WERC 2023 explored how to seize growth opportunities, benchmarking report released

Attendees of WERC’s 46th Annual Conference explored how to seize growth opportunities amidst a period of rapid transformation in the warehousing, distribution, and fulfillment industry. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC), a division of MHI, hosted this event at the Hilton Orlando in Florida from June 4-7, 2023. 

“It was wonderful to welcome so many first-time attendees to WERC 2023 who were eager to learn from leaders in our industry,” said Michael Mikita, EVP for MHI Knowledge Center and WERC. “Of course, we also saw a lot of returning attendees, demonstrating the strength of the conference’s practical and forward-looking educational sessions. We are grateful to our WERC 2023 sponsors for enabling our attendees to connect in Orlando and build a stronger professional network.” 

“The conference delivered a rich agenda of industry-led educational sessions that were highly relevant to today’s warehousing and logistics professionals,” stated Chad Claude, director of operations, DHL Supply Chain, and WERC Advisory Council president. “With the immense competition for labor that companies currently face, the sessions geared toward recruiting and retaining talent provided valuable strategies for workforce development.”

From automating the warehouse to adopting a transportation management system, other conference sessions focused on optimizing emerging technologies. “As the tools used in the industry quickly evolve, the conference gave professionals a chance to hear about the real solutions companies are implementing,” said Rick Gott, director of Global Logistics, W.L. Gore, and WERC 2023 conference chair. “This experience of learning best practices from our peers is instrumental to moving the entire industry forward.”

New Benchmarking Report Released

At a thought leader session on June 6, WERC released its 2023 DC Measures Annual Survey & Report, which helps distribution professionals measure and improve their operations.

The DC Measures report captures 37 key operational metrics that are meaningful for warehouse and distribution center operations. The metrics are grouped into five balanced sets – customer, operations, financial, capacity/quality, and employee – plus the additional sets related to cash-to-cash cycle measurement. For each metric, the report provides a definition and information about how to calculate it. Used from year to year and based on responses from a diverse network of warehousing, logistics, and distribution professionals, the metrics provide a strong base and consistent approach to reporting performance.

For the first time, DC Measures surveyed the current application of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks in the warehousing and distribution industry. It has become clear that DC managers must begin to consider ESG in order to manage stakeholders. The report identifies simple steps companies can take to develop an ESG strategy.

In addition to the report, WERC has also updated the Online Benchmarking Tool. This digital resource hosts a compilation of all DC Measures data since 2013. It is designed to help practitioners, 3PLs, and consultants customize benchmarking data to meet internal evaluation needs at an unprecedented rate of speed. 

A subscription to the benchmarking tool allows a full year of unlimited access to the data, which includes the full DC Measures library, data breakdown functionality, and saved report comparisons. Visit werc.org/metrics to learn more about the Online Benchmarking Tool and the 2023 DC Measures Annual Survey and Report.

Women @WERC and Keynote Sessions

Other highlights of the conference included a Women @WERC luncheon on June 6 that taught attendees the art of effective communication. Three keynotes, Jim Knight, Libby Gill, and Joe Theismann, addressed WERC 2023 with powerful speeches about channeling adversity into success on a company-wide, professional, and personal level.

WERC 2024

The WERC Annual Conference will move to Dallas, Texas next year. The event will be held June 2-5, 2024. More details can be found at werc.org/2024. 

About WERC

WERC, a division of MHI, is the only professional organization focused on warehousing, distribution, and fulfillment and its role in the supply chain. Through membership in WERC, seasoned professionals and those new to the industry master best practices and establish valuable relationships. Learn more about WERC at werc.org.