Have you heard of the 4th Industrial Revolution? Also known as Industry 4.0, this concept refers to the advancement of technologies and processes that are changing our means of consumption and production.
Its modus operandi is very simple, as it takes advantage of new tools to reduce and even eliminate unnecessary and costly processes.
This trend is, without a doubt, something that we can point to as the future of storage. However, even with the market moving in this direction, there are many managers who still do not keep up to date with storage trends. This is very worrying, as the lack of this type of knowledge can make your business obsolete and lose customers to the competition.
Therefore, this article focuses on how to improve logistics in Brazil. In addition to addressing the changes brought about by Industry 4.0, we have brought some trends that are here to stay and shake up the market.
Industry 4.0: the future is already here
First of all, we need to have a bit of historical context — that is, we need to know what were the crucial factors that led us to the current scenario. After the two Industrial Revolutions, marked, respectively, by the use of mechanical energy and the electrification of factories, technology entered companies.
The 3rd Industrial Revolution was the starting point, gaining prominence by bringing factors such as robotics, widespread access to the Internet and automation of previously manual tasks to the factory floor. It was thanks to these advances that scientists were able to work on the next phase: even bolder innovations, with the creation of technologies that unite the physical, digital and biological worlds.
Industry 4.0 then emerged, marked by intelligent storage. This gave rise to another concept, Logistics 4.0, based on the same principles of self-optimized and self-organized production. Thus, we can point to the future of storage as the widespread use of the Internet of Things (IoT), which refers to the connection of everyday objects with the digital world, as well as cloud computing, “data centers” available through computer storage systems.
Therefore, we understand that technological innovations in logistics operations are based on the use of new tools with the aim of:
reduce inventory;
increase business competitiveness;
improve delivery times;
add value to the product;
reduce losses and damages;
rationalize the use of resources.
Technological innovations in logistics operations: discover market trends
Understanding the past is essential to prepare for what is to come. Those who want to know how to improve logistics in Brazil must always be aware of market trends, which often take a long time to reach the country. Therefore, seeking to stay up to date is much more than a whim — it can put your business ahead of the competition and make your company stand out in the segment in which it operates.
With this in mind, we have separated some of the main changes that will shake up the storage systems market.
Data-driven culture
This is not a trend exclusive to factories or distribution centers: all companies need to rethink how they use data when making decisions. It is increasingly clear that empirical thinking no longer has a place, and those managers who insist on it are doomed to ostracism.
Nowadays, we can point to the future of data storage as the collection and use of data. This practice needs to be part of the company's DNA and it would be even more beneficial if the collection were automatic to avoid errors in the operation.
After all, many process failures could be avoided if there was communication between the areas involved. This is only possible in a company that takes data culture seriously, so reinforce this importance with all employees. Remember: the example starts at the top.
Intelligent use of storage space
When we talk about how to improve logistics in Brazil, we often think of technological innovations. As we have seen in previous topics, there is no denying their importance in the future of warehousing, but not all changes are based on the use of software.
This is the case of spaces dedicated to storage, which need to be rethought. In fact, this is an excellent starting point for companies that do not have the financial means to invest in technology. Rethinking the way items are stored already makes a big difference.
This is one of the main changes seen in the sector. Previously, companies maintained large warehouses to always be available. As a result, they recorded losses related to expiration dates and external factors. Currently, the focus is on creating a more intelligent process, using solutions that allow for the verticalization of space.
Machine Learning
We can also point to the increasingly frequent use of machine learning as the future of storage. This concept is associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI), as it is a form of data analysis that guides computers to learn on their own. In this way, they improve their performance when faced with problems with the least possible human interference.
Within storage systems, these algorithms enable intelligent storage by offering predictive capabilities, which end up causing changes in the flow of operations. Machine learning also helps in estimating the resources needed, as it can predict how many operators are needed to deal with peaks in activity, for example, in addition to calculating which and how many additional resources will be needed to increase business performance.
