Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, most people weren’t familiar with the term “supply chain,” and they certainly didn’t understand the impact it has on their daily lives. Throw a worldwide health crisis into the fray, though, and soon everyone understood how critical a resilient supply chain is to ensuring that the products they need are there when they need them.
In the wake of the pandemic, governments around the world have taken positive steps to cure deficiencies and strengthen critical infrastructure in their most important supply chains. It should come as no surprise that a big part of those efforts has been increasing supply chain automation, particularly with the help of advanced robotics technologies.
In a recent Supply Chain Xchange article, author David Maloney details his conversations with several “experts from leading robotics companies.” He sought to gain insight into “the latest developments and innovations” with regard to supply chain automation, including “which operations they should automate and…how that automation will affect staffing and worker training.”
Let’s take a look at some of the key insights these leaders shared:
- On the current state of the robotics industry, Kevin Reader, Knapp AG’s Vice President of Marketing, notes that “[t]here is considerable growth projected for the robotics industry—17.64% globally, from $114.7 billion annually in 2023 to a projected $258.3 billion in 2028.” Brian Pulfer, VARGO’s Manager of Solutions Development & Data Analytics, agrees: “The robotics industry still seems to be in growth mode, and I believe that growth is on two fronts. First, the number of deployments of robotics projects is continually increasing within the distribution and warehousing vertical. Second, the research and development work for new types of robotic solutions is leading to the introduction of options for many different facets of operations.”
- Asked about whether “a move to automation change[s] the level of skills needed for workers who must interact with the new systems,” Thomas Meyer-Jander, Chief Marketing Officer of Movu Robotics, explains that “the introduction of automation technologies expands the range of tasks for the workers. It is then less about directly carrying out the picking or storage process than about controlling and monitoring the automation—in some ways, a collaboration between man and machine. In particular, the physical strain on the worker is reduced, which improves working conditions and reduces the susceptibility to errors.”
- Maloney also asked how “staff training need[s] to be adjusted for associates who will work with today’s robotic systems.” Steven Hogg, Applications Engineering Manager at Bastian Solutions, believes that “[a]n often-overlooked factor that significantly impacts a new automated system’s success is employee acceptance and utilization. In staff training sessions, it’s crucial to explain how automation will benefit employees and share plans for repurposed roles.” Meyer-Jander adds that “employees remain a company’s most important asset. As innovation continues, employees need regular training to keep up. Training staff to apply innovations and new technologies is a strategic investment that can result in improved efficiency, competitiveness, employee satisfaction, and overall business success.”
It’s clear that experts expect supply chain automation to continue to play an increasingly important role, especially in terms of incorporating new robotics technologies. These new technologies require more highly skilled employees, and it’s more important than ever to continue to provide the training on advanced automation technologies that employees need to thrive in the modern workplace.
Amatrol, a Rockwell Automation Gold OEM Partner, hopes to help industry bridge the supply chain automation skills gap with its groundbreaking training and assessment device, Skill Boss Logistics. Amatrol developed Skill Boss Logistics in conjunction with the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC).
Skill Boss Logistics is the ideal training tool to help students obtain the skills they need to earn MSSC’s Certified Technician – Supply Chain Automations (CT-SCA) certifications. The CT-SCA program is an industry-led, standards-based training, assessment, and certification system focused on the core skills and knowledge needed by the nation’s logistics workforce.
Amatrol offers a wide variety of training programs featuring the latest technologies. For more information about how Amatrol can help you prepare your workers for the future, contact an expert at Amatrol today!
