The Top Technologies Creating a ‘Revolutionary Stage’ in Supply Chains

A look at the 11 technologies changing the way companies approach and execute warehouse and distribution operations.

Editor’s note: This story outlines the latest data from the MHI Annual Industry Report on emerging technologies in the supply chain industry. If you’re looking for the 2021 data, see our previous story.

If the past few years were the age of evolution in the supply chain, 2022 is the year of the supply chain revolution. That was the theme from MHI CEO John Paxton when presenting the findings from this year’s survey of materials handling professionals and how likely they are to adopt 11 emerging technologies.

The survey is a keen insight into which technologies are having tangible impacts on how supply chain companies operate, and which tech, including often-lauded breakthroughs like blockchain and digital twins, companies value and are willing to invest in for the future.

11 technologies enter facilities, but adoption rates vary

% of survey respondents who said they are using the following technologies within facility operations.

 
What was apparent at the survey unveiling in March was that executives are thinking not only about the technologies themselves, but the people that will build and operate them.

Like industries across the market, supply chains are suffering from labor constraints and a lack of trained workers. Executives said they hope new technologies can help both fill vacant job responsibilities and entice people to work with cutting edge tech.

“I think what we’ll see over the next few years is hopefully an increase in the number of professional talent that are at the beginning of their career, really digging into the supply chain space, and they expect the technology,” said Terry Esper, Associate Professor of Logistics at The Ohio State University. “I mean, they’ve been educated for the last couple of years digitally. So they are truly expecting a more digital work experience.”

There’s a lot in this year’s report. We’ve highlighted three key stats for each technology explored in the report, on issues including the rate of adoption now and in the next five years, the potential for the technology to disrupt supply chains or create a competitive advantage, as well as barriers to adoption.

Inventory and network optimization tools

By the Numbers

The percent of survey respondents who said …

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Written by:  Kate Magill, Editor, and Edwin Lopez, Lead Editor, for SupplyChainDive.