Advanced Sustainable Warehouse Management

Dear Colleagues,

Warehouses are the hubs of material flow along the supply chain and are of crucial importance for industry and logistics. Typical warehousing tasks include receipt, put-away, storing, order picking, value-added services, packaging, and shipping (Winkelhaus and Grosse, 2022; Wahab et al., 2018). To meet the challenges associated with high cost pressure, fast delivery times, demographic changes, demand for individualized products, soaring energy prices, supply uncertainty, and pandemic disruptions (Custodio and Machado, 2020, Maderna et al., 2020), warehouses have become increasingly “smart” (Winkelhaus & Grosse, 2022) and now incorporate digitalization, automation, and networking of processes (Azadeh et al., 2019, Zhen and Li, 2022). Smart devices and services, such as robots, cobots, drones, autonomous vehicles, exoskeletons, autonomous shuttles, automated storage-and-retrieval systems, and cloud applications, are being used and networked in warehouses (Firescu et al., 2022, Ivšić et al., 2020, Winkelhaus and Grosse, 2020, Winkelhaus et al., 2021).

In this context, terms such as “Warehousing 5.0” (Hamdy et al., 2022), “Order Picking 5.0” (Winkelhaus et al., 2021), and “smart warehouse” (Winkelhaus & Grosse, 2022) are emerging, and smart warehouse technologies are becoming combined with a range of operational management practices (Zhen and Li, 2022). According to Zhen and Li (2022), smart warehouses can be categorized based on four characteristics: information connectivity, facility automation, process integration, and environmental stability. Information connectivity is the highest level of smart warehouse design and is based on technologies such as cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and the Internet of Things. CPSs are key to Industry 4.0 and Logistics 4.0 (Pramanik et al., 2020, Winkelhaus and Grosse, 2020). Facility automation refers to the technical support for a smart warehouse at the strategic and tactical levels. Process integration is a prerequisite for the operational management of smart warehouses and provides operational support, for example, by planning various warehouse processes. In regard to environmental sustainability (Zhen & Li, 2022), although smart warehouses are large, they are considerably smaller and more efficient than their conventional manual counterparts (Azadeh et al., 2019). Overall, productivity, flexibility, cost reduction, and customization capabilities are key requirements for a smart warehouse (Andronas et al., 2021, Custodio and Machado, 2020, Gualtieri et al., 2021).

This Special Issue intends to explore the theoretical background, relevance, and potential of sustainable, and especially green, warehousing in all aspects. This research highlights the possible advantages and constraints of implementing sustainable techniques within warehouses by reviewing the state of warehousing practices today and analyzing their current state.

The primary aim of this Special Issue is to explore the motivations behind the adoption of sustainable warehousing practices, as well as the strategies, actions, and outcomes associated with such practices.

In conclusion, this Special Issue intends to provide an extensive analysis of sustainable warehousing, offering valuable insights, perspectives, and areas for consideration to businesses and individuals interested in pursuing sustainable practices within the logistics and warehouse management domain.

This Special Issue focuses on the green, social, and governance aspects of smart warehousing and provides a comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the various tools, technologies, and tactics used in the development and management of green warehouses in support of Industry 5.0. This Special Issue aims to explore the underlying ideas and theories behind sustainability and the creation of green supply chains, highlighting their importance in the modern and changing business environment.

Overall, this Special Issue aims to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of green and smart warehouse practices in the context of Industry 5.0 logistics and supply chains management. By exploring industry perspectives and analyzing real-world examples, this Special Issue aims to reflect the potential of green warehousing and provide a starting point for further research.

Subjects of interest for this Special Issue are as follows: 

• Perspective on implementing environmentally sustainable solutions in warehouse operations, bridging theory and practice.
• In-depth analysis of the national and regional logistics industry.
• Research on the dynamics and potential of the logistics sector today.
• Addressing the growing emphasis on sustainability and integrating environmentally friendly practices in warehousing operations.
• Interviews conducted with industry experts and practitioners in the warehousing sector would be particularly appreciated to gain valuable insights into the motivations, strategies, and obstacles organizations encounter. By analyzing the common themes and emerging trends from these interviews, it would be possible to identify sustainability not as a cost but as an opportunity.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Bernardo Nicoletti
Guest Editor

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• warehouse management
• sustainability
• artificial intelligence
• sustainable logistics
• supply chain 5.0