81% of APAC business leaders believe tech implementation is key to compete and thrive in on-demand economy

Zebra Technologies Corporation announced the results of its latest Warehousing Asia Pacific Vision Study. The study analyzes IT and operations decision makers from manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, retail, post and parcel delivery and wholesale distribution industries for their current and planned strategies to modernize warehouses, distribution centers and fulfillment centers.

The study reports on the forward-thinking fulfillment strategies that companies are focusing on to keep up with the growth of the on-demand economy.Both automation and worker augmentation solutions will be a key focus for decision makers’ plans over the next five years. More than three-quarters (81percent) of respondents agree that augmenting workers with technology is the best way to introduce automation in the warehouse, but only 34 percent have a clear understanding of where to start automating. Currently, up to 88 percent of decision makers are either in the process of or are planning to expand the size of their warehouses by 2024. Meanwhile, up to 85 percent anticipate an increase in the number of warehouses during this time frame.

Deep Agarwal, Regional Sales Director of India, Zebra Technologies, added: “Consumers today have seemingly insatiable demands for 24/7 product search and purchase. The I want it now mentality of consumers stretches across all industries and have since upended the supply chain, impacting manufacturers, retailers and the warehousing operations that serve their needs.“

“Our study further revealed that 49 percent of the surveyed decision makers reported an increase in consumer demand as a top driver for growth, with almost 40 percent of those surveyed stating that shorter order lead times are fueling their expansion plans and causing them to rethink their strategies.”

Aik Jin, Tan, said: “To match up to the on-demand mentality of consumers, decision makers will need to quickly train their front-line workers to fill orders more efficiently. Outdated Windows devices running green-screen applications are not designed to match the speed and volume of today’s on-demand economy. Conversely, modern Zebra Android touch-screen devices like the MC9300, MC3330R and MC3390R are designed for faster, more flexible operation that improves warehouse performance to meet the expectations of demanding consumers today.”