Technology, sustainability, and demand are the three factors that are revolutionizing and will define the path of warehousing in our country. As technology advances and business dynamics change, the future of warehousing in Mexico will bring a host of significant transformations. In addition to changes in the way products are stored and managed, supply chain efficiency, adoption of new technologies and adaptation to new market demands will also be redefined.
Technology
The automation and implementation of robots in warehouses is beginning to be reflected more and more in our country. At first glance it may seem that it is a heavy expense for the company, however, it is a profitable investment by reducing human error in the logistics part of the warehouse and reducing the percentage of jobs in the warehouse.
“Cristian Ahumada commented that the proper implementation of technological resources such as robots in warehouses raises the cost up to 50% compared to manual execution, performed in the past.” (Josue Guerrero, 2023, para.7)
With the automation of warehouses, the aim is to efficiently occupy every corner of the warehouse. The use of big data and specialized software will allow the company to have information and data in seconds without human intervention in the warehouse, and thus be able to achieve a constant workflow.
Dark warehouses are another of the trends in warehousing in 2023, which operate virtually without human intervention, 24 hours a day, without interruptions or breaks. These warehouses are characterized by being autonomous and fully automated. At the same time, they contribute to sustainability because they do not need to work with light.
Sustainability
Joining ecological initiatives from the production to the packaging of products has allowed companies to comply with regulations and requirements that promote environmental care, and thus be able to continue importing and/or exporting.
On several occasions, having these requirements exempts you from some obligations or gives you benefits and market approval. This trend continues to rise in the coming years and has been paramount in the storage of companies.
Electric vehicles are the project in which most companies have started to invest to contribute to climate change. With electric vehicles, it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint and circulate without being affected by restrictions for polluting units.
Demand
Overpopulation in certain countries has caused storage space in cities to become increasingly scarce, a clear example of this effect is in Mexico, where there is only 2.7% availability for warehousing, one of the lowest figures compared to other regions in the Americas.
Some companies have begun to address storage challenges by outsourcing some service functions to third parties. With the help of storage providers, companies can address one-off needs without risking the investment involved in expanding their own space.
The trend in Asian countries is beginning to be robotic vertical warehouses; in Latin America, we will not see them in the short term, but we will see them in the future. In Asia this project has started due to the overpopulation, where they have seen the need to start with vertical constructions; such constructions are usually very expensive in terms of robotic structures and the inventory management software needed to operate which are complex.
All these improvements and the adoption of technologies and new processes will lead to a significant improvement in the supply chain and logistics processes of companies. This improvement translates into more informed decision-making and continuous optimization of logistics processes; not to mention the challenges related to training personnel and adapting to these technological changes to ensure a successful future in warehouse management in Mexico.