What is the greatest worry of manufacturers in 2018? The shortage of skilled labor, according to the ASQ 2018 Manufacturing Outlook Survey. In fact, for the first time since 2013, manufacturers are more worried about the skilled labor shortage than the economy. Due to the growing number of retirements of the baby boomer generation, Industry Week reports that some 2.7 million jobs are going to need filling, and an additional 700,000 are likely to be created due to natural business growth.

The manufacturing industry already has trouble filling open positions due to a negative industry perception, which makes the skills gap appear to be more of an “interest gap.” In order to combat this, distribution companies, wholesalers, and manufacturers must be prepared to do some re-branding and change possible recruits’ perception of the industry at a young age.

Barcodes and barcode scanners have been around for a few decades, and they have become the most widely accepted way for distribution, wholesale, and manufacturing businesses to reduce flaws when it comes to inventory management in their warehouse.

In a study conducted by IT company Ivanti, 56 percent of warehousing and supply chain organizations plan to upgrade their warehouse mobile devices as their current devices approach the end of their lives. With mobile barcode scanners being the go-to tracking device for most warehouses, many businesses see positive changes in their warehouse’s efficiency after implementing barcoding.

So, you’ve cleared all the initial hurdles. You’ve established yourself as a distribution company, you’ve built up your customer base, and you’ve plotted a path for growth. Now it’s time for careful, long-term planning and intentional organization of all of your company’s assets. There are few things that can slow a company’s progress more definitively than a disorganized and chaotic warehouse. But, with some careful thought and planning on your part, you can prevent your warehouse from hampering your growth in the first place.