Automation with AMRs Helps Industries Overcome Labor Shortage
Challenges in Industry
Labor shortage is present across multiple industries.
A lack of skilled labor can slow a company’s growth and result in rising wages, inflation, and supply chain issues in the short term.
However, it’s not only about finding the right talent but being able to motivate and retain it. You have probably heard about great attrition – a current phenomenon whereby many employees are leaving companies, and companies are struggling to retain the best talent.
For many employees, the warehouse environment could be much more attractive. Indeed, there is a mismatch between “what employees want” and “what employers think employees want.”
Businesses choose automation, such as mobile robots, to ensure business-critical supply chain operations are running and meet productivity demands. Robots are always operational and safely and autonomously handle in-house transport missions, also collaborating with operators in picking.
Increase Employee Safety with Autonomous Mobile Robots
Employers are concerned about the safety of their employees. The warehouse environment is not the safest workplace. Pushing and pulling heavy loads can cause musculoskeletal disorders. This is a monotonous job that does not add value to humans.
Robots take on dull and mundane jobs. In some industries, automation is not an option but a must, for example, in the automotive industry, where the payloads can reach more than 1t. The industry has widely embraced man-operated forklifts, but there are better ways of handling intralogistics due to the frequency of accidents.
Mobile Robots Helps Businesses Face Changing Customer Behavior
In addition, uncertainties attack many industries globally. We have seen this both during and in the post-pandemic era.
These uncertainties have a direct impact on customer behavior. For example, customers prefer to buy more online and e-commerce businesses are seeing higher demand. It also grows in retail, where the peak seasons are throughout the year.
In the automotive industry, there are major changes in customer expectations. We are moving to hybrid and electric cars and don’t know what the future holds.
Mobile robots are a flexible solution to meet the peaks and adapt to the market and customer needs. They are at human disposal 24/7.
Beat Competitors Using Data
Traceability remains an essential factor. It creates transparency and accessibility for every step of development and is key for overcoming bottlenecks through automation.
Especially pharmaceutical companies are looking to improve traceability through automation since they are behind other industries.
Mobile robots help businesses become more data-driven and better manage warehouse operations.
We also see a price increase in the different industries, especially in electronics – electronic devices and component prices are rising.
On average, electronic component prices rose between 5-40% in 2022. Lead times for these components have also increased. Experts say that rising costs of materials, energy, shipping, and labor cause this.
Mobile robots can be a great helping hand in labor-related difficulties in many industries.