The Supply Chain in 2022

1. Distribution & Fulfillment will Improve Operations to Meet e-Commerce Demands

As e-commerce order numbers continue to set new records, businesses are forced to rethink their packing station and picking efficiency situations. Companies are starting to consider integrations and other automation tools for more effective pick pack ship fulfillment scenarios to improve operations. Although this trend has been prevalent within the last three to five years, numbers continue to rise making this an issue that can no longer be overlooked from the client perspective.

2. New Solutions will Challenge Traditional Warehouse Automation

Automation is a path towards stability and predictability, especially as it relates to addressing throughput needs for warehousing and distribution center operators. The issue, however, is that many industry leaders are not prepared to make 7-figure+ investments to automate existing operations. In the next few years, traditional automation designs that rely on technologies, such as conveyance, will be challenged by increasingly flexible solutions and vendors that offer subscription-based services, such as RaaS (Robots as a Service). This category of services will allow for less capital upfront and more flexibility to respond to new Omni-Channel designs and ever-evolving customer needs.

3. Technology, Warehouse Accessibility will Help Retain Workforces

Warehouse work, particularly work that requires miles of walking each day, is demanding and can be physically exhausting for the average employee. Industry leaders must help their workforce engage in ways that aren’t as physically demanding, including automation and robotics. By doing so, organizations will better retain their workforce, expand the available pool of talent and make it more attractive to those who have never performed physically demanding tasks before. In 2022, new and advanced technology must evolve around and for employees in order to expand available workforce, allow employees to more effectively contribute to the bottom line and incentivize them to stay.

VP of Digital Strategy at Blue Horseshoe (part of Accenture)

ON DEMAND: With the assistance of the Frito-Lay R&D team, Bryce produced a fully industrial compostable, BPI certified flexible packaging structure for five different Frito-Lay products for the Coachella Music Festival in 2023.

ON DEMAND: Three words on everyone’s lips across the packaging industry these days are “Extended Producer Responsibility,” known as EPR. This panel will feature various perspectives from suppliers, converters and industry and offer individual snapshots of the challenges and potential solutions.