Conveyor Belt Systems -Trends for 2023 and beyond?
The wider world in which we operate, the world that we supply as our customer base, is constantly evolving. We make conveyor belts, and conveyor systems for a vast array of industries, but one thing they all tend to have in common is a physical asset as a part or output of what they do.
The world that touches manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing (as just a few examples of who we work with) is evolving at a fast pace, so we thought it would be interesting to share some of the current trends touching them. Some analysts are reporting that some of these trends will continue into 2023, for the UK at least.
Staffing - is an issue in the warehouse, and manufacturing sectors presently, and this has been the case for a little while now, even before the pandemic. A study from a few years back predicted that 8 million manufacturing jobs globally could be unfilled by 2030. So why is this the case? One reason is that the pandemic for many people elevated the requirement for flexibility in 'where' you work. For many people going to the workplace every day has become something that they would rather swap for the flexibility of working from home occasionally or all the time, and working in the world of warehousing, manufacturing, etc means attendance at said places of work.
Costs - 62% of workers put wages/salary as the number one reason to join a company, and in a world where finding good staff has become increasingly more challenging, then a good salary is a good reason to leave a company, and join another and with inflation being a challenge at the moment, many workers are asking for a pay rise.
Costs are not just tied up with salaries, the cost of servicing the work environment and ensuring that the wheels are turning has gone up considerably in 2022. It is not just gas and electricity of course, but fuel which has gone through the roof, making it more expensive for companies to move from A to B, but also impacting staff in getting to their place of work, making significant commutes more difficult to afford.
The rise of Automation and Robotics will continue at a pace into 2023. Autonomous robots being used in manufacturing and distribution accounted for spending of around 1 billion in 2017, to around 23 billion in 2022. We know here at CCL that the problems that are presented to us are increasingly being solved by automation (see the previous post on this very subject). Conveyor automation projects are becoming more common at our end with customers looking to solve their pain points in a way that is as intelligent as possible.
Millennials who grew up with the internet and mobile phones are going into leadership roles across the industry and their expectations of what work is about are changing the landscape to some degree. The work-life balance has come into focus with covid and having an employer that is empathetic to workers' needs and requirements are much more front and center these days, so we should expect this trend and conversation to continue for years to come.
Risk mitigation is more important than ever, and planning is a focus for many businesses. Covid made us all aware of what can happen in a fairly short space of time, and how disruptions can turn a business model on its head overnight. Employee safety, resourcing, and supply chains and the fragility that they have ingrained within them all need consideration, and during 2022/23 we can expect continued risk mitigation strategies to be developed across businesses in the UK.
Employee safety is always important, after all, it is only the unsound of mind who would not put staff safety at the top of their priority list. However, during the pandemic safety for our employees, it is fair to say, rocketed in terms of it being front and centre of every decision we made. This will remain the same to a large degree during 2023, with things like socially distanced workplaces, and an emphasis on keeping well and clean important.
Predictive maintenance is when you utilise technology to monitor equipment performance metrics and determine the best possible time for maintenance. This insight gives manufacturers greater awareness and ultimately saves time and money. Such tests can occur whilst the wheels of manufacturing are in motion meaning that no downtime is required.
We hope this blog has been of interest, and as always if you are planning a conveyor project then please get in touch with us here at CCL for a conversation as to how we can help.