The warehouse industry plays a crucial role in our global supply chain, providing storage and distribution services for a myriad of products. Over the years, the industry has seen significant growth and evolution, fuelled by advancements in technology and changing consumer demands. This article delves into the most recent statistics to provide a comprehensive overview of the warehousing industry.
Warehouse Industry Overview (USA)
As a multi-billion dollar sector, it has experienced significant growth over the past few years, thanks to the rise of e-commerce and increasing consumer demand for quick and efficient delivery services.
- The warehouse industry has grown by 2.8% per year on average in the US between 2017 and 2022. (IBIS World)
- The number of Public Storage & Warehousing businesses in the United States grew by 1.2% to reach 19,439 in 2023, up from the previous year. (IBIS World)
- In 2022, the Public Storage & Warehousing industry in the US generated a revenue of $34.6 billion.(IBIS World)
- As of 2023, the number of Third-Party Logistics businesses in the United States has risen to 20,410, marking a 1.2% growth from the previous year. (IBIS World)
- In 2022, the Third-Party Logistics industry recorded a revenue of $247.6 billion. (IBIS World)
Warehouse Industry Overview (UK)
- The warehouse industry in the UK has grown by an average of 3.9% per year between 2017 and 2022. (IBIS World UK)
- In 2022, the warehousing and storage industry in the UK generated a revenue of £5.1 billion. (IBIS World UK)
- In 2021, the number of UK business premises classified as transport and storage was 88% higher than in 2011 and 21% higher than in 2019. (ONS)
- The UK logistics market is expected to reach US$ 689.2 Billion by 2028, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 6.18% during 2023-2028. (IMARC)
- There has been a rise of 32% overall in the number of warehousing units, with a trend towards bigger warehouses, particularly those over 1 million square feet. (UKWA)
Employment & Jobs in The Warehouse Sector
- The warehousing and storage industry in the UK employs approximately 233,972 people. (IBIS World UK)
- Demand for warehouse staff in the UK rose by 43.2% at the end of 2022. (logistics Manager)
- The warehousing and storage industry in the US employs approximately 787,000 people. (DATA USA)
- The US warehouse industry job growth is expected to be %6.32 on a 10 year projection. (DATA USA)
Warehouse Staff Pay Statistics
- The average salary for an employee in the warehousing and storage industry in the US is $35,404. (DATAUSA)
- The national average salary for a warehouse worker in the UK is around £23,375. (Glassdoor)
Gender Ratios in Warehouse Work
- In the USA 33% of warehouse workers are female and 67% are male. (DATAUSA)
- In the UK 24% of the logistics workforce is women and 76% is men. (Statista)
Comparison of the gender distribution in the logistics and warehouse workforce between the UK and the USA.
Warehouse Automation Statistics
- More than 80% of warehouses globally still do not use any type of automation for their operations. In the last decade, only 5% of warehouses have adopted automation. (Meteor Space)
- It is projected that by 2025, the United States will see an installation of 4 million commercial robots across more than 50,000 warehouses. (G2)
- The global warehouse automation systems market was valued at $21.7 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $93 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 15.7%. (Allied Market Research)
- The UK is set to become Europe’s largest warehouse automation market by 2025, with an estimated value of $3.9 billion. (Interact Analysis)
- In the UK, about nine in ten warehouses still rely more on labour than automation. (JLL)
Ecommerce Warehouse Statistics
- In 2022, the global market for e-commerce fulfilment services held a value of USD 97.33 billion. It’s predicted that from 2023 to 2030, we’ll see this market expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9%. (Grand View Research)
Predicted Growth of the Global E-commerce Fulfilment Services Market If a 13.9% CAGAR is met.
- Companies operating in the e-commerce sector have expanded their footprint in the UK warehousing space by 42%. As a result, they now represent close to 20% of the total warehousing occupancy in the UK. (Forbes)
- Approximately 20% of new warehouse leases in the U.S. are now due to e-commerce, reflecting an increase of 5% compared to five years ago. (Datex)
Future Predictions & Warehouse Industry Trends
- The warehousing industry is anticipated to experience substantial expansion in the coming years. Projections from Custom Market Insights indicate that the global warehousing market size could reach up to USD 3043 Billion by the year 2030, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14%. (Custom Market Insights)
- A report from Market Data Forecast suggests that the North America Warehouse Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.5% during the forecast period 2020-2025. (Market Data Forecast)
- A report from Knight Frank estimates that the UK needs an additional 92 million square feet of warehouse space by 2024 just to keep up with the current rate of demand. (Knight Frank)
Forklifts & Warehouse Machinery Stats
- In 2021, the United Kingdom imported forklift trucks worth more than 39.5 million British pounds. This significant figure highlights the importance of forklift trucks in the UK’s industrial and warehousing sectors. (OEC)
- In 2021, the import value of forklift trucks in the United States was a substantial 2.93 billion dollars.(OEC)
- There are over 1,595,758 forklift operators currently employed in the United States. (Zippia)
- The global market size for forklift trucks is projected to expand to USD 129.4 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.45%. (Spherical Insights)
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, this comprehensive analysis of the warehouse industry has been enriched by data gathered from 24 distinct sources. These statistics collectively paint a vivid picture of the sector’s current state, its growth trajectory, trends, challenges, and opportunities in 2024 and beyond. The insights derived from this diverse array of data underscore the potential of the warehouse industry. It is our hope that these findings will serve as a useful resource for everyone in the industry!
Sources:
- IBIS World (https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/market-size/public-storage-warehousing-united-states/)
- IBIS World (https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/third-party-logistics-united-states.)
- IBIS World UK (https://www.ibisworld.com/united-kingdom/market-research-reports/warehousing-storage-industry/}
- ONS (https://www.ons.gov.uk/businessindustryandtrade/business/activitysizeandlocation/articles/theriseoftheukwarehouseandthegoldenlogisticstriangle/2022-04-11)
- IMARC (https://www.imarcgroup.com/uk-logistics-market)
- UKWA (https://www.ukwa.org.uk/market-intel/new-report-reveals-major-growth-and-seismic-changes-in-uk-warehousing-sector/)
- Logistics Manager (https://www.logisticsmanager.com/demand-for-uk-warehouse-workers-has-risen-by-over-40-since-2019-data-shows/)
- DATAUSA (https://datausa.io/profile/naics/warehousing-storage)
- Glassdoor (https://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Salaries/warehouse-worker-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm)
- Statista (https://www.statista.com/statistics/324417/gender-distribution-logistics-workforce-all-sectors-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/)
- G2 (https://www.g2.com/articles/warehouse-automation-statistics)
- Allied Market Research (https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/warehouse-automation-systems-market-A31490)
- Meteor Space (https://www.meteorspace.com/important-warehouse-automation-statistics/)
- Interact Analysis (https://interactanalysis.com/insight/why-the-uk-is-set-to-become-europes-largest-warehouse-automation-opportunity/)
- JLL (https://www.jll.co.uk/en/trends-and-insights/investor/why-warehouse-automation-is-not-yet-widespread)
- Grand View Research (https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/ecommerce-fulfillment-service-market)
- Forbes (https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherineerdly/2021/06/25/ecommerce-growth-drives-seismic-shifts-in-warehousing-sector/)
- Datex (https://www.datexcorp.com/the-impact-of-e-commerce-on-the-real-estate-warehouse-market/)
- Custom Market Insights (https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/07/11/2702933/0/en/Latest-Global-Warehousing-Market-Size-Share-Worth-USD-3043-Billion-by-2030-at-a-14-CAGR-Custom-Market-Insights-Analysis-Outlook-Leaders-Report-Trends-Forecast-Segmentation-Growth-G.html)
- Market Data Forecast (https://www.marketdataforecast.com/)
- Knight Frank (https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/blog/2020/10/08/rise-of-online-retail-sales-will-drive-demand-for-92-million-sq-ft-uk-warehouse-space)
- OEC (https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/fork-lifts)
- Zippia (https://www.zippia.com/forklift-operator-jobs/demographics/)
- Spherical Insights (https://www.globenewswire.com/en/news-release/2023/03/11/2625285/0/en/Global-Forklift-Truck-Market-Size-To-Grow-USD-129-4-Billion-By-2030-CAGR-7-45.html)