MMH Software Usage Survey 2024: Change on the horizon

The days when people manually pushed loaded carts across sprawling warehouses are slowly fading. Appearing in their place are automated, tech-powered facilities where software serves as the connective tissue for automation, robotics and other intelligent equipment. At the same time, repetitive tasks like picking are being managed by more robots; automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) maximize vertical space; and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) whisk orders around the fulfillment center.

Companies are responding to a persistent labor shortage and changing consumer demands. In fact, Modern Materials Handling’s 2024 Technology Study found that 23% of the magazine’s readers consider themselves innovators or early adopters of materials handling technology while 29% say they’re “cautiously embracing change” at this point.

The current economic conditions may be throttling some software investment pipelines this year. According to Modern’s readers, 33% say they’re “scrutinizing investments and moving forward cautiously,” another 27% are moving forward with new software investments and an equal percentage are putting off software investments for the time being.

These are just some of the key findings of this year’s survey, which took a deep dive into technology adoption, the impacts of the current economy, annual technology spending, usage plans and the adoption of cloud-based applications. The survey also explored the key challenges companies want to address and the types of materials handling software solutions currently in use/planned for purchase or upgrade.

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