b'8American Journal of Transportation ajot.comCovid-19s impact on warehousingwa r e h ous i ng & d i st r i bu t ion 20might last longer than the pandemicTheCovid-19impactonwarehousinganddistributioncould welloutlastthepandemicitself,asnewsourcingoptions, altered supply chains and a new wave of warehouses and dis-tribution centers closer to consumers emerge. By Matt Miller, AJOTAs Covid-19 hurdled around theandnetworkredesigntoaccommo-world, the disruption to global supplydate all these.chainsleapfroggedaswell,throw- C ovid -19andL aBoringbothsupplyanddemandcom-pletelyoutofwhack.ThatturmoilStone adds another important cat-cascaded from manufacturer to trans- egory to the mix: What Covid does port operator to retailer to consumer,isattackthebiggestcomponentof dramaticallyupendingbusinessandwarehousing and distribution, which commerce everywhere.is labor, he said. Covid is another Warehouses, distribution and ful- strongpointinfavorofautomating fillmentcenterswerecaughtupasandusinglabor-reducingdevicesin well. Health and safety issues becamethe facility.top of mind, especially as Covid-19In terms of drivers, e-commerce casesspreadinhigh-profileopera- ranksrightatthetop.Ithasflour-tions like Amazon. But the impact ofished, if not dominated retail, under Covid-19 also has prompted renewedashelter-in-placeenvironmentand assessments ofand action on (IMPACTcontinued on page 10)everything from the degree of automa-tion and advanced software necessary in a warehouse today to building size andlocation.Thepandemicunder-scored the growing primacy of e-com-merce and the need to mitigate risk and diversify sources. Its left a lot of operations scram-bling for immediate assistance and for longer term fixes.Thepandemichasntinitself forged a reshaping of the way ware-houses operate; systems were devel- SUCCESS STARTS WITH A WINNING TEAM!oping rapidly before. Covid, however, broughttheneedforthosechanges to light. Its been a wakeup call for some, an affirmation for others.Since our establishment in 1920, we haveWE OFFER OUR CUSTOMERS:The supply chain is always dis- been providing our global customers a On-site Storage and Multi-modal rupted, its just the way of life. [Underpremier level of service through superiorDistribution ServicesCovid-19] the disruption has becomehandling and performance, technologicalCustomer Access to 24 hour Inventory Trackingsoextreme,saidPattyMcDonald,advancements, and a perpetual eyeglobal solution marketing director foron customer satisfaction. Also, we offer one Standard Berths and Ro-Ro Ramps are available of the most cost effective and reliable labor technology provider Symphony Retai-Specially engineered Lifting GearlAI. All those challenges are still theforces in the North Atlantic. Container Transloading from / to Rail or Truck same. Theyre just now intensified.6 individually Temperature Controlled Rooms, We have the ability to accommodate a variety of automobile, breakbulk, bulk,with 100% Humidification On-site service provided by 2 Class Icontainer, forestry products, and perishables. Our distinction, is based on our abilityRail Carriersto closely coordinate your Stevedoring, Efficient Distribution to Two Thirds of theWarehousing and Distribution Logistics.United States and Canadian populations within 48 - 72 Hours FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US AT:J.H. STEVEDORING, INC. Patty McDonald, global solution marketing2147 South Columbus Blvd. director at Symphony RetailAI Philadelphia, PA 19148TEL: 215-218-3060Whats more, experts agree, whenFAX: 215-218-3078Covidfinallyends,itsimpactonWEB: www.jhstevedoring.comwarehousesanddistributioncenters wont dissipate.PENN WAREHOUSING & DISTRIBUTION, INC. Wereseeingcompanieswant2147 South Columbus Blvd. to change their flow models, becausePhiladelphia, PA 19148its still a good idea, even when thisTEL: 215-218-3000pandemicisover,saidScottStone,FAX: 215-218-3043marketingdirectoratCisco-Eagle,aWEB: www.pennwarehousing.commaterial handling systems integrator. HORIZON STEVEDORING, INC. AccordingtoRichThompson,2201 South Columbus Boulevardinternationaldirector,supplychainPier 82 South & logistics solutions at JLL, the pan- Philadelphia, PA 19148demic has put a spotlight on sev- TEL: 215-218-3081eralmajordevelopmentsinsupplyFAX:215-218-3043chainmanagement,asitimpactsWEB: www.horizonstevedoring.comwarehouses and distribution and ful-fillmentcenters: Theneedformore warehouseautomationandtechnol-ogy; a growing emphasis on e-com-merce;adiversificationofsources;'