The warehouse is now perceived by many as a place to simply store raw materials and products. But as the logistics industry has continued to grow in recent years, a variety of different storage needs have arisen, and each new need has required some significant changes to warehouse design and capacity.
The demand for food storage warehouses, for example, will be very different from warehouses for storing apparel or other consumer goods, and these customers will be looking for warehouses that can meet their specific requirements.
Here are three types of warehouses that our data analysis predicts will be in high demand in 2022, and what you can do to get your warehouse ready to meet these demands.
E-Commerce Distribution
As the epidemic continues to have a global impact, safer shopping methods like online shopping will become more and more popular. More and more consumers are choosing to purchase a variety of products online, which means that more and more warehouses will be needed to meet this demand. Specifically, much of this demand will come from e-commerce distribution centers – warehouses with geographic locations that help meet customers’ increasingly accelerated delivery time requirements by providing prime locations across the country to service certain areas.
What your warehouse needs to do to prepare: E-commerce distribution depends heavily on two key factors: flexible storage and optimal location. If your warehouse is located in an area that can easily serve a major metropolitan area or prime location, take stock of your existing warehouse racks and see how much additional cargo you can load. Can your pallet racking be rearranged to focus on more popular items? If your customer chooses a faster delivery time, how quickly can you repack your goods and get them out the door? These are all important questions to ask yourself, but if you can answer them with certainty, you may be able to market your services to the e-commerce world.
Cold Storage/Cold Chain
As the standard of living of the citizens continues to rise, the demand for fresh foods around the globe is skyrocketing. As a result, many businesses find themselves in need of greater cold storage and/or cold chain capacity to help deliver perishable goods safely and on time. This number is bound to increase by 2022, as online grocery orders and/or direct delivery to customers’ homes for grocery delivery will remain popular even after the current pandemic ends.
What your warehouse needs to be ready: Being part of the cold chain requires two things: the ability to safely regulate temperatures, and the ability to quickly handle incoming and outgoing shipments. If your warehouse is equipped with the proper cold storage tools, including walk-in refrigerated racks, see how quickly your warehouse can handle incoming shipments to meet any required delivery dates or expiration dates. This can make your warehouse more attractive to potential customers who may need additional food storage space.
Pharmaceutical Warehousing
The ongoing global epidemic is destined to spike demand for certain types of medications or pharmaceutical products at any given time, and businesses will need warehouses that can help handle these storage and distribution needs. Whether you’re helping to distribute new vaccines or simply helping to stockpile medications needed for flu season, pharmaceutical warehousing will be a big deal in 2022 and beyond.
What your warehouse needs to do to prepare: Pharmaceutical warehouses are similar to the previous food warehouse example in that they require many elaborate shelving and temperature-controlled environments, such as NSF wire shelving and medical shelving, to properly store these goods. The main difference is that pharmaceutical warehouses often have different, more stringent handling requirements and your workers must be trained and regularly reviewed.
Further Reading:
Mezzanine Floor Systems – Maximize your storage space
Pallet flow versus push-back pallet rack
Tips on how to choose the best pallet rack for your warehouse
Why Choose Slotted Angle Racks?
The appeal of industrial shelving
Post time: Jul-20-2022