Supply chain operations in Japan are expected to hit a significant hurdle in 2024 as new overtime regulations for truck drivers come into force, potentially triggering a labor shortage impact and driving a spike in demand for automation, according to a report from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
In search of solutions to “The 2024 Problem,” Japanese companies will likely turn to their traditionally strong robotics manufacturing sector to target logistical issues and other industry challenges. “The government´s overtime cap is an important step to improve working conditions for employees,” Takayuki Ito, Vice President of IFR, said in a release. “Industrial and service robots deliver great solutions to automate. Robots relieve workers of dirty, dull and dangerous work and help to close productivity gaps.”
The new law is designed to address difficult working hours for drivers in that country. Heavy truck drivers in Japan work an average of 2,568 hours per year, which is 444 hours longer than the national average for all jobs, IFR said, citing 2022 data from Japan’s labor ministry.
One of the time-consuming parts of the job is placing cargo in and out of trucks and warehouses, which can add up to 25% of working time during a day´s shift, IFR said. But mobile robot solutions in transportation and logistics can help by automating the loading and unloading of that cargo.
The benefits of robots for transportation and logistics are documented by latest statistics: on a global scale, more professional service robots were built for the transportation of goods or cargo than for any other function. Sales grew by 44% with more than 86,000 units sold in 2022 worldwide, IFR reports.
“Regulations of overtime work and the demographic change will require the adoption of automation technology in many branches of the Japanese economy,” Ito said. “The challenges of the trucking industry are good examples to show how robotics and automation deliver adequate solutions for our workplaces of the future.”
