The results are in, and the winners are clear. According to a Warehousing Education and Research Council survey conducted in July 2001, there are only five technologies in use by 50% or more of the total of 258 respondents. The companies surveyed, all WERC members, represent a wide range of industries, from consumer goods to electronics to third-party warehouses. Most of the respondents (79%) categorize themselves as large or medium-sized.
The most commonly used technologies by far are scanners and RF equipment. In third place on the top-five list, warehouse management systems show up in 75% of all industries across the board. This ubiquity of use suggests even higher usage rates in future.
Respondents have been using most of these technologies five years or more. An up-and-coming technology is labor management software, which is on the list for consideration at nearly half of the firms surveyed.
BA
| Technology | Large | Medium | Small |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scanners | 84.5% | 76.5% | 45.5% |
| RF equipment | 79.8% | 64.7% | 40.0% |
| WMS | 73.8% | 57.3% | 54.5% |
| Shipping equipment | 67.9% | 67.2% | 41.8% |
| Conveyors | 64.3% | 61.3% | 40.0% |