Peerless Research Group

In its annual survey of lift truck buy/lease activities and use, Modern finds that decision making and practices fluctuated much less than might have been anticipated given the times. Fleet size has remained stable, and buyers still put price, quality and safety at the top of their checklists.

Our annual reader survey found a nearly 20% drop in respondents holding off on software investments compared to the previous year when readers were struggling through the early months of the pandemic. Our 2021 report shows strong interest in inventory and labor management capabilities.

In this year’s annual survey, the disruption of the past year certainly influenced some short-term trends, but respondents are optimistic going forward. Results reflect more than a bump in the road, however. Companies are deeply concerned about issues like labor availability, workload planning and tighter cycle times, prompting interest in technology and software solutions, better metrics and further automation.

In our second automation survey conducted after the pandemic hit, budgets remain solid and the percentage of respondents expecting an increase in equipment and automation spending went up.

We asked and you told us what you’re paid and where you see your career path heading. And, considering all that’s happened in the past few months, you’re generally upbeat. Read on to see where you fit in our survey.

The pace of change wrought by e-commerce on warehousing/DC operations has been increasing for several years, but now the pandemic has kicked it into overdrive.

Modern’s latest reader survey shows just how critical pallets are to the modern warehouse and distribution center.

Modern Materials Handling’s new lift truck usage study reveals key purchase patterns, challenges, and opportunities that fleet managers are facing in 2020.

The percentage of respondents “holding off” on investments dropped modestly, and the overall spending outlook remains steady. The survey’s big picture has respondents staying close to the high bar for spending set in recent years, while layering in select investments to help solve for top challenges like tighter cycle times, additional customer requirements and the need to maximize available workforce.

The survey’s lead question—are your logistics and supply chain operations being impacted by the coronavirus?—drove home the point, with 73%, or 89 respondents, saying yes, and 27%, or 33 respondents, saying the coronavirus has not had an effect.

We asked how you and MRO are getting along these days. And, it seems that while there is always room for improvement, the MRO performance levels are clearly leaning more to efficient or highly efficient than otherwise.

Coping with growth and change is never easy, but it’s particularly challenging in a tight labor market in which the cost of industrial real estate has spiraled upward. As this year’s survey results show, respondents are rolling up their sleeves and coping with change by leveraging additional technology, as well as by increasing attention on training, pay rates and data quality.

As more companies automate their materials handling, storage and palletizing operations, the need for higher quality, reliable pallets that can go the distance is on the rise.

Modern’s 2019 automation survey proves that more warehouses and DCs than ever are interested and investing in automated materials handling equipment.

While it appeared attendees were anxious to learn about new solutions, are they really ready to invest? The simple answer is yes