need storage. It’s important to keep track of these trends because that’s the best way of making your company more productive.
About Author:
Carolin Petterson is a businesswoman and content marketer with years of experience under her belt. She has had the opportunity to contribute to a number of popular business and marketing websites.
