EP 238: Coros
On this episode, I was joined by the CEO of Coros, Martin Hitch. Coros is bringing visibility to the supply chain to help with the accuracy of package loading and scanning. We discuss the idea of Coros, how it works and how it is helping companies deal with supply chain issues. Key Takeaways Coros provides a set of cameras that has the ability to scan packages at a high-speed rate. The device is placed at your dock door so all packages are scanned as they enter the truck. This helps to ensure that no packages are missed and then allows you to properly ensure the truck is loaded with the correct amount of packages. The data that is generated allows you to audit and easily figure out which package is missing from the load if any. This drastically reduces the amount of time that would typically be spent looking for gaps in the loading process. The idea for Coros came from the idea of utilizing vision systems that are used for other applications. Looking at the distribution process, Coros decided that the loading process would be a great place to start. Throughout the iterations, they have taken the scanning process from inside the truck to just outside of the truck for the most optimized position. A very interesting note is that they created a pick-to-light system within a delivery truck in one iteration of their solution. This is extremely creative and I was really interested in hearing about this. Due to Coros tackling the repetitive task of scanning packages, it is helping to create a new way to address the labor shortage issue. The scanning of packages being automated frees up the person that would typically be in that role to do something more value-added. It also helps reduce the time spent on utilizing a person to determine what is missing from loads. As Coros continues to develop they will start to bring this helpful automation beyond the dock doors. Listen to the episode below and leave your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 238: Coros
EP 227: Portable Intelligence
On this episode, I was joined by Jeff Lem of Portable Intelligence who I recently shared a panel with for Sam Gupta’s WBSRocks. Jeff is the Founder and president of Portable Intelligence which looks to rethink the way that your warehouse operates. We discuss how Portable Intelligence came to be, inventory visibility and how to improve inventory accuracy. Key Takeaways Portable Intelligence is focused on making your warehouse a competitive advantage. Jeff founded the company after building a barcoding business up and realizing that he had more interest in the software component. He set out to look at warehouse management systems in a different way by increasing visibility of not only the data that flows through the system but also the people that are utilizing the system in your warehouse. By setting up their system to trail your most experienced people, the system sets standards that give you the best knowledge of unique things like building the most stable pallet. Not something that you could necessarily get from just data. One of the big things that Portable Intelligence addresses are inventory visibility. In many cases, companies do not have full visibility into their inventory which can lead to many different issues. Without visibility, you are unable to truly track where your inventory is in your warehouse and it can seriously hinder your ability to deliver to your customer. We discuss a perfect example of how not having visibility into inventory can lead to people from all different departments constantly asking or checking themselves if inventory is truly in the building or where it should be. The increase in visibility can allow you to understand the true picture of your operation. While visibility into inventory is very important, so is the accuracy of that inventory. If you are viewing inventory that is not accurate then there is no point in viewing it in your system because it is incorrect. Jeff and I discuss how a lack of inventory accuracy can really slow down a company and hurt the trust that needs to be built up between departments within a company. Some of the advice Jeff gives to help increase your inventory accuracy is to ensure that everything is barcoded and to make sure that items are being properly returned to their locations when there is an issue. If these things do not happen you lose visibility and traceability which ultimately hurts your inventory accuracy. Jeff’s other suggestion is to set up a proper cycle counting program so you are constantly verifying your inventory before an issue arises for an order. Listen to the episode below and let us know your tips for increasing inventory accuracy. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 227: Portable Intelligence
Loftware launches new, Unified Brand as the global leader in Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management
Loftware, Inc., has announced a brand refresh, solidifying the unification of Loftware and Nicelabel into one integrated Loftware global brand. The refresh comes after a momentous year for the company, experiencing record growth in customer sales and deployments in 2021 following the combination of Loftware and NiceLabel, another labeling solutions provider. This union has provided customers and partners with greater access to the most robust solutions, technologies, features, and capabilities enabling them to create new efficiencies across labeling and packaging artwork management, all from a single solutions provider and cloud leader. It has also brought together 60 years of combined expertise in solving labeling challenges for companies of all sizes throughout a wide range of industries across the globe. Now, the Loftware corporate brand will extend across the entire product portfolio with NiceLabel solutions maintaining the NiceLabel brand name. “I am excited to mark this critical inflection point with the launch of our new Loftware global brand. As part of our new organization, we wanted to redefine our identity including a new look and feel to accurately reflect our future vision, strategy, and direction. We believe this new brand captures the true essence of Loftware – bold, modern, global, and innovative while embracing the personality, humanity, and diversity of the company,” said Josh Roffman, Senior VP Marketing & Product Management, Loftware. “The combination provided us with the opportunity to redefine who we are as a unified organization. We have never been in a stronger position to elevate mission-critical labeling and artwork management solutions, transform businesses, and revolutionize the industry,” he added. The new corporate identity, which highlights the company’s vision “to enable companies of all sizes to digitally transform their business and revolutionize their supply chains,” includes a mission, strategy, visual brand, and core values that reflect the spirit of the combined organization. Loftware plans to launch a single combined website in the future which will highlight the new brand, vision, and organization. The site, designed to be optimized for customers, partners, and visitors, will continue to offer a blend of product and corporate information, product resources including downloads and a partner portal, as well as educational resources on labeling and artwork management. It also will provide insights on how Loftware teams with customers and partners to help them accelerate their business and succeed with innovative enterprise labeling and artwork management solutions. “Loftware and NiceLabel have always placed the highest importance in the overall wellbeing and interests of our employees, our customers, and our partners. This ongoing commitment is still at the forefront of everything we do, and it further unites us as the one global team,” said Robert O’Connor, Jr., president and CEO of Loftware. “Our size and scale have already allowed us to expand investments in products, people, and systems to the extent neither company could have ever previously considered. We now truly offer the industry’s broadest and most advanced solutions, services, and support enabling us to help businesses of all sizes and across all industries to digitally transform their supply chains and solve business challenges,” he added.
Softeon identifies market opportunities for 3PLs offering distributed order management solutions
Softeon, a global supply chain software provider with the industry’s best track record of customer success, has identified a number of opportunities for third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to leverage Distributed Order Management (DOM) software to drive revenue opportunities and create market differentiation. Softeon’s VP of Client Services, Satish Kumar, and Chief Marketing Officer, Dan Gilmore, shared those insights on a recent webinar in partnership with the International Warehouse Logistics Association (IWLA). Softeon is the leading provider of supply chain software, including DOM and WMS to the 3PL sector. Softeon’s Distributed Order Management system is a powerful platform that enables 3PLs to offer services such as the following: Advanced Order Management – far beyond basic order entry. This includes such capabilities as backorder management, subscriptions, new product introduction, virtual kits, inventory allocation, order scaling, and vendor drop shipping. Integration with Virtual Marketplace Platforms – such as Shopify, Amazon, Channel Advisors, BigCommerce, Salesforce, and many others. Optimal Order Routing Capabilities – providing clients a sophisticated platform to define order sourcing rules and execute them dynamically. The DOM easily supports strategies such as “pop-up” DCs – just one of many examples. Inventory Balancing Services – especially for 3PLs operating “hub and spoke” networks, with DOM optimally determining how inventory received at hubs should be distributed across the “spoke” network, based on a variety of factors. Returns Processing – allowing 3PLs to create customer RMA’s and send a return label to a customer or enable customer self-service. “Distributed Order Management can allow 3PLs to move beyond highly competitive, low-margin pick, pack, and ship offerings to offer a higher level of differentiated services,” says Softeon’s Kumar. Softeon finds that DOM can also be used to improve the efficiency and profitability of traditional order management functions, including faster on-boarding of new clients, significantly reducing the number of times each order must be touched, and providing a single source of the truth. “We have seen a substantial increase in inquiries from 3PLs on DOM, sometimes stand-alone, sometimes with WMS,” Kumar added, saying “DOM is becoming a ‘must-have’ for growth-focused 3PLs in terms of fulfillment services.” An on-demand version of the webinar can be found here.
More than 10% of goods mislabeled every year, say 76% of manufacturers
More than 1 in 4 manufacturers report over a quarter of products were mislabeled More than three-quarters (76%) of IT directors in manufacturing across the US, UK, Germany, and France admit that more than 10% of their organization’s goods are labeled incorrectly every year. This rises to more than 25% of goods for over a quarter (26%) of organizations globally and nearly 1 in 5 (18%) in the US. These findings come from new research commissioned by NiceLabel and carried out by Loftware, which polled 300 IT directors globally, with 100 from the US, working for manufacturers across a range of sectors, including retail, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, automotive, medical device and chemicals. IT directors say incorrect labeling costs their organizations on average $89,000 annually, with 61% globally and 47% in the US saying their organization incurred losses amounting to more than $69,000 from mislabeling on average in a year. And these are just the direct costs. Businesses should also be factoring in all the ‘hidden’ costs they may incur, such as loss of brand reputation, lost business, or lost time and money as a result of shipping delays, for example. In line with this, minimizing errors that lead to a need to relabel products is the second biggest challenge manufacturers worldwide face in getting new label designs into production, cited by 35% of all respondents. The only challenge more pressing was extending the labeling process seamlessly across the wider supply chain, as noted by 38% of the global sample. While these issues were also top of mind in the US (30% and 37% respectively), American manufacturers reported that meeting regulatory compliance (38%) was their greatest challenge, followed closely by reducing time to market (37%). Given this, it is unsurprising that 29% of US manufacturers (26% worldwide) see ‘reducing costs’ and 22% in the US (18% worldwide) see productivity gains among the main benefits of modernizing and automating their processes, including labeling, with technology. Highlighting the costs that labeling errors can bring, Ken Moir, VP Marketing, NiceLabel, said: “Mislabeling can often lead to issues with products and that can result in a need to quarantine and re-label product or packaging, which is costly, time-consuming, and unsustainable. With growing pressure to increase supply chain efficiency and minimize waste and reduce resource usage, organizations can advance their operational performance and sustainability goals by reducing mislabeling. The key will be a system and tools that allow centralized control of label design and printing across multiple sites.” “Correct labeling also means that extended supply chains can become more efficient and sustainable,” he added. “In the past, incorrect labels from partners and suppliers have often resulted in re-labeling upon receipt. The solution is to extend labeling to those suppliers to ensure they are using the correct templates and content to eliminate the need for costly and time-consuming re-labeling.”
U.S. manufacturers ramp up IT Infrastructure Cloud Adoption, NiceLabel study reveals
More than 66% of US manufacturers report most or all of their IT infrastructures is now in the cloud Nearly one in five (21% in the US and 18% globally) of manufacturing IT directors say their organization’s IT infrastructure is entirely cloud-based today, while a further 45% in the US and 38% worldwide have moved most of their IT infrastructure to the cloud. Surprisingly, 13% only have little to no cloud integration. These are among the key findings of a recent survey commissioned by NiceLabel and carried out by Loftware, polling the views of IT directors across the globe. The survey revealed many of the top concerns about cloud migration. More than a quarter (27%) of IT directors in manufacturing globally are worried about slow performance when running applications in the cloud, while 26% note a lack of integration with legacy systems as a key obstacle. These also rank among the top three concerns for US manufacturers, at 25% and 24% respectively, with the loss of control or dependency on cloud providers being the top issue at 29%. However, eliminating issues around performance and legacy systems integration would spark a faster migration, with 62% in the US (and 50% globally) saying they would be ‘much more likely to move their applications to the cloud’ as a result. Ken Moir VP Marketing, NiceLabel, said: “Both a lack of legacy systems integration and performance issues can be addressed by a modern cloud system. With regard to the former, when it comes to labeling, manufacturers need to integrate seamlessly in the cloud with other key industry platforms, including enterprise resource planning (ERP) and warehouse management systems (WMS). cloud-to-cloud integrations can typically be done via Cloud APIs, whereas cloud-to-on-premise integrations require a proxy on-premise. The use of out-of-the-box connectors for most major business systems can also help achieve a rapid integration with other platforms.” “Manufacturers can also enhance performance levels for labeling in the cloud by using a printing application or integrating with a business system,” continued Moir. “Both these ’executables’ actually run on-premise utilizing local CPU processing power. This architecture provides the benefits of a cloud-based label management system combined with the performance of on-premise printing.” Often, it is a simple understanding of the broader benefits of the cloud that drive uptake. The survey shows that among the top reasons why manufacturers decided to use cloud solutions were better and easier global collaboration (37% in the US and 33% globally) and efficient traceability and tracking across the supply chain (both 30% in the US and globally). According to Moir: “Vendors can also help to accelerate the move to the cloud for manufacturers through services teams doing discovery and building solutions that deliver best practices, and, from the perspective of labeling, through tools that help convert label templates from different providers. All this together helps significantly shorten migration time from months to weeks.” The move to the cloud is part of a wider digital transformation. The survey finds that while there is a long way to go, many manufacturers plan to increase investment in major IT infrastructure. In fact, 80% of IT directors surveyed expect their organization to increase its investment in IT systems like ERP, MES, and WMS by more than 25% over the next three years.
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
Labeling issues cost manufacturers worldwide more than $1.31 million each year from production line shutdowns
US manufacturers lose more than $1.17M each year on average US manufacturers on average incur losses of around $1,174,000 per year due to production line shutdowns caused by label printing problems, a global study of IT directors in manufacturing organizations has revealed. This is slightly below the global average, with many companies losing more than $1.31M each year. The study of 300 IT directors globally, including 100 from the US, found that on average more than two-thirds of manufacturers (67%) were having to shut down their production line for more than an hour if there was a problem with label printing, with an additional 21% saying the line had to be shut down for more than 30 minutes. Recovery time was slightly faster but still problematic for US manufacturers, with just over half (51%) experiencing downtimes of 60 minutes or longer. The study also revealed that manufacturers – both globally and in the US – were having to pause production lines just under six times a year on average due to such problems, with nearly three-quarters (77% globally and 69% in the US) saying their production line had to be paused four times or more in the past year as a consequence of labeling issues. Ken Moir, VP Marketing, NiceLabel, said: “Any business disruption or shutdown can significantly impact any manufacturer causing loss of revenues and ultimately even putting the business itself in jeopardy. The danger of that being caused by mislabeling becomes a growing concern as labeling becomes a key part of business and supply chain strategy.” Given the losses they are incurring due to shutdowns, it is unsurprising that 29% of the US survey sample see ‘reducing costs’ and 22% see productivity gains among the main benefits of modernizing/automating their manufacturing processes, including labeling, with technology, while 31% reference ‘eliminating errors’ as a key driver. As Moir explains: “Ultimately, the risks to production operations extend well beyond full shutdowns. Decentralized labeling for example, also adds risk to production operations. An ERP system is supposed to provide “a single source of truth” to business users. However, at many organizations, there are as many versions of the truth as there are labeling locations. That is because, in decentralized labeling operations, each facility may not be integrated with ERP and will be creating their own label formats and duplicated product and customer data. “After all, without centralization,” continues Moir, “manufacturers are generally not integrated to the same source of truth and that creates redundancies of data – making enterprise-wide updates unmanageable and adding significantly to inaccuracies and inconsistencies.”
Pfannenberg PYRA ® LED Series Visible Signaling Devices are flexible enough for use in any signaling application
Products are easy to install and configure, and add safety and convenience in heavy industry, material handling, gas detection & security applications Pfannenberg, Inc., a global manufacturer of thermal management technologies, announces that its PYRA ® product line of LED Visible Signaling Devices is the most flexible and brightest LED signaling technology on the market. Built with durable construction for industries such as heavy industry, material handling, gas detection & security applications, the PYRA LED series is appropriate for use wherever visible signaling is needed. Capable of being fully integrated into the design of any given machine or plant, the PYRA LED product line can be configured with different modes (steady-on, blinking, and flashing), the frequency of which can be controlled by the user as well. These visual signaling devices also feature an external color and mode control, which allows users to select the signaling mode and the color via remote control, and to display different configurations for different alerts with just one light. The product line also features a multi-voltage power supply to ensure numerous possible connections and applications. Four different options are available within the product line: single LED lights, LED RGB lights, LED traffic lights, and a pre-assembled combination of a single LED RGB light and a PATROL sounder module. The single lights allow changes to signaling and frequency modes, while the RGB lights have the added flexibility of changing the signal color as well. LED traffic lights are available pre-assembled or as individual modules to be assembled by the end-user. Finally, although end users can easily combine any of the PYRA series products with Pfannenberg’s audible signaling devices, the pre-assembled, compact, and multifunctional single light/PATROL sounder combination delivers the greatest flexibility and ease of use in a convenient, pre-assembled design.
Episode 146 – Barcodes with IBM
In this episode, I was joined by Takshay Aggarwal of IBM to discuss barcodes and their evolution. IBM covers a vast array of industries and I have been lucky enough to talk to a few of their brightest from the supply chain department on the podcast including Jeanette Barlow and Jonathan Wright. Takshay and I get into barcodes and talk about their origins, standardization, and how they have evolved over time. Key Takeaways Barcodes are ubiquitous in our world whether we realize they are there or not. As a consumer, we may not notice the barcode so much but as supply chain professionals we are highly aware of this powerful tool. The barcode was invented in 1949 and has been around for a very long time and with that, it has become even more powerful over time. Takshay gives a brief history of barcodes themselves and how they first developed and got to a point of standardization. What is interesting about the history is that they were not so widely adopted initially. As someone with a background in inventory control, barcodes are a big deal for me and a definite necessity in my eyes. This is from the simple ability to be able to track products within the supply chain and have a better sense of where it is located. Takshay goes more in-depth into how the life cycle of barcodes help to track and trace products. The ability to trace is incredibly important when it comes to recalls or quality issues that need to be addressed to prevent potential consumer issues. Barcodes have evolved over time to harness more data and also come in different variations such as QR Codes. Our discussion leads to how the barcode has now been utilized in the supply chain of COVID vaccines as well. When we look at something of this importance we want to be able to track it through the supply chain and understand where it ends up before it is injected. Takshay discusses how the barcode can be utilized at several points of the vaccine distribution process to ensure that everything is happening safely and the way it is supposed to happen. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts on barcodes in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 146: Barcodes with IBM
Loftware and NiceLabel combine, extend Global Leadership in Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management
Bring together 60 years of expertise to deliver customers and partners an expanded choice of solutions and enhanced capabilities Loftware, Inc., the global provider in Enterprise Labeling & Artwork Management Solutions, and NiceLabel, a developer of label management systems have announced that they are combining under the Loftware corporate umbrella. This union gives customers and partners an expanded choice of solutions while providing enhanced labeling capabilities and the benefits of greater investment in cloud-based solutions and technologies. It also brings together 60 years of combined expertise in solving labeling challenges for companies of all sizes throughout a wide range of industries across the globe. “Our customers, channel and technology partners and the overall market will benefit from our strategic vision to provide broader and deeper labeling solutions in addition to expanded scale, world-class services, and global support. It also unites the best talent in the industry to drive new levels of innovation,” commented Loftware President and CEO, Robert O’Connor, Jr. “Loftware and NiceLabel have both seen sustained growth and expansion over the past several years, especially in 2020 when labeling solutions have become so critical to supply chain continuity. This move brings together two thriving organizations, providing momentum for significant expansion over the next decade and beyond,” he added. NiceLabel’s extensive global partner network includes resellers, ISVs, OEMs, and print technology partners that deliver NiceLabel labeling solutions and technology. In a complementary fashion, Loftware brings deep experience in selling, servicing, and supporting Enterprise Labeling and Artwork Management solutions to large global organizations. The combined organization will continue to offer both Loftware and NiceLabel products, providing the broadest range of cloud-based labeling solutions for direct and channel partner customers across the globe. Together they will further enable supply chain agility, support evolving regulations and optimize business operations for companies across a wide range of industries including life sciences, manufacturing, food & beverage, retail, automotive, consumer products, apparel, and more. “We are delighted to combine with Loftware and look forward to expanding opportunities for our channel partners and end customers by providing new solutions and innovations to help them grow their business,” stated NiceLabel CEO, Chris Walsh. “The two companies offer truly complementary solutions that are more vital than ever. This combination represents a terrific opportunity to further accelerate growth especially as organizations look to address evolving customer and regulatory requirements and standardize labeling across worldwide operations,” he commented. Loftware is hosting a webinar on Thursday, January 14th at 10 am EST featuring Loftware President and CEO, Robert O’Connor, Jr. who will discuss how the combination of Loftware and NiceLabel will fundamentally transform the labeling market.
3D Printing Software uses Artificial Intelligence for Nesting
The new version of the 3D printing Software 4D_Additive uses artificial intelligence algorithms to achieve an optimal heat distribution. For the first time, this new technology is used to ensure an even arrangement of parts in the build space during nesting. The new nesting function of the renowned 4D_Additive software from CoreTechnologie uses artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time to automate intelligent behavior and machine learning. The new technology simulates certain human decision-making structures based on programming and by this means the computer independently processes complex tasks in the area of so-called nesting. Optimized Component Nesting With its new “pack and optimize” strategy, the nesting module of the latest 4D_Additive software version is able to ensure both maximum filling of the installation space and even distribution of the mass to be printed, thus ensuring the most constant possible slice surfaces. The advanced program uses AI technology and imitates the behavior of an experienced user by automatically filling empty areas in the packaging space after pre-positioning. This has the advantage that even builds spaces that are not fully loaded are filled evenly and without so-called heat nests. The printing results are maximally optimized by the even distribution of the components. Intelligent Additional Functions In addition to intelligent nesting, further functions are available to optimize heat distribution within the components. An analysis to determine so-called massive zones shows problematic areas with large material volumes and displays these zones graphically in a highly visible manner. These zones then can be hollowed out with a few mouse clicks using the hollow and lattice functions and, if necessary, reinforced with an internal support structure. To remove powder from the inside of the hollowed parts, holes and the appropriate lids can be created automatically. For the preparation of 3D printing data, the 4D_Additive tool has CAD data interfaces for all B-Rep native and standard formats as well as the common 3D printing formats such as STL and 3mf.