EP 178: 6 River Systems and the Omnichannel
On this episode, I was joined by the VP of Product and Analytics at 6 River Systems, Gillan Hawkes. I am thankful to have 6 River Systems as a long-time supporter of the show and it was great to connect with Gillan on this episode. We discuss omnichannel fulfillment, balancing productivity with safety, peak-season prep, and future uses of robotics in the omnichannel space. Key Takeaways With the pandemic making traditional retail shopping more complicated, companies have had to get creative which has expanded on the number of companies getting into the omnichannel space. Omnichannel allows customers to tap into the inventory of products throughout the supply chain and gives them the ability to shop in more formats as well. This has allowed companies to survive throughout the pandemic but has also made it a little more difficult to get to the point of full access. Gillan discusses how companies are doing this and what types of technologies, like 6 River Systems, can be utilized to assist in helping your company take advantage of omnichannel fulfillment. One great example that we discuss of how omnichannel fulfillment is being taken advantage of is at Target. You may have noticed that Target employees are actually picking in the store like it is a warehouse which Gillan refers to as another warehouse. They have really gotten a great system going and they are a good example of how all of these different inventory points can be utilized to fulfill orders. As we discuss the retail environment, we start to dive into how can automation come into play in the brick-and-mortar environment. Two of the biggest challenges that 6 River is tackling is the inventory accuracy that can be extremely complicated when customers are moving products around with no real thought and the safety of robots in the same place as customers. Gillan addresses these and discusses some of the creative ways they are able to deal with these issues. When it comes to peak season this year there is still uncertainty. We know from last year that there were several spikes prior to the typical peak season throughout the year which really strained the supply chain at times. As we look into this year it is clear that what the new normal will be is still uncertain. However, it is safe to say that many consumers have permanently made the shift to ordering things online so volume will continue to be higher. To help prepare for this, automation and robotic solutions like 6 River Systems can help you address staffing issues and increase your capacity rapidly. Listen to the episode below and let us know how you are tackling omnichannel in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 178: 6 River Systems and the Omnichannel
EP 177: Intelligent Sortation with Ryan Yost
On this episode, I was joined by Avery Dennison’s Vice President of Identification Solutions, Ryan Yost. We discussed Avery Dennison’s role in the supply chain, how shipping has shifted due to COVID-19, and the concept of intelligent sortation. Key Takeaways You may recognize the name Avery Dennison from labels that you have used or even from some binders that you used during your school days, however, there is a whole other side to Avery Dennison these days. Ryan tells us how the company has evolved and become more involved in the supply chain and logistics arena. They provide identification solutions that allow you to identify and track everything through the supply chain. Ryan also explains how it is both from a physical and digital format. Their belief is that as technology progresses and adoption progresses there will be a digital twin for every item you have. Without a doubt, COVID has disrupted the whole supply chain bringing more attention to it in both a good and bad way. One thing that has certainly been impacted within the supply chain is shipping. It has been quite the conversation on how to get products to the consumer with restrictions that we have not experienced before. Ryan points out that the biggest shift is that the supply chain has changed from a system that was moving pallets and cases to now moving parcels direct to consumers. With the high demand from the pandemic, the last mile has been a huge focal point and most of it centering around how to solve for the last mile in the most effective way. We discuss the evolution of the omnichannel and the increased visibility of inventory and how it impacts the consumer. When it comes to intelligent sortation, Ryan refers to it as an intelligent supply chain and how it involves all of the information that is flowing through the supply chain. While we are creating loads of information and data every day through the supply chain, we need to harness it properly. Ryan explains that when that data is able to be harnessed properly a company can start to sort intelligently by ensuring that the product is shipping from the ideal location and delivering through the optimal mode. Not only does this have a positive impact on the business but it also helps to improve the customer experience. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts on the current state of the last mile in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 177: Intelligent Sortation with Ryan Yost
EP 176: CognitOps
EP 176: CognitOps On this episode, I was joined by the Co-Founder & CEO at CognitOps, Alex Ramirez. CognitOps is not a WMS, not a WCS, not a WES but a WOS! Alex and I discuss how their system is utilizing machine learning and AI to help create a warehouse operating system that allows operations professionals to make better and faster decisions. Key Takeaways Another acronym that starts with W and ends with S! Yes, Alex knows that operations professionals might not be excited to try and remember another one but his company, CognitOps, is bringing the Warehouse Operation System (WOS) to life with their recent launch. I have focused on talking to individuals who are providing warehouse management systems, warehouse control systems, and warehouse execution systems on the show and even talking about the differences between them on a few episodes but CognitOps goal is to provide a brain for the warehouse that helps operations managers make better decisions. It does this by harnessing all of the data that is being generated by the various systems, equipment, and people within the facility and gives notifications to the decision-makers right on their phone or tablet so they can take quick action and spend more time focused on the floor. As an operations manager myself, I think this is a huge productivity gain from a management perspective which is not always as under the microscope as the productivity of floor level associates. When we are going throughout our day there is certainly a lot of time spent generating data to make decisions on where resources need to be allocated or what the current status of the day is so with the ability to get rid of a lot of that number-crunching and most likely time in front of the computer we can really see management’s time being used more effectively on the floor. CognitOps allows you to make those decisions without having to do all the data extraction and pivot tables to get the numbers you need to make a decision. It also comes in a different form as an alert through your phone or tablet instead of a series of charts that then also need to be deciphered. I also like that it can help you from being a bottleneck in your operation. I have certainly been in the scenario where something unexpected happens like a safety incident and you are not able to pull the data you need which can put you behind because a decision might be dependent on that data. When it comes down to it the biggest benefit of CognitOps is actually very simple. While there is a lot of fancy technology going into making CognitOps as robust as it is, it is the output of creating a more engaged manager that is really the true benefit to the operation. Alex and I discuss how important the engagement with employees on the floor is to really make an operation flow and improve in the best possible way. With CognitOps reducing the number of time managers need to be in front of the computer or at their desk it increases the time on the floor which really results in the improvement of employee interaction and efficiency. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts on AI adoption in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 176: CognitOps
EP 175: Industrial Intelligence with Justin Smith
On this episode, I was joined by Senior Vice President at Lee & Associates, Justin Smith. Justin is also the author of the newly released book “Industrial Intelligence, the Executive’s Guide for Making Informed Commercial Real Estate Decisions.” I have been wanting to get someone from the commercial real estate world on the show to discuss the warehousing market and Justin was the perfect guest with tons of experience and industry knowledge. We discuss the current state of the warehousing market, micro-warehousing, and his book Industrial Intelligence. Key Takeaways Justin has a long background in the commercial real estate world and has been focused primarily on clients in the supply chain world so he is well versed when it comes to the warehousing real estate market. He gives some great insights into what is going on in the markets right now and how the Southern California market, in particular, is developing. I found it very interesting how space is at a premium in these markets and developers are taking older warehouses that are not covering all the usable land and expanding them or tearing them down and building new. With a shortage of space, it is interesting to see how people will get creative to get warehousing into ideal locations. As you have heard on the show, I have talked to a few guests about the concept of micro-warehouses and micro-fulfillment but I have long been thinking there is an opportunity in some of the vacant retail locations that are closer to consumers. Justin and I get into a discussion about this and where broker’s minds are when it comes to this idea. Interestingly enough he talks about how developers are starting to look at how to design warehouses to fit into more populated areas and the complications that come from that including how to get trucks to second stories and the massive amounts of weight that will need to be supported. When it comes to micro-warehouses popping up in your local abandoned strip mall, Justin feels that it is somewhat far off and even though it would provide better delivery times to consumers those same consumers would not be happy with additional truck traffic or warehouses in their neighborhoods. It will be interesting to see how it develops. The book that Justin just recently released, “Industrial Intelligence, the Executive’s Guide for Making Informed Commercial Real Estate Decisions,” is a great idea and effort by Justin. He explains how he came up with the idea and what he really wanted to be able to provide for executives to make better-informed decisions when it comes to real estate. It is a go-to guide and I feel something that is definitely necessary to read when looking to expand on your company’s real estate as that is not something you do every day. Being able to dive into some of the details through the book and understand some parts of the transaction a little more will certainly give you a better knowledge base going into any decisions. I recommend picking up the book here and reaching out to Justin if you have any questions about commercial real estate. Listen to the episode below and let us know if you’re getting the book in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 175: Industrial Intelligence
EP 174: Zebra and RTLS
In this episode, I was joined by John Wirthlin of Zebra Technologies to discuss RTLS. John is the Industry Principal of Manufacturing, Transportation, and Logistics at Zebra. We discuss real-time location services (RTLS), their impact on the warehousing space, and how the technology can be utilized. Key Takeaways RTLS or real-time location services is a location-based technology that allows you to understand where all your assets are in your operation. It takes into account your inventory, material handling equipment, and even people. This technology can be used in many powerful ways which John goes in-depth with. From dock door optimization to location-based inventory counting there are many ways that this type of technology can help you operate more efficiently. One of the things that John discusses is how RTLS can help your operation to optimize the pick walk. Instead of relying on a typical way of weaving through your aisles in a serpentine fashion, RTLS can give the best pick options based on location and also based on what is happening around the picker like robotics or other machinery. A great example of how this can work is if a truck is delayed then the system can push those orders out further in the picking queue and move others up in priority. Additionally, John explains how this technology is utilized in the NFL to track some of the very detailed stats we see on TV and that coaches use for training. When it comes to the future of RTLS, John discusses how the accuracy will increase to being able to identify the location of items through different devices. Currently, with passive tags, you can get within two to three feet of accuracy on where something is and with active tags, you can get even closer. However, the pricing of active tags is much higher so currently, it makes sense to utilize for higher dollar assets only. As time goes on and the adoption rate increases then prices of these tags will most likely come down. Additionally, Zebra is coupling this technology with their fulfillment edge that is really simplifying the screens that pickers are seeing on devices. I know from a personal demo that this edging product is truly simplifying what you see and really the only information you need as a picker. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts on RTLS in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 174: Zebra and RTLS
EP 173: RJW Logistics and the Middle Mile
In this episode, I was joined by Kevin Williamson and Greg Forbis of RJW Logistics to discuss the middle mile. Kevin is the CEO and Greg is Senior Vice President Strategy and Business Development at RJW. RJW is a 3PL based out of Chicago that gives customers incredible service for the middle by providing 98% OTIF. We discuss the middle mile, RJW’s beginnings, what sets them apart and how they achieve such high metrics. Key Takeaways I love the origin of RJW Logistics and where it is today in comparison. Kevin tells us how his father was involved in transportation and decided that he was going to start his own brokerage. When he did that Kevin lost his bedroom and had to share it with his brother. Little did he know at the time that his 12×12 bedroom would end up growing into a company with over 3 million square feet of warehouse space. The incredibly impressive growth is now led by Kevin himself. Greg comes to RJW from a long stint at Wal-Mart handling their transportation. With Greg’s experience, he brings the knowledge of working with a retailer to help improve RJW’s performance with the big box retailers for their customers. It is no secret that the last mile has been a big deal in the past few years and especially even bigger during the pandemic. However, the last-mile isn’t the only mile. As Kevin and Greg explain in this episode the middle mile is critical to ensuring that the last mile can be executed upon. The middle is when the product is being fulfilled and replenished to the retail outlets like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. Without the middle mile, these stores would not be able to ensure that product was in stock for in-store shopping, delivery, or curbside pickup. Kevin and Greg also get into how companies can master the middle mile and why that is so important for success. RJW also has an interesting concept for centralizing its operation in the Chicago area. They have 3 million square feet of the warehouse which you might initially think is spread out through the country but in fact, it is all in one place. While this may seem against the grain in some ways, Kevin is quick to explain how this actually helps to increase their OTIF because they have all inventory centrally located in one place. This prevents having stock out on the east coast but having stock on the west coast. It also helps their customers save money because they only need to ship to one location instead of trying to get inventory to multiple locations. Their concept is actually based on a Harvard Business study which is explained in more detail here. Listen to the episode below and let us know what you think in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 173: RJW Logistics and the Middle Mile
EP 172: NTG
In this episode, I was joined Nolan Transportation Group’s Chief Commercial Officer, Drew Herpich. Nolan Transportation Group or NTG is one of the top 15 brokerages in the country and a 3PL with over 45,000 independent carriers in their network. Drew and I discuss how things have changed in the transportation industry over his 15-year career, what differentiates NTG from others and what the trucking landscape might look like post-pandemic. Key Takeaways Drew has spent 15 years in the transportation industry going through a lot of growth at Coyote and now NTG so I asked him about what changes has he seen in his time. He discusses how technology has really sped up all of the processes that surround the transportation world. Most notably the cell phone which he says has made communication and information flow so much quicker. Additionally, he says with the changes in technology comes a higher demand for tracking and traceability of loads. He shares how technology can help you give a better customer experience by giving more visibility to track. NTG is a 3PL that provides many different modes of transportation to many different customers. They are noted as a top 15 brokerage and they boast partnerships with over 45,000 different independent carriers. Drew discusses how he loves to work with independent carriers and give them the ability to grow. By doing this they create loyalty and better service for all the stakeholders involved. This gives them great flexibility in being able to service shippers in the industry. In terms of differentiators, Drew discusses how they focus on keep drivers driving instead of worrying about other details like paperwork and things of that nature. Once again this keeps all parties involved happy which is their true focus. With the pandemic, there has certainly been more truck movement than ever with more products being ordered online and needed to be transported to homes due to brick and mortar being shut down. First, we both send our respect out to the truckers who kept things moving throughout the pandemic and always. As we move past the pandemic, Drew discusses how the changes in consumer behavior will continue and we will continue to face the driver shortages that are continuously talked about. One of the big challenges is getting a new generation interested in driving trucks. Listen to the episode below and leave a comment on your thoughts on the trucking post-pandemic. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 172: NTG
EP 171: Softeon
In this episode, I was joined by Dan Gilmore who is the Chief Marketing Officer at Softeon. A supply chain solution-focused company, Softeon provides solutions like WMS, WES, Order Management, and put walls. Dan and I discuss Warehouse Execution Systems (WES), the differences between WES and WMS, and some case studies of how a WES can be effective. Key Takeaways Warehouse execution systems or WES have been around for about a decade now but have risen to more prominence in recent years and as Dan points demand for them has increased. The increase in automation and technology has certainly been a factor in driving the increased demand for WES. When you think of a warehouse execution system it is most often compared to an orchestration of the flow of work. Dan explains how it was initially developed because WMS was not getting the job done to recognize the proper utilization of material handling equipment. Softeon has been able to develop a top competing WES throughout the years. The difference between a WES and WMS is that the WMS is not considering the real-time flow of the operation. The WES will make decisions based on where flow is being held up or where it is moving faster. Taking these factors into consideration, the WES will be able to decide which orders to release and at what time so that you can get the optimal flow through your operation. This helps to reduce the amount of manual analysis done on a day-to-day basis to properly allocate resources. Dan gives a great example of how the WES works when it comes to a put wall solution. He describes how the WES can look at the orders going to the put wall and determine if there are more than what the put wall can handle, which ones can avoid the put wall. In his example, he describes how it could pull out all orders that are a single line and send them for a batch pick then send them directly to the pack station instead of having them go through the put wall. Having the WES make decisions like this can really help improve your overall throughput. Listen to the episode below and let us know if you are using a WES in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 171: Softeon
EP 170: Insights into ESOP
In this episode, I was joined by Nathan Perkins of CSG Partners who focuses on ESOP. This is the latest in our partnership with Material Handling Wholesaler for the May 2021 issue. Nathan wrote the cover story entitled “Dealers at a Crossroads – Choosing the Right M&A Transaction” and we discuss how material handling dealers did throughout the pandemic and how they are now dealing with coming out of the pandemic. He also explains what an ESOP is and why this could be a good choice for a company. Key Takeaways Nathan and CSG Partners focus specifically on ESOP transactions and also work with a lot of material handling companies to help navigate this type of deal. ESOP stands for Employee Stock Ownership Plan which means that the employees take ownership in the company through the owner issuing stock. The owner can sell all or partial amounts of the stock and it is a way for them to get liquidity out of the company but still preserve the company as they know it. With the pandemic occurring over the last year, Nathan discusses how material handling dealers have done throughout the pandemic and they have fair pretty well according to him. Additionally, some have seen increases in business due to the increase in work throughout the warehousing and logistics space. Now as we come out of the pandemic these dealers are holding strong as well which is good news for the industry. We also discuss the driving factor behind the interest in mergers and acquisitions lately. Initially, my thought was due to the pandemic but Nathan explains that there is high interest right now so owners are trying to take advantage of that while there is a window of opportunity. Additionally, we discuss how many owners are getting to the age of retirement and also how there is a need for younger individuals to become interested in the space. With the supply chain coming to the forefront during the pandemic hopefully, we can get more interest from younger professionals in the supply chain space. Listen to the episode below and leave a comment if you have experience with an ESOP. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 170: Insights into ESOP
EP 169: StayLinked
In this episode, I was joined by the CTO of StayLinked, Justin Griffith. StayLinked is a terminal emulation solution that allows you to connect to multiple different technologies without overhauling your core systems. I was able to connect with Justin last week during ProMatDX where we discussed StayLinked’s solution, what a legacy system is and how their technology can help your legacy system interface with new technology. Key Takeaways Justin gives a great breakdown of how a lot of our mobile devices are operating in the warehousing space. Surprisingly they are running on a technology called Telnet which is a 52-year-old technology. StayLinked allows newer technology to interface with this Telnet technology and helps it adapt to things like wireless. From personal experience, one great thing that StayLinked does is to keep you online without hiccups. I discuss an example of where I was working in an operation that was building out a new warehouse and we were having some issues with access points and trying to get them configured properly to reduce drops. The beauty of StayLinked is that when these drops were occurring, the system would pick right back up where it left off instead of causing further problems down the line. The term legacy system is thrown around a lot so I asked Justin what exactly is a legacy system and why are we hearing it so much. Justin breaks it down and basically, the simple description is a system that is not the newest. However, he points out that at least 65% of the systems out there are legacy systems. Throughout the supply chain, he says that any box you receive has touched at least one legacy system throughout its life cycle. We also discuss how, in some cases, the term legacy system is thrown around as a potential sales or marketing tactic and he points out that it should not always be taken in a negative light. StayLinked has been a great technology adopted by some of the other companies we have featured on the show like Rufus Labs and ProGlove. They are allowing these newer companies to be able to simplify their implementations because they handle the interface between the new company’s technology and the legacy system that their customers might be using. It is very interesting to see how the technologies that allow us to interface with older technologies can enable more innovative products and ideas to come to market. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 169: StayLinked
EP 168: Wear KINETIC
On this episode, I was joined by the VP and Head of Product at KINETIC, Chris Kuruc. KINETIC is a wearable device that helps you with contact tracing when it comes to COVID and also helps improve the ergonomics of workers. We discuss the KINETIC device and technology as well as the origins of the idea. Key Takeaways KINETIC’s wearable device is specifically designed to be a personal ergonomics coach for anyone that is wearing it. It is similar to a pager that you would clip on to your belt or pants. The technology will recognize when your body moves in a way that is unsafe and potentially damaging to your back. Once the high-risk motion is detected vibration is given to the user after the motion is done. Through this, the user is trained to realize what types of movements are high risk and learn how to properly move without injuring themselves. The origin story of KINETIC is pretty remarkable as well. The founder’s mother worked as an elderly care nurse and through that work suffered multiple workplace injuries. Since he saw this first hand he wanted to pursue a solution that could help others reduce workplace injuries. It is certainly working as Chris shares some very impressive numbers that customers are seeing in terms of reduced recordable injury rates. I really find it fascinating how the idea came out and how it is now making such an impact on individuals. When the pandemic hit, KINETIC realized that they had some technology already built into their wearable device that could help with new safety standards. The device can provide social distancing reminders when it detects it is within close proximity to another device. This can give a great warning to employees when they may not be aware they are within the six-foot guidelines. Additionally, it has the ability to do contact tracing for when a user tests positive. This allows the company to be able to easily identify what devices were close to each other during a certain period of time. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 168: Wear KINETIC
EP 167: Yale Makes an Impact
On this episode, I was joined by one of our original guests, Kevin Paramore of Yale Material Handling. Kevin is the Emerging Technology Commercialization Manager at Yale and has his finger on the pulse of what is coming next and what new technologies Yale will be utilizing. For this episode, we discuss Yale’s new impact camera which is a great safety innovation for material handling. Key Takeaways In my previous discussion with Kevin, we focused on Yale’s telemetry options and how they can help you manage your fleet better. Recently they have added a new feature called the Yale Vision Impact Camera which allows you to view video of what occurred around the vehicle when an impact is registered. The two cameras capture a total of 280 degrees around the machine which captures essentially every place where an impact could occur. The cameras are constantly recording and once an impact is registered they record the 3 minutes prior to the impact and the 3 minutes after. This is a huge win in the safety department and helps big time with incident investigation. As a safety manager myself, dealing with impacts that go unreported is unfortunately something that happens. While telematics can tell you when an impact has occurred, oftentimes you may not get the real story of what happened from the operator. They may be nervous to get in trouble or just not wanting to share but with the recording occurring you will not need to rely solely on the operator’s story. This helps you with two different things on the safety front. The first being an understanding of how impacts are occurring and also an idea of why which will help you to do root cause analysis and implement preventative measures. The second being an understanding of the skill level of your operators which can help you identify where they may need more training or may not be suited to drive for you anymore. Either way, this is a huge innovation in forklift safety and I hope to see the technology continue to progress to help make operators safer. Since Kevin is in charge of emerging technologies I had to ask if Yale is thinking of different ways to use this technology aside from the safety aspect. He shared a very interesting case study where one company is also using the cameras to capture images of trailers they are loading. The camera is able to be triggered by a remote as well which means you can take pictures of certain things when needed. Pictures of the load help this company to dispute any damage claims or claims of shortages by customers. It is exciting to see how the technology is evolving to different use cases already. Listen to the episode below and let us know if you plan to get this technology in your operation. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 167: Yale Makes an Impact
EP 166: Pick with 6 River Systems and Chuck
On this episode, I was joined by the number one contender for most guest spots, Fergal Glynn of 6 River Systems. You may remember Fergal from our previous discussion way back on Episode 14 and most recently in the fall as we discussed how things changed since we had spoken at MODEX 2020. For this episode, we checked in to discuss what 6 River Systems will be doing for ProMatDX next week, what is the state of the industry, and predictions for this year’s peak season. Key Takeaways Prior to talking to Fergal, he shared an exclusive link with me that is now available for you to access as well. 6 River Systems has set up a virtual picking experience with Chuck that you can try for yourself here. At the link, you will find options to choose your own path when utilizing Chuck. It is a great experience and the way the camera is shot really gives you the point of view experience as an operator. Additionally, as you choose your path you can see the ease of utilizing the 6 River Systems interface built into Chuck. Give it a try and leave a comment on your thoughts. Do you like induction, picking, takeoff, or supervisor mode the best? Early in our discussion, we get into a very interesting conversation about how the supply chain has come to the forefront in the world due to the pandemic. This has been a very interesting thing to see and as we discuss, prior to the pandemic there was a lot of talk about how to get younger individuals interested in the supply chain as there was not much at all. Fergal explains how they are now seeing a high amount of interest from top talent coming out of school that they probably would have not seen before. I really find this amazing as it has been one of the goals of the podcast to make our industry get more awareness amongst a younger generation to help generate interest. One topic that has been coming up on the podcast a lot is micro-fulfillment and how smaller warehouses are and will be popping up to get closer to consumers. Fergal introduces the concept of a “pop-up warehouse” which caught my attention because of the similarity to pop-up shops in the retail space. He predicts that there will be more temporary warehouses popping up to help address peak season and bring products closer to the consumer. 6 River Systems actually helped Crocs do this so that they could ramp up their capacity to meet demand while a new facility was being outfitted. In just two days, 6 River Systems and Chuck were able to help Crocs meet the needed capacity and get their pop-up warehouse running. Listen to the episode below and be sure to check out 6 River at ProMatDX next week. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 166: Pick with 6 River Systems and Chuck
EP 165: Locus the Unicorn
In this episode, I was joined by the CEO of Locus Robotics, Rick Faulk. Recently Locus Robotics was valued at $1 Billion making them a “unicorn” in the industry. You may remember that just a few weeks ago I spoke with Karen Leavitt of Locus discussing how the Locus Bot helps with spikes in returns and at the end, she teased some big news coming up which I did not realize would be the new valuation. As you can imagine, we discuss the news, Rick’s journey through Locus, the company’s evolution, and also the concept of a warehouse in your pocket. Key Takeaways Locus has been on the show multiple times and we have talked about the journey even with one of the founders, Bruce Welty, but on this episode, we get to hear it from Rick who has helped the company grow to this point of a billion-dollar valuation as its leader. He discusses how there is a digital transformation that has been taking place and also one that is driving towards automation becoming mandatory. Even in his safety tip, he discusses the necessity of automating. As he discusses this, he points out a large amount of help wanted signs he recently saw on a trip and believes that automating is the only way to deal with the large labor shortage. One of the topics that have been coming up for me lately is the accessibility of automation and robotics for smaller companies. Rick explains how the Locus model addresses this by its scalability and business model. He discusses how the Locus Bot is able to start very small for an organization and then quickly ramp up as needed. He also goes deeper into the RaaS (robots as a service) model that they offer and explains how financially it helps smaller businesses be able to invest in automation without having a large capital expenditure. Prior to interviewing Rick, I listened to another podcast he was on where he mentioned the warehouse in your pocket. I was very intrigued by this as being able to access analytics and data for an operation on the go or when on the floor without a computer has always been something I have wanted in my own career. With Locus, the dashboards and data insights are all available to view right on your smartphone which makes it incredibly convenient and gives you even more effective ways to manage your operation. One key thing is that Locus has focused on making the information digestible through dashboards as opposed to the typical green screen of other WMS’s. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 165: Locus the Unicorn
EP 164: Caja Robotics
In this episode, I was joined by two guests, Dr. Ilan Cohen and Hannah Yanovsky of Caja Robotics. Ilan is the Chairman and CEO at Caja while Hannah is the CRO & General Manager. Caja Robotics is an Israel-based robotics company providing a goods-to-person solution. We discuss Caja’s solutions, what is unique about the solution, and their partnership with Sela Logistics Center. Key Takeaways Caja Robotics provides a good to-person robotic solution that works with two robotic solutions. One is a lift type robot that assists in storage optimization and replenishment while the second is a cart robot that is utilized for picking and transporting boxes throughout the fulfillment center. Powering this solution is their own software that allows for the robots to navigate in your existing infrastructure and requires no changes to your operation making it much easier to implement. One interesting part of the discussion was the contrast of warehousing real estate in Israel versus other countries. Hannah shares some great insights into how the smaller size of Israel has pushed the price of real estate very high. Due to this warehouses look to maximize on smaller spaces to be able to provide fast service to customers. They also tend to utilize existing spaces which can add some complexity to an operation as you have to adapt to space. This is somewhat of a contrast to North America where we see lots of open lands that are being built up with large distribution centers. Dr. Cohen discusses the uniqueness of their software which really helps their solution effectively. The solution provides inventory management, travel management, and communication for the robots. Additionally, they have easy implementation, flexibility, and scalability. When it comes to keeping up with spikes in demand and the constant change of fulfillment, flexibility, and scalability is key. Much like the spikes that we saw with the pandemic, the ability to quickly scale up to meet new demand is key in being successful. Listen to the episode below and leave your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 164: Caja Robotics
EP 163: Waste in the Supply Chain
On this episode, I was joined by a very special guest who is a Global Supply Chain Management student at my Alma Mater, Rider University, and who I have been mentoring for the past academic year through my APICS chapter’s mentorship program. His name is Steven Evan and I am happy to report that as of this writing he has landed himself a full-time job for when he graduates this May. I brought Steven to the podcast because he wrote a very interesting thesis entitled “Too Much or Not Enough: Finding the Balance Between Waste and Shortages in the Supply Chain” which I thought was a great discussion to have. We talk about the thesis, waste in the supply chain, and also his take on learning in the current environment. Key Takeaways I always find it very interesting to talk to students since they are the future of our industry and essentially the world. In the past year, it has been even more interesting hearing how they have been dealing with learning in the pandemic because it is a vast difference from anything I ever experienced in my educational career. Steven shares how they have been able to adapt very well to the virtual environment and being connected with him for a large portion of that time it has certainly seemed like the supply chain department has really focused on still making the program quite engaging. The one thing that Steven misses is the site tours which I couldn’t agree more with because those are just fun. One thing that Steven shares is how he got interested in the supply chain which was actually from his time working in the produce section of a grocery store. He began to wonder how do these products get here and what goes into making sure there is enough there which lead him to discover the supply chain. For his thesis, he took this a step further and began to think about what happens with the waste that is generated in these produce departments. He developed this idea and started to explore waste and shortage issues in the supply chain. The most remarkable takeaway for me is that 40% of food waste in North America is due to the supply chain. This is crazy and we need to do better in the supply chain world. Through the thesis, Steven explores this and where the waste is actually occurring. In his research, he found that 7% of this waste is occurring on the distribution side of things. Many times in the warehouse, especially for food, the amount of inventory is a huge factor in creating waste. In many cases, it is a race against time to get the product out and to consumers before it passes the sell-by date. Optimizing this and understanding your forecasts as much as possible is the best way to reduce this. Listen to the episode below and let us know how you are reducing waste in the comments. EP 163: Waste in the Supply Chain
EP 162: The Vecna Silverback
On this episode, I was joined by the Senior Vice President of Sales at Vecna Robotics, Jeff Huerta. Vecna has been on the show a few times and I even got the chance to do a site visit with them in Massachusetts. Definitely enjoy the solutions that they are putting out and also the work they do to keep the robotics world collaborative so I was happy to hear that they recently launched a new product called the Silverback. Jeff and I discuss the Silverback, why this was next in line for them, and how they have handled the pandemic. Key Takeaways From previous episodes, you may be familiar with the Vecna product line but in this episode, we discuss their new offering which is the Silverback. This is a counter-balanced forklift that now adds lifting capability and double stacking ability to Vecna’s fleet. As Jeff describes, this solution really came from a need for customers to go a step further by the request to be able to lift pallets up higher and also be able to double stack pallets for creating better space utilization. As for the name, it comes from the Silver Back gorilla having the strongest strength to weight ratio. Jeff discusses how the pandemic has been and one of the bigger triggers of the increase in demand for robots has been the labor shortage. This is something that I have seen firsthand as well. With the pandemic, not only have individuals been weary to work due to potential exposure, but it has also been difficult to get warehouse labor due to the increase in e-commerce demand that some of the big players in the space are experiencing which causes them to suck up most of the labor in the area. To combat this, many companies have been turning to robots to fill in on some more repetitious jobs like moving pallets from place to place which Vecna’s solutions can help replace. The other interesting thing about our discussion is the tidbit that Jeff drops about how the Silver Back is giving Vecna a taste of getting elevated. I prod Jeff a bit about whether or not this is a hint into the next things to come from Vecna. Unfortunately, he cannot confirm but it certainly does seem that Vecna may be reaching new heights in the future which would be the likely evolution. Will we see an automated reach truck from Vecna? I guess we will find out! Listen to the episode below and let us know what you think of the Silver Back. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 162: The Vecna Silverback
EP 161: ProMatDx is Coming!
On this episode of the podcast, I was joined by Daniel McKinnon who is the Executive Vice President of Exhibitions and Events at MHI the host of ProMatDX this year. You may or may not know that MHI is the great organization that puts on both Modex and ProMat which are some of the largest tradeshows in our industry and now due to the pandemic they will be taking ProMat virtual with a new experience called ProMatDX. Daniel and I discuss what ProMatDX is, what it will be like and some of the great benefits attendees will be able to enjoy. Key Takeaways ProMat has a special place in my heart as that was the first big thing I did when the podcast started and helped to get a lot of exposure to the podcast not only on the listener side but also on the guest side so I was a little sad to hear that ProMat would not be happening in person this year. However, after my discussion with Daniel, I am confident that ProMatDX will still be a great experience. The platform will be all virtual and you will still have tons of opportunities to connect with sponsors, see product demos and enjoy great educational sessions. Daniel discusses how difficult the decision was to go virtual due to the great gathering that happens at ProMat but ultimately MHI still wanted to provide something for the industry to connect which is how ProMatDX was born. The virtual experience will allow you to be set up with those sponsors that the virtual system believes will be a good fit for you which is a big help in figuring out how to navigate and where you want to navigate to. While the virtual setup itself will not be “live” it will still look live with pre-recorded videos and at the end of the sponsors’ presentations, there will be live Q&A sessions that will allow for attendees to not only interact with the sponsors but also interact with other attendees. I love that this component will still exist because you often get a chance to pick other industry peers’ brains on the show floor so this will recreate that in a virtual way. As we have heard on a few different podcast episodes during this pandemic there have been some positives that have come out of trying to pivot and get creative. With ProMatDX that is no different, Daniel and I discuss what future shows will look like. Daniel discusses how the ability to do virtual will allow for a more hybrid component to the in-person ProMat’s and MODEX’s which will give some flexibility to individuals who might not be able to make it in person. One thing is for sure, everyone is incredibly excited for 2022 to get back to in person and I am sure the show will be incredible because of it. Listen to the episode below and let us know if you’ll be attending in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 161: ProMatDX is Coming!
EP 160: ABCO Systems
In this episode, I was joined by the Owner and CEO of ABCO Systems, Seth Weisberg. ABCO Systems is a solution provider for the material handling industry providing many different solutions with the main focus on racking. Seth and I discuss the evolution of ABCO, racking basics, racking selection, and how warehouse layouts have changed with newer automation. Key Takeaways ABCO has a very similar story to DCL Logistics who was featured on a recent episode as well. They both have evolved over time to meet their customer’s changing demands and they also have family ties. For ABCO, Seth’s father started the company in which Seth did not have much interest and spent some time in the financial sector. When a family situation called him back to help the company he fell in love with the work. Now, Seth has been able to evolve the company into a continuously growing material handling solution provider. In my day job, I have utilized them as well and can say that they do great work. Surprisingly we have never really discussed racking on the podcast. Racking is really ABCO’s main focus so I had to get some basic insights from Seth. We discuss racking selection and also one of the biggest questions, how much racking. Seth advises that when it comes to racking you need to look at the data and determine how many pallets you need to store to help determine what amount of racking is needed. ABCO actually provides a calculator on their website to determine how much racking is needed for your project. Additionally, as Seth mentions in the episode, they have a very strong engineering team that can help you determine your layout and needs. One very interesting point and tip that Seth shares are to think of your racking needs prior to committing to real estate. He discusses fire suppression systems and how they can hang up your project in a very costly way. I have personally seen where fire suppression systems can derail racking as many people do not think of them or are aware of the full need for fire suppression systems. Seth goes over the different setups and how to determine if your racking project will be feasible and by the proper safety standards. Since ABCO also acts in the aspect of a project manager and GC on their projects they can help you navigate the different towns and their requirements. Listen to the episode below and leave a comment with your thoughts on the future of racking. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 160: ABCO Systems
EP 159: Fulfilld
In this episode, I was joined by the Co-Founder & CTO of Fulfilld, Michael Pytel. Fulfilld is a new warehouse management system that takes a location-based approach that helps to manage your warehouse more thoughtfully. Michael and I discuss how the idea of Fulfilld started, the platform itself, and some of the cutting-edge technology they are utilizing to make it happen. Key Takeaways Michael started Fulfilld with his partner Yosh who he had worked with at a previous company. The idea came from seeing that current WMS’s were not meeting all the needs that they thought they should. As they began to talk about what they thought was missing from the market they decided that they would start to develop their own system. Over the years they had learned about many different technologies and decided to bring those into what they were creating. Through utilizing technologies like machine learning, location-based tracking, digital twins, and more they were able to create more of an orchestration system that can help you manage your warehouse more effectively. One of the great features of Fulfilld is the ability to easily see where labor needs to be allocated. As the day goes by the tasks that are in the queue are completely visible and are also constantly updating with priority levels allowing you to move them around accordingly. Michael even discusses how the system will look at your incoming carrier pickups and know when trucks are arriving so that orders for them can be escalated or de-escalated if delayed. This allows you to stay on top of the workload and ensure that the resources are being put in the correct place. Industry 4.0 terms abound in this episode so I had to get some knowledge for myself. We dove into the term “digital twin” as it was something I had previously never heard of. Little did I know I knew what it was but just didn’t know the name! Digital twin refers to the re-creation of a physical asset within a virtual environment. Fulfilld utilizes the concept of a digital twin to recreate assets within the warehouse that allows them to be tracked within their system. This helps you to understand not only where labor is located but also your assets for the ability to further allocate your resources. Fulfilld will be launched in June and I am very excited to see how it is received in the marketplace and how it will grow in the next few years. Listen to the episode below and leave your biggest WMS pain point in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 159: Fulfilld