It’s almost impossible to run a warehouse or distribution center without the assistance of technology and partnerships with key suppliers. While this combination comes with a host of benefits, it’s not without some security risks.

Your warehouse is the bridge that connects manufactured goods to the consumer. In many cases, it’s one of the foundations of the supply chain. But an inefficient warehouse can make supply chain issues worse and impact the customer experience.

What are your consumers looking for from their deliveries? With so much competition in the delivery industry, it's easy to forget about who's at the other end of your deliveries: the customer.

These past several years have revealed that more and more consumers are turning to eCommerce for their shopping needs. In fact, it's estimated that up to 95 percent of all purchases will take place online by 2040. 

Consumers have found that they have ever-increasing options, so fulfilling their expectations has become an ongoing challenge. While many supply chain issues may be tough to tackle, businesses can build trust and loyalty with customers by focusing on transparency and living up to delivery promises.

Whatever the nature of the business — from consumer packaged goods to online products to pharmaceuticals — the ultimate success of the enterprise hinges on the efficiency of its supply chain. Increasingly complex supply chains can not only be distracting but also costly and a disaster for businesses in competitive industries.

All workers want to be happy and enjoy a work-life balance. Warehouse industry workers often find this a particular challenge. Flexible work options not only help achieve this desired level of balance, but they can also help you attract and retain quality employees, lower labor costs, increase productivity, and develop a safer work environment for your team.

Nearly half a century ago, barcodes were the revolutionary solution promising to bring massive improvements to the supply chain. And they did. But supply chains weren't nearly as complex as they are today, with online orders, multi-location warehouses, and the expectation of fast and error-free delivery. 

The growing interest in a new field known as soft robotics comes from the potential of these systems to address problems that can’t be solved by robots built from rigid materials. Many innovative solutions have been developed over the past several years to design soft systems and components. Here is some insight into the growing field of soft robotics and how these solutions can impact humans.

When the supply chain is asked to be more sustainable or energy-efficient, most eyes go directly to the transportation industry. After all, carriers and shippers tend to use fleets of vehicles that burn up a ton of fossil fuels.

RFID is an incredibly versatile technology, with applications from one end of the supply chain to the other. Short for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), these tags and readers save and transmit data through radio waves about an item, such as a product #, expiration date, manufacture date, temperature, and more.

Automation offers a wide range of benefits for warehouses, from better supply chain visibility to boosting productivity and efficiency to reducing labor-related hazards and risks. But implementing automation takes some effort and resources, so many businesses have put off this important transition for as long as possible. For those that still haven’t made the switch, here is why now may be the right time to automate your warehouse.