Logistics Automation Market

Market Overview

The global logistics automation market revenue was valued at USD 58.05 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach USD 139.14 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 10.20% during the forecast period (2023-2031). The rise of always-on e-commerce demands faster and error-free order fulfillment, driving the need for automated warehouses. Robotic advancements aim to cut costs and enhance efficiency amid intense e-commerce competition. Despite mature markets, digital transitions continue, led by innovation from startups and increased investment from Asian economies.

Efficiency has risen thanks to automation, which also improves control and facilitates the purchase of various goods. It is quite helpful for managing inventory and the production process. Over time, it aids in improving customer service and the delivery of multiple goods. Due to the rising usage of automated vehicles, automatic mobile robots, robotic arms, automated retrieval, and storage systems, automation in this industry has benefited both transportation and storage. The growing use of software and services has also improved warehouse management. It gives information in real-time on the loading and unloading of the goods. In addition to these considerations, the expanding e-commerce industry will increase the demand for warehousing and inventory management. There will be a more critical requirement for automation when there are more warehouses for more products. The governments set various regulations for this economy sector as supply chains concentrate on boosting the firm’s revenues.

Market Dynamics

Market Drivers

Exponential Growth of the E-commerce Industry and Customer Expectation

Warehouses and fulfillment centers need to scale up and meet the standards of a competent, efficient. Automated warehouses, as the advent of always-on e-commerce, have fueled the demand for faster responses and the need to manage a more significant number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) with fewer errors. Robotic advancements are driven by the urgent need to decrease costs, streamline processes, and improve efficiency. Additionally, the economy is strengthening, and the industry under study has grown due to the demand for automation caused by the intense rivalry in e-commerce. The digital transition is still ongoing despite the relatively mature markets in industrialized countries and the fact that the established companies have established defined standards. The initiative has been spearheaded by the flow of innovation from start-ups and an increase in the amount of money flowing from Asian economies. 

Globally, there will likely be more warehouses and FCs as a result. In a recent survey by Honeywell Intelligrated, which included 171 material-handling executives in the US, 35% of the executives said that their main challenge was to fulfill more orders (quicker and cheaper), while their secondary concerns were to decrease order processing errors/improve order accuracy and to find enough labor to support operations. Hence making a place in the area for automation.

Market Restraint

High Capital Investment

Cost and ROI remain significant obstacles for supply chain operators, who use robotics as an automation technology in a third of cases. The longer time required to generate an ROI combined with hefty upfront expenditures has prevented the widespread adoption of automation technologies. China and India are examples of developing nations with labor-intensive economies. A million dollars for a single system with additional staff training has been restraining the same due to the low expenses. The cost and return on investment (ROI) concerns also impact the investments made by several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMBs). 

According to Nancey Green Leigh, a professor at Georgia Tech working on a project supported by the National Science Foundation called "Workers, Firms, and Industries in Robots," these have been sluggish to adopt robotics. The typical cost of a fixed robot ranges from USD 60,000 to USD 140,000. In contrast, the average cost of a mobile robot ranges from USD 25,000 to USD 40,000 due to the significant capital investment needed to set up and operate warehouse robots. The market's expansion needs to be improved by warehouse operators' reluctance to select expensive robots.

Market Opportunities

Increasing Manufacturing Complexity and Technology Availability

Warehouses and fulfillment centers have been seen adopting two tactics: expanding the existing facility or constructing new ones to match the demand for home delivery (or curbside delivery). The latter, though, is more expensive than the former. In 2000, warehouses had an average size of about 65,000 square feet; by 2020, that size would have increased to almost 200,000 square feet. Thanks to their increased size, warehouses can handle more volumes and an increasing number of SKUs—these further increase functional complexity. 

Employing more people would burden the centers with expenditures ranging from salary to rent, and on a practical level, delays and injuries would also have a significant impact. This market difficulty is addressed by automated, adequate mini-load storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), which use lightweight cranes to sort individual totes, cases, trays, and crates while improving storage and freeing up valuable labor and transportation resources. These systems optimize supply chain efficiency by automating crucial steps, such as the receipt of items, optimum inventory storage, and order fulfillment for outbound shipping. Several expenditures have also been made to advance automation's technological features.

Regional Analysis

The global logistics automation market is divided into four regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. 

Asia-Pacific's logistics automation industry share is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.37% during the forecast period. In the Asia-Pacific region, manufacturing is a prominent industry. The economy of China, which makes a considerable contribution, is rapidly changing due to rising labor prices and the unsustainable nature of the traditional migrant worker model. These developments have forced the Chinese economy to incorporate automation into its industrial procedures. China, one of the biggest economies in the world, is a significant supplier of warehouse robots in the Asia-Pacific area, especially in the automotive, industrial, and e-commerce sectors. The sector and sales will continue to expand thanks to e-commerce. Australian warehouses have adapted to the increase in demand already. Instead of the usual bulk orders, the industry will see more individual orders. Warehouses are anticipated to grow and hire additional staff due to rising sales and business expansion. To help fulfill orders more rapidly, the nation is embracing contemporary technology and implementing more automated procedures, accelerating logistic automation's rise.

North America is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.20% during the forecast period. The main driver behind the rise in the use of robots in warehouses and distribution centers in the United States is the expansion of e-commerce. Technological advancements that have reduced costs, made robots better and smaller, and created a labor shortage in some regions have also contributed to the market's expansion. Major corporations with many warehouses and distribution centers also use acquisition tactics to grow their profitability and lower labor costs. For instance, a fledgling robotics company named Kiva Systems was purchased by retail behemoths like Amazon for USD 775 million, giving it control over a brand-new class of mobile robots. This investment laid the groundwork for developing new warehouse robotics models, paving the way for a possible future for the machines. 

Start-ups like IAM Robotics are working to develop more innovative and less expensive robotic solutions to enable both traditional merchants and smaller e-commerce businesses to keep up with a behemoth like Amazon due to the increased expectation of fast, free delivery driven by Amazon. One of the world's biggest and most developed manufacturing economies is Canada. Manufacturing automobiles, metal products, consumer goods, and plastics is a highly productive industry in the nation. Despite expansion in the manufacturing sector, there is a significant demand from the nation's e-commerce-focused storage and logistics industry.

In Europe, the adoption rate of industrial automation has increased due to significant investments in new technology by businesses and sectors over the last ten years. Due to growing investments in the industry 4.0 revolution, the region has become the most prominent industrial automation adopter. According to the CBI Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Europe is home to over one-third of all industry 4.0 investments worldwide. Its primary markets are in Northern and Western Europe, with Germany—where the word was first used—leading the way. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, or 4IR, is being implemented rapidly in Europe, with numerous industry sectors investing in automation, IoT, and machine learning systems to enhance performance. 

The rapid expansion of e-commerce and retail investments in this region is the primary driver of the increasing adoption rate of warehouse automation. With businesses innovating to automate most of the labor-intensive warehouse procedures, warehouse robots quickly become the cornerstone of warehouse management in Europe. Western Europe is a developed economic region. Thus, many essential players exist, and capital is readily available. As a result, there has been a substantial increase in the adoption of logistic automation. In recent years, the UK's manufacturing industry, particularly the automotive sector, has seen robust levels of investment, frequently centered on industry clusters. The transportation providers that support these clusters are vying for additional spaces and investing in the current infrastructure to meet these demands, pushing the market as a whole.

The countries of Latin America have evolved into a group of quickly expanding emergent economies. To lower supply chain risk, businesses with manufacturing facilities in China are shifting some of their output to Mexico and Brazil. Artificial intelligence has played a crucial role in transforming the warehouse industry in the area by assisting end-users in lowering overhead costs and increasing productivity, uniformity, and accuracy. Online sellers attempt to speed up the delivery of goods to clients. Many Latin American nations, including Mexico, view manufacturing as a dependable and viable industry, highlighting the need for IoT and the rising demand for Industry 4.0 in the area. Regarding internet usage, Argentina has historically been one of the most developed nations in Latin America. Throughout the projected period, Argentina is expected to see growth in adopting automation due to the large number of international e-commerce firms investing there.

Segmental Analysis

The global logistics automation market is segmented by component and end-user industry.

Based on components, the global market is bifurcated into hardware, software, and services. 

The hardware segment is the highest contributor to the market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 12.03% during the forecast period. Mobile automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which are used to transfer goods in warehouses and storage facilities, are the main application of logistics robots. These robots move goods for storage and shipping along predetermined courses. AGVs are crucial for lowering logistical costs and streamlining the supply chain. The level of autonomy that autonomous mobile robots (srs) possess sets them apart from AGVs. With well over a dozen robotics suppliers focusing on the demands of distribution center operators, robotics for distribution centers (DCs), such as autonomous mobile robots (srs) and collaborative picking arms, are expanding quickly. 

The automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) offers warehouse managers several advantages, including lower labor and energy costs, improved space utilization, and product damage prevention. The quantity of human intervention in the system has decreased due to the use of these technologies in warehouses. Such advantages ensure a compelling return on investment in warehouse and distribution technologies. Stacker cranes have dominated material handling and are often used in warehouses where retrieval and storage processes are preferred to be relatively slow. These systems are typically chosen in newly constructed warehouses rather than those already in operation because modifications may require rearranging the entire racking architecture.

Businesses that contract with outside logistics companies to handle their fundamental fulfillment needs, such as warehousing, shipping, and transportation (3PLs). These suppliers are now offering a variety of more contemporary comforts known as "value-added services," in addition to the current rapid rise of 3PLs in the logistics industry. Value-added services include specialized distribution, customized labeling, and final assembly. Value-added services are an easy add-on for their clients because 3PLs are intended to handle end-to-end fulfillment. 

Working with a 3PL has many benefits, one of which is that they are more adaptable to order changes and client needs in terms of space, personnel, and equipment. A rise in the number of suppliers providing these services indicates that predictive maintenance is becoming more popular in the industry. These systems need predictive maintenance, which is gaining popularity in the industry, enabling automated equipment to operate efficiently without downtime. Early adopters have been looking for service bundles to include in their offerings in significant numbers. The industry's services and value-added services are anticipated to grow steadily over the expected time frame.

Based on the end-user industry, the global market is bifurcated into food and beverage, post and parcel, groceries, general merchandise, apparel, manufacturing, and other end-user industries. 

The manufacturing segment owns the highest market and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11.55% during the forecast period. The manufacturing sector includes process manufacturing businesses like pharmaceuticals and discrete manufacturing industries like automotive and aerospace. One of the industries with the highest levels of competition is the automobile sector, where rigor, adaptability, quality, and agility are crucial for success. Logistics operations heavily rely on warehouse activities and the accompanying costs. The company is anticipated to significantly increase value due to its optimization and performance evaluation. An aging workforce, labor constraints, and cost pressures in automobile logistics have combined with increasing the focus on logistics automation in recent years. Most automakers have switched to automated materials handling equipment instead of conventional forklift trucks and other manually controlled devices, according to loading equipment company MasterMover. 

Logistics for the automobile industry is seeing a substantial uptick in the use of warehouse management systems (WMS). They could be utilized to help with stock inventory. Additionally, the WMS may identify factors like key performance indicators (KPI) and warehouse productivity. Logistics and distribution needs for pharmaceutical items are constantly evolving due to shorter lead times and more frequent and smaller orders. The logistics and distribution of this kind of product are complicated since the medications must be kept in optimal conditions to retain their qualities and efficacy.

Power has shifted away from manufacturers and toward retailers as a result of rapidly rising packaged food demand, evolving eating patterns, and strict food packing and storage rules. The main factors driving food and beverage logistics automation are rigorous processes focusing on zero contamination, precise storage, and quick storage and retrieval operations. One of the biggest global industries is food and beverage production. The rise of e-commerce businesses like Amazon Fresh, Peapod, Google Express, Walmart, General Mills, Costco, and Kroger is fueling the logistics automation market. 

Due to various lifestyles and changing consumer preferences, the consumption of flavored drinks, natural extract juices, and energy drinks is also rising. The perspective suggests a constant need for effective material and inventory management given the industry's abundance of little competitors in addition to the big players on the international stage, like Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Local sourcing, eating on the go, and a significant increase in the organic food category are just a few consumer trends influencing how the food and beverage sector will develop. Even if all of these things appear implausible when it comes to food production, they do have a significant impact on how items are manufactured. Important businesses in the food and beverage sector have chosen automated solutions to boost productivity and throughput time to market while reducing errors. For instance, Refresco, one of the most considerable juices and soft drink manufacturers in the world with numerous manufacturing facilities in Europe and North America, recently rearranged the distribution of goods within its warehouse to improve efficiency.

Recent Developments

• February 2022- KION announced the start of construction work for a new Dematic plant close to the recently commissioned forklift truck plant in Jinan. Sean Sun, Managing Director of Dematic in China, outlines the unique features of the Chinese market and the company’s development strategy.
• June 2022- Daifuku Co., Ltd. announced the reopening of Hini Arata Kan, one of the world’s largest full-scale material handling and logistics demo centers, located within Daifuku’s manufacturing plant Shiga Works (Shiga Prefecture, Japan).