AMH Equipment Gets a Lift

The Automated Material Handling (AMH) equipment market is expected to reach $53.59 billion by 2024, according to a Research and Markets report. One major motivator behind the market boost is a growing presence of start-up companies that employ robotic solutions for warehouse automation.

The increasing popularity of AMH equipment among leading industries, significant recovery in global manufacturing, and rising labor costs and safety concerns also contribute to growth.

However, small- and mid-sized enterprises struggle with the high upfront expenses of AMH equipment as well as high integration and switching costs.

Robots offer a host of benefits, such as increasing manufacturing and warehouse operating efficiency and productivity. They also reduce labor costs, protect employees from injuries, and provide a high return on investment.As such, it is no surprise that the demand for robots in manufacturing units and warehousing facilities is gaining speed, the report notes.

The AMH equipment market for unit load material handling systems is estimated to increase even more. Unit load material handling systems involve appropriately sized items organized into a single unit that can be moved easily. It is a quick and economical way to move a large number of items in a single run.

The packaging industry, however, is expected to provide the most growth for the AMH market over the next six years, as the equipment enhances packaging quality, says the report. The equipment can work with various packaging designs and multiple pack sizes for different products and can optimize the packaging of small, large, and fragile products quickly, while eliminating human errors.