Internet of Things (IoT) has recently made gains in the warehousing industry with many

warehouses now relying on IoT devices to improve their efficiency and optimize their supply
chain management. This article will discuss the history of IoT in the warehouse industry, how
IoT is being used today, and what we can expect for the future. IoT has been around for decades
but only recently have companies begun to implement it in warehouses. As a result of this new
technology, companies have seen an increase in productivity with many warehouses now relying
on IoT devices to improve their efficiency and optimize their supply chain management. IoT has
been around for decades but only recently have companies begun to implement it in warehouses.
As a result of this new technology, companies have seen an increase in productivity with many
warehouses now relying on IoT devices to improve their efficiency and optimize their supply
chain management.
The warehouse industry had its origins in 17th century Europe when manufacturing began to
seriously affect agriculture. Charles Babbage, an English mathematician and inventor, created
what is considered to be the world's first computer in the mid-1800s. The machine was less than
20 inches tall, weighed about 16 pounds and used a series of gears and other mechanical
components to calculate numbers. As computers became more reliable and powerful, they began
to be used for many different applications, including carrying out a series of calculations that
resulted in information being outputted back to the user. By the 1940s computers began to be
implemented into businesses through mainframes that were controlled by large organizations.
These large corporations used computers as a significant part of their organizations. Through this
technological advancement it became much easier for companies to automate processes within
their organization including inventory management and logistics. In the 1960s businesses began
relying on computers in an effort to automate processes that were done by humans. Although
automation was a growing trend in the 1970s, it wasn't until 1980 that business began embracing
computers as a core part of their operations. This is when we saw the rise of warehouse
management systems (WMS) (Ramaa et al, 2012). WMS is essentially a computer program used
by warehouses throughout the world to improve operations, reduce cost and ensure compliance
with regulations. A WMS works by receiving data from sensors, scanners and other devices in
order to measure how many items are shipped out or brought in and how quickly these actions
are carried out.
Reference
Ramaa, A., Subramanya, K. N., & Rangaswamy, T. M. (2012). Impact of warehouse
management system in a supply chain. International Journal of Computer
Applications, 54(1).