Robotics and Automation Survey
2022

Please note these questions relate to warehouses, distribution & e-fulfilment centres

Question Title

* 1. Please enter the following details (all responses will be totally anonymised):

Name

Role

Organisation

E-mail address

Question Title

* 2. What type of warehouses are you responsible for? (please select all that apply):

Factory stockholding warehouses

Distribution centres

E-fulfilment centres

Other (please specify)

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* 3. Which of the below best describes the sector in which you operate? (please select all that apply):

Automotive inc Maritime & Aviation

Electronics & Computers

Entertainment, Publishing & Office Goods

Fashion, Clothing, Sportswear & Footwear

Grocery & FMCG

Health & Pharmaceuticals

Home Appliances

Household, Furnishings & DIY

Industrial & Construction

Other (please specify)

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* 4. Is your business a :

Manufacturer / Supplier?

Retailer?

3PL?

Other (please specify)

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* 5. What are your current annual warehousing costs?:

<£1m

£1m - £2m

£2m - £5m

£5m - £10m

£10m - £20m

>£20m

Question Title

* 6. What level of the following Warehouse Automation does your company already have in operation?:

	Zero	Low level	Some	High level
Full pallet putaway & retrieval	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Zero	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Low level	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Some	Full pallet putaway & retrieval High level
Case or item putaway & retrieval	Case or item putaway & retrieval Zero	Case or item putaway & retrieval Low level	Case or item putaway & retrieval Some	Case or item putaway & retrieval High level
Product movement within warehousing using conveyors	Product movement within warehousing using conveyors Zero	Product movement within warehousing using conveyors Low level	Product movement within warehousing using conveyors Some	Product movement within warehousing using conveyors High level
Product movement within warehouse using robots	Product movement within warehouse using robots Zero	Product movement within warehouse using robots Low level	Product movement within warehouse using robots Some	Product movement within warehouse using robots High level
Product sortation systems	Product sortation systems Zero	Product sortation systems Low level	Product sortation systems Some	Product sortation systems High level
Individual case or item picking systems	Individual case or item picking systems Zero	Individual case or item picking systems Low level	Individual case or item picking systems Some	Individual case or item picking systems High level
Vehicle loading / unloading	Vehicle loading / unloading Zero	Vehicle loading / unloading Low level	Vehicle loading / unloading Some	Vehicle loading / unloading High level
Pallet wrapping	Pallet wrapping Zero	Pallet wrapping Low level	Pallet wrapping Some	Pallet wrapping High level

Other (please specify):

Question Title

* 7. What level of capital costs have you already invested in the above automation?:

<£1m

£1m - £2m

£2m - £5m

£5m - £10m

£10m - £20m

>£20m

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* 8. Please rate the significance of the following benefits seen from your current investment in automation:

	Zero significance	Low significance	Some significance	High significance
Cost savings	Cost savings Zero significance	Cost savings Low significance	Cost savings Some significance	Cost savings High significance
Greater productivity	Greater productivity Zero significance	Greater productivity Low significance	Greater productivity Some significance	Greater productivity High significance
Improved job satisfaction / morale amongst staff	Improved job satisfaction / morale amongst staff Zero significance	Improved job satisfaction / morale amongst staff Low significance	Improved job satisfaction / morale amongst staff Some significance	Improved job satisfaction / morale amongst staff High significance
Better ability to meet customer demand	Better ability to meet customer demand Zero significance	Better ability to meet customer demand Low significance	Better ability to meet customer demand Some significance	Better ability to meet customer demand High significance

Other (please specify)

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* 9. Please rate the importance of the following reasons for considering any future investment in automation in the foreseeable future:

	Zero importance	Low importance	Some importance	High importance
Increasing operational efficiency	Increasing operational efficiency Zero importance	Increasing operational efficiency Low importance	Increasing operational efficiency Some importance	Increasing operational efficiency High importance
Increase in complexity of future operations?	Increase in complexity of future operations? Zero importance	Increase in complexity of future operations? Low importance	Increase in complexity of future operations? Some importance	Increase in complexity of future operations? High importance
Concerns over warehouse staff availability / costs	Concerns over warehouse staff availability / costs Zero importance	Concerns over warehouse staff availability / costs Low importance	Concerns over warehouse staff availability / costs Some importance	Concerns over warehouse staff availability / costs High importance
Increasing capability to meet future growth	Increasing capability to meet future growth Zero importance	Increasing capability to meet future growth Low importance	Increasing capability to meet future growth Some importance	Increasing capability to meet future growth High importance
Increasing capability to meet changes in the marketplace	Increasing capability to meet changes in the marketplace Zero importance	Increasing capability to meet changes in the marketplace Low importance	Increasing capability to meet changes in the marketplace Some importance	Increasing capability to meet changes in the marketplace High importance
Increasing flexibility to meet peaks in demand	Increasing flexibility to meet peaks in demand Zero importance	Increasing flexibility to meet peaks in demand Low importance	Increasing flexibility to meet peaks in demand Some importance	Increasing flexibility to meet peaks in demand High importance
Increasing capability to meet shorter customer lead times	Increasing capability to meet shorter customer lead times Zero importance	Increasing capability to meet shorter customer lead times Low importance	Increasing capability to meet shorter customer lead times Some importance	Increasing capability to meet shorter customer lead times High importance
Improving space utilisation	Improving space utilisation Zero importance	Improving space utilisation Low importance	Improving space utilisation Some importance	Improving space utilisation High importance

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Please rate the following key concerns when considering any future investment in automation:

	Zero concern	Low concern	Some concern	High concern
Level of investment required	Level of investment required Zero concern	Level of investment required Low concern	Level of investment required Some concern	Level of investment required High concern
Reducing future flexibility	Reducing future flexibility Zero concern	Reducing future flexibility Low concern	Reducing future flexibility Some concern	Reducing future flexibility High concern
Previous industry experience of automation issues	Previous industry experience of automation issues Zero concern	Previous industry experience of automation issues Low concern	Previous industry experience of automation issues Some concern	Previous industry experience of automation issues High concern
Uncertainty over future requirements	Uncertainty over future requirements Zero concern	Uncertainty over future requirements Low concern	Uncertainty over future requirements Some concern	Uncertainty over future requirements High concern
Return on investment achievable	Return on investment achievable Zero concern	Return on investment achievable Low concern	Return on investment achievable Some concern	Return on investment achievable High concern
IT systems complexities	IT systems complexities Zero concern	IT systems complexities Low concern	IT systems complexities Some concern	IT systems complexities High concern
Risks associated with implementation	Risks associated with implementation Zero concern	Risks associated with implementation Low concern	Risks associated with implementation Some concern	Risks associated with implementation High concern
Current staff losing their jobs	Current staff losing their jobs Zero concern	Current staff losing their jobs Low concern	Current staff losing their jobs Some concern	Current staff losing their jobs High concern

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Please rate the following areas of priority if you were to invest in automation in the foreseeable future:

	Zero importance	Low importance	Some importance	High importance
Full pallet putaway & retrieval	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Zero importance	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Low importance	Full pallet putaway & retrieval Some importance	Full pallet putaway & retrieval High importance
Case or item putaway & retrieval	Case or item putaway & retrieval Zero importance	Case or item putaway & retrieval Low importance	Case or item putaway & retrieval Some importance	Case or item putaway & retrieval High importance
Product movement within warehouse using conveyors	Product movement within warehouse using conveyors Zero importance	Product movement within warehouse using conveyors Low importance	Product movement within warehouse using conveyors Some importance	Product movement within warehouse using conveyors High importance
Product movement within warehouse using robots	Product movement within warehouse using robots Zero importance	Product movement within warehouse using robots Low importance	Product movement within warehouse using robots Some importance	Product movement within warehouse using robots High importance
Product sortation systems	Product sortation systems Zero importance	Product sortation systems Low importance	Product sortation systems Some importance	Product sortation systems High importance
Individual case or item picking systems	Individual case or item picking systems Zero importance	Individual case or item picking systems Low importance	Individual case or item picking systems Some importance	Individual case or item picking systems High importance
Vehicle loading / unloading	Vehicle loading / unloading Zero importance	Vehicle loading / unloading Low importance	Vehicle loading / unloading Some importance	Vehicle loading / unloading High importance
Pallet wrapping	Pallet wrapping Zero importance	Pallet wrapping Low importance	Pallet wrapping Some importance	Pallet wrapping High importance

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 12. What level of investment in automation would you envisage from your company in the next 5 years? :

£0

<£1m

£1m - £2m

£2m - £5m

£5m - £10m

£10m - £20m

>£20m

Thank you for your participation.