Flexible warehousing
These are not your big static boxes anymore. Today’s warehouses have been transformed into dynamic hives of logistics activity. And it’s no longer about just one big building, but a network of large and small facilities strategically placed to serve the ever-shifting needs of customers.
The warehouses of tomorrow are increasingly reliant upon robotic vehicles and are designed to be customizable to meet today’s on-demand needs, serving as both retail outlets and e-commerce distribution centers. In some cases, warehouse space is being leased for short-duration storage during peak times only and then released for use by other customers.
Since Amazon.com purchased Whole Foods last year, expect that warehouses will have to pick up the pace of delivery in ever-decreasing window of time from order to final destination – in some cases, just a few hours. In March, keep an eye out for Air Cargo World’s cover story on the major changes coming to the warehouse industry.