15 warehousing trends

1. Speed - move goods at great velocity along the chain
2. Cross-docking – best-in-class warehouses cross-dock an estimated 50 percent of incoming goods
3. Greener – green technology such as natural light and renewable energy
4. Size – smaller and narrower, making better use of allocated space
5. Additional services and functions – customer services such as customization and in some cases even light manufacturing
6. Outsourcing – highly specialized field and companies are increasingly looking at 3PLs to own and manage warehousing operations
7. Real time data – technology is improving visibility in the supply chain and allowing greater opportunity for collaboration
8. Vast data – vast amounts of data and companies are demanding increased accuracy
9. Increased complexity – increased SKUs and warehouses require advanced technology to deal with the increased complexity
10. Internet age – small parcels and increased customization is commonplace
11. Agility – solutions that can adapt to the modern supply chain
12. Productivity – increased productivity and multi skilled employees
13. Leaner operations – non-value adding activities are identified and corrective actions are taken
14. Product and information flow – better understanding  of the flow of information and products to reduce bottlenecks in the system
15. Compliance – compliance such as labeling and documentation is increasingly important