Episode 60 – InVia Robotics at MODEX 2020
Episode 60 – InVia Robotics at MODEX 2020 In this episode, I am joined by Lior Elazary of InVia Robotics at MODEX 2020. Lior is the CEO and Co-founder of InVia and is a serial entrepreneur developing multiple startups over his career which he mentions at the beginning of the episode. He discusses how the robotics landscape is changing, the journey to start InVia, and how the InVia system works. Key Takeaways InVia Robotics gets its roots from the DARPA Robotics Challenge which challenges researchers to develop a robotic solution to do a series of tasks. From doing this, Lior and his co-founders focused their ideas on creating a robotic solution for the home. The most interesting part of their journey is how they were abusing Amazon by constantly ordering parts during development including sheets of aluminum and started to wonder how Amazon was able to keep sending them these things and get it to them so quickly. Lior explains how this was the moment they decided to pivot to creating a robotic solution for distribution. At the beginning of the episode, Lior gives some interesting insights into how the landscape of robotics has changed. We are moving from the idea of designing warehouses for robots to being able to bring robots into existing facilities with more ease. He also comments on how accessibility has increased for robotics. I am seeing this to be very true as well as innovation increases and as more companies adopt robotics due to the issue of labor shortages. The InVia Robotics solution is a very flexible solution being able to carry out multiple tasks. It is able to handle picking, replenishment, and cycle counting. This is very interesting because it allows you to use the same solution throughout the course of the day and take advantage of an opportunity time to replenish your bins and also check inventory counts. Lior also discusses how they recently developed a new workflow that allows the InVia Robot to fill a put wall for pickers to pick from. This new workflow allows for 400-500 lines to be picker per hour which is really incredible. Coming from an inventory control background, I am most intrigued by the automation of the cycle counting process by InVia. In our discussion, Lior talks about how the robot can do cycle counting through weight. This is really a step forward for automating the cycle count process and it goes a step further by being smart enough to follow up on checking the locations that had an activity that day. As you hear us discuss, inventory mistakes were one of the biggest pain points InVia was hearing from people they talked to in the industry when developing their solution. I could not agree more as an inventory issue can have a large negative ripple effect on all other tasks and ultimately your customer. I am happy that they tackled this issue with their solution. See how the system works in the below video and listen to the episode as well as view the video from MODEX 2020 below. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 60: InVia Robotics at MODEX 2020
EP 70: Right Hand Robotics at MODEX 2020
Episode 70 – Right Hand Robotics at MODEX 2020 In this episode, I was joined by Vince Martinelli who is the Head of Product & Marketing at Right Hand Robotics. Right Hand Robotics is focused on doing physical piece picking with a robotic arm for e-commerce fulfillment. You may remember Right Hand Robotics from one of last year’s ProMat Episodes. Vince and I discuss the origins of RHR, how their technology works, and also some partnerships they are involved in. Key Takeaways Right Hand Robotics like many current robotics companies in our industry has its origins from the DARPA competition which led their founders to create unique robotic arm gripper technology. When the competition was over they were left to figure out what to do with their gripper technology and were guided towards material handling. Now, Right Hand Robotics is focused on e-commerce fulfillment specifically doing piece picking. One of the interesting things that set Right Hand Robotics apart from other robotics companies in our space is that they are focusing on actually doing the pick of the individual piece. Most other robotics companies are using some type of shuttle robot to get the product from one area to another but it would still require the human to pick the individual pieces. RHR has done quite well with its technology and even won an award best innovation at last year’s ProMat for its RightPick2 solution. What they have been able to accomplish is pretty remarkable when you think about the complexity of picking up items of varying sizes, shapes, and materials. To get the gripper to be able to recognize the product and then handle it in the correct way is something that they are doing very well already and continuously improving upon. Vince discusses how their entrance into Japan and Japan’s higher quality standards helped to get RHR to figure out how to adjust things with the gripper to ensure there was no type of damage caused during picking. Partnerships and collaborations were a huge theme of MODEX with many different companies showing off partnerships and announcing them. In our discussion, Vince tells us about some of the collaborations and partnerships Right Hand Robotics is involved in. We specifically discuss the partnership with Manhattan Associates and how it is allowing for robotics solutions to better integrate with WMS or other systems. This communication between systems and solutions is incredibly important in our industry as we move towards increased automation and robotics. It allows for easy integration and easier implementation of new solutions. Listen and watch the episode below for more information. EP 70: Right Hand Robotics at MODEX 2020
FlytWare launches Solution Partner Program for Drones in Warehouses
FlytBase, Inc. has launched the FlytWare Solution Partner program, designed for win-win partnerships in the supply chain industry, with a focus on inventory automation in large warehouses and distribution centers. By harnessing the power of fully autonomous drones, FlytWare Solution Partners can now create sustainable business value for their customers – by saving time, effort, and costs spent on manual inventory counts. Inventory cycle counts, and wall-to-wall counts, are a critical part of warehouse & DC operations, yet remain largely manual – despite the rapid automation of inventory movement inside large warehouses. Aerial inventory scans, using cost-effective, off-the-shelf drones, are about to disrupt these manual counts – driven not only by e-commerce and fast supply chains, but more so by concerns related to labor availability, drop-in profit margins, and public health. FlytWare, with intelligent automation software at the core, has successfully demonstrated the technical and commercial feasibility of automatic aerial inventory scans – across warehouses in US, Europe, and Asia. These deployments are now ready to be scaled across sites, sectors, and geographies – powered by FlytWare partners. Intelligent inventory drones can create a 10X impact on inventory counts – and offer intangible benefits in the form of improved worker safety, live video feeds, location-wise image data for audits, and high-frequency wall-to-wall counts. As autonomous navigation, object recognition, AI/ML and machine vision techniques improve, such aerial scans are becoming relevant for an increasing array of inventory use-cases, such as counting items in broken pallets, estimating space utilization of rack locations, etc. The Solution Partner program provides partners the ability to demonstrate inventory automation leadership, and thus differentiate themselves from in a competitive industry. With access to market & customer insights, the FlytWare solution roadmap, marketing collateral, product training, and RoI calculators, Solution Partners can rapidly climb the ‘drone learning curve’. They can access multiple revenue streams across the journey of aerial inventory adoption, from lead generation to post-deployment maintenance and support. With successful deployments in traditional as well as very narrow aisles (VNAs), rack as well as bulk storage, and one-deep pallet reserves as well as one-deep case reserves, FlytWare is ready for broader market adoption – with Solution Partners leading the way. The multi-billion-dollar opportunity for warehouse inventory automation can be made a reality only via strong partnerships and seamless technology integration. As Nitin Gupta, FlytBase CEO pointed out, “The importance of B2B partnerships has only increased amidst the ongoing pandemic; restrictions on travel, e-commerce & human involvement have highlighted the importance of remote collaboration and automation. Since last year, we have worked closely with not only our enterprise customers but also members of the warehouse inventory ecosystem such as WMS vendors, supply chain consultants, inventory service providers, pallet suppliers, and so on. These interactions clearly highlighted the need to help our customers navigate the journey of automation in their inventory search, count, and audit processes. We now wish to accelerate our FlytWare partnership activity, across countries, and across the customer life cycle.” With continuous improvement and operational efficiency at the core of inventory management, the benefits of autonomous drones, versus manual counts, are too significant to ignore. FlytWare Solution Partners have the opportunity to engage in this industry disruption at its early stages, and thus capture tremendous value for themselves and their customers.
Automation a game changer in Warehousing
As labor shortages only get worse, moving more products is expanding daily for businesses When it comes to e-commerce, big growth is happening. E-commerce now represents around 12 percent of the retail business overall, with Amazon making up 37 percent of that number, according to Steven Leavengood, vice president of sales and services at the Interroll Group. “We’re seeing huge growth,” he said. E-commerce “is expected to grow to 25 percent of the total retail market in the next five years.” As retail moves this direction, the press to automate in warehouses and throughout the industry is on, especially as some struggle to find the necessary workforce. But some experts say the journey to automate and implement artificial intelligence remains in its early stages and stresses that in a process that takes time, companies need to consider automation options now lest they fall behind. “It’s like raising a child. You’re always developing, growing, changing adapting,” said Leavengood, of implementing automation. “It’s a path of a thousand steps. It’s incremental. You start in a very basic mode and the journey goes on and on,” he said. Automation, step-by-step Leavengood sees automation moving into the industry faster than artificial intelligence, which so far is primarily centered in the largest material handling companies. But the incremental opportunities are there for small and medium-sized systems in material handling to start down the road of automation, Leavengood said. A business can “start off with conveyors and then scanners and then picking and sorting,” he said, explaining that automation can be integrated into each of those steps and companies rarely implement everything at once. “What’s often concerting for companies that don’t do a lot of automation is they are concerned about the ability to handle the control side. How do I make sure everything works together, communicates?” Leavengood said. But he provided reassurance. “There’s technology, you can learn it. You can learn the controls. It is much more user-friendly than it used to be,” Leavengood said, noting smaller companies do not require the complex systems of giants like Amazon or Walmart. Leavengood noted that in automation, smart technology is especially helpful as those in the industry look for more precision throughout the operation. “Data is a big driver around all platforms,” he said, noting that it helps craft pinpointed accuracy to drive better decision making. ‘An innovative drive solution’ Interroll bills itself as a leading provider of material handling solutions with a wide range of platform-based products and services. The company’s new DC platform, launched at MODEX 2020, taps into this need for precision by working communicating closely with robotic systems. In a press release, Interroll dubbed the platform “an innovative drive solution.” “As automation becomes more common, intelligent goods flow control plays an ever more significant role in conveyance systems. With the DC Platform, Interroll has developed a powerful technology platform that fulfills these requirements in an exemplary manner,” the release said. Armin Lindholm, managing director of the Global Center of Excellence for Rollers and RollerDrive in Wermelskirchen, said the platform enables dealing with user requirements in a more individual manner. “This new platform can be used to create a unique range of conveying solutions, from autonomous conveyors that can be commissioned without a programmable logic controller (PLC) using plug-and-play, all the way to tailor-made, high-performance systems that can be consistently and transparently integrated into the data universe of Industry 4.0 applications for the purpose of monitoring in control stations, for preventive maintenance or for other functions,” he said, in the statement. The company’s new platform is a “game-changer” in the way it implements data and its power capabilities, Leavengood said. “This is a real revolution in the hardware,” he said. Helping with labor needs One advantage automation and artificial intelligence offer is in meeting employment needs. “Ten years ago, I think our (national) unemployment was over nine percent. Today, I think it is 3.5 or 3.6 percent. So, the labor challenge is significant in this country,” Leavengood said. “The benefit of automation is being able to scale up and down per your needs.” There are different factors at play in the current labor force, he added. “You see Amazon increasing the hourly rate but on the other hand reducing workforce because of automation,” he said. “Jobs are shifting.” At BEUMER Corporation, Chief Sales Officer John Sarinick handles sales segments for North America. He agreed that labor is a major concern. “Automation is doing very well because companies can’t find the labor,” he said, adding that BEUMER has customers who “need to get product out the door but can’t find the labor.” “There is a need for automation,” Sarinick said. Globally, Leavengood said the European markets are ahead of the U.S. on implementing automated solutions, although the U.S. is leading in e-commerce. “I see the U.S. as catching up over the next 10 to 20 years. Spending for automation has steadily increased year-over-year,” he added. Leavengood said companies not looking into automation now are probably “a little behind the curve.” “The big companies are investing in automation. The mid-size retailers and small companies have to get on this bandwagon,” he said, noting the need to reduce errors, meet labor needs, be precise and meet market expectations for speed. “The other piece of that is really the global competition. That’s a huge driver,” he said. Sarinick agreed. “In general, the need and the desire to have things as quick as possible is going to drive the need for speed and automation is part of that,” he said. “I think it’s still something that is going to continue to grow to meet the demands of the customer.” Eileen Mozinski Schmidt is a freelance writer and journalist based in the Greater Milwaukee area. She has written for print and online publications for the past 13 years. Email editorial@MHWmag.com or visit eileenmozinskischmidt.wordpress.com to contact Eileen. If your company would like to be featured, email editorial@MHWmag.com
Autonomous Mobile Robot Conference rescheduled
The Autonomous Mobile Robot Conference, sponsored by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, in San Jose, California. The leaders in the burgeoning autonomous mobile robots (AMR) market will gather at the Doubletree by Hilton San Jose for a full day of sessions, highlighting everything companies need to know about using these innovative tools to increase productivity in logistics, manufacturing, retail, and other industries. Registration is now open online. The inaugural AMR Conference in Louisville, Kentucky last year was a sold-out success with nearly 400 attendees and 30 industry exhibits. The 2020 AMR Conference had initially been set for June 10 in Boston but was postponed amid concerns around the coronavirus outbreak. AMRs automate monotonous, repetitive, and potentially injury-prone manual material transportation, freeing people for higher-value activities. Unlike traditional, inflexible, and expensive means of transporting materials, such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs), conveyor belts, or forklifts, AMRs can be implemented without disrupting a building’s permanent infrastructure with wires or magnets added to the floor. Easy programming, flexible deployment, and built-in safety features add to the robots’ appeal. “As the success of last year’s AMR Conference showed us, there’s tremendous momentum behind AMR deployment across many sectors,” said Jeff Burnstein, president of A3. “Whether in manufacturing, logistics, or even retail, AMRs are already proving to be a perfect tool for dynamic environments and on-demand automation.” Conference attendees will learn how to deploy AMRs across myriad applications, discover how AMRs are changing businesses for the better, and network with leading players in the industry. The full-day will include talks on: Understanding the Basics of AMR Technology: What You Need to Know How to Speed up Deployment of Mobile Robots by Including Your Workforce Mobile Robot Technology in Your Distribution Center A Discussion of the New Mobile Robot Safety Standard The AMR Conference will be held the day after A3’s Collaborative Robots, Advanced Vision & AI Conference, Oct. 26-27, also at the Doubletree by Hilton by Hilton San Jose. There will be a discounted registration fee offered for those who attend both conferences. Registration Registration for the AMR Conference & exhibition is now open with an early-bird price of $595.
Fort Robotics introduces Oversight™, its new safety and security platform for smart machines
Full-Stack platform brings enhanced safety, flexibility, and endpoint security for autonomous and connected machines. Participants at MODEX will get a first look at FORT’s new solution for large equipment FORT Robotics, a VC-funded company dedicated to safety and security for smart machines, is introducing its next-generation platform, Oversight™. The first-of-its-kind control system enhances worker safety and machine security with built-in encryption, safety-certified communications, and advanced software features with seamless connectivity through web and mobile applications. FORT developed Oversight after working for several years with over 200 customers, including many of the most advanced robot development teams across numerous Fortune 100 companies, VC-funded startups, and academic and government research labs. Oversight reflects these customers’ need to maintain safe and secure remote control over large machines at all times, even if they’re fully autonomous and connected to the internet. FORT sees Oversight as a critical step in its mission to make robust functional safety and cybersecurity easier to build into smart machines. “Every machine is becoming connected and autonomous, and we are building Oversight as the protective layer to ensure those machines are safe and secure,” said Samuel Reeves, Founder, and CEO of FORT Robotics. “Construction, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, and countless niches are being transformed by smart machines, and we want to give the engineering teams developing these solutions the freedom to focus on their applications with the confidence that safety supervision and endpoint security are taken care of.” Key benefits of FORT Oversight include: Remote Control Designed for Autonomy: Advanced collaboration features enable safe control transitions between different machines and users in multiple operation modes– from manual to fully autonomous– with minimal friction. Flexible and Future-Proof: WiFi, Bluetooth, ISM, and LTE network options enable global and diverse use cases, for today and tomorrow, plus the ability to use Oversight as the machine’s primary communications gateway. User-Configurable Wireless Safety: Expandable safety I/O allows additional safety devices to be integrated and bridged wirelessly. Rugged, Ergonomic, Industrialized Hardware: Extreme temperature ranges, ingress protection, and hardened mechanical design on the machine, familiar but rugged form factor in the handset. Seamless Configuration and Updates: Smart device integration enables system updates and user access control in the field; web portal provides easy configuration and monitoring of the ecosystem remotely. Powerful Security: Hardware-based authentication ensures that only approved operators are allowed to operate machines, approved developers are allowed to modify machines, and approved organizations are allowed to communicate with machines. FORT’s solution has a number of applications in material handling, uses with AGVs, forklifts and other smart machines as the industry expands autonomous capabilities. “Our solution supports a durable, lightweight and ergonomic remote control that can be used when manual control is necessary for mapping or maintenance or to provide additional safety operations,” says Reeves. “Our solution is designed to support advanced features including Machine Select, to choose which machine to control from a single remote; Mode Select, to transition between supervised control or autonomous operation of a machine, and Access Control to authenticate operation of each user and each machine via our mobile app.” FORT will be exhibiting at MODEX Booth # 6228.
MHS announces expanded autonomous mobile robot capabilities
Technologies, design and integration expertise combine for a most efficient path to adopt mobile robots MHS a single-source provider of material handling automation and software solutions, announces its expanded portfolio of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capabilities. The company combines access to best-of-breed robotic technologies with application design and integration expertise for maximum operational benefit. “With mobile robots increasingly prevalent in distribution and fulfillment, parcel and other environments, the challenge is properly integrating them with complex automated systems,” says Michael Fleming, global product manager, MHS. “Our deep experience with these systems and emerging technologies uniquely positions us to bring the theoretical benefit of mobile robots to the daily reality of our customers.” MHS provides access to a full lineup of automated mobile transportation systems, including modifications for target applications like detachable carts, robotic arms, forklifts and conveyor supplements. Sourcing best-of-breed technologies means customers are not limited to the in-house offering of a single vendor but maintains the efficiency of single-source solution design and integration, including reduced exposure to additional markups, control design, and change orders. MHS handles control of AMR solutions through facility software applications, allocating work to ensure they function seamlessly with other automated systems. The company’s Lifecycle Performance Services group is equipped to remotely monitor and proactively service AMRs to keep systems running at their peak. Visit MHS at MODEX booth #7646 to learn more about the company’s approach to mobile robots.
Boston Dynamics partners with Otto Motors to coordinate Mobile Robots in the warehouse
Boston Dynamics, a world provider in mobile manipulation robots, and OTTO Motors, a provider in industrial autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), unveiled a demo of the future of warehouse automation. In a video released today, Boston Dynamics’s logistics robot, Handle, can be seen picking boxes and building pallets on top of OTTO AMRs in a distribution center testbed. Last year, Boston Dynamics announced its efforts to add flexible, highly mobile automation technology to the warehouse with its Handle robot and Pick computer vision system. Since then, the team has integrated Pick’s box detection software into the Handle robot and sold and integrated Pick into industrial robotic work cells at sites around the world. The Handle robot completed proof of concept trials with customers in their warehouses last year and Boston Dynamics is working with OTTO Motors to further automate the logistics space. “We’ve built a proof of concept demonstration of a heterogeneous fleet of robots building distribution center orders to provide a more flexible warehouse automation solution,” said Boston Dynamics VP of Product Engineering Kevin Blankespoor. “To meet the rates that our customers expect, we’re continuing to expand Handle’s capabilities and optimizing its interactions with other robots like the OTTO 1500 for warehouse applications.” OTTO Motors has long focused on solving the problem of moving goods in the warehouse through AMRs like the OTTO 1500, providing mission-critical deliveries within a variety of industrial environments. “It’s exciting to engage with other cutting-edge robotics companies like Boston Dynamics,” said Ryan Gariepy, CTO, and Co-Founder of OTTO Motors. “As leaders in our respective spaces, we can apply our technologies to field a whole new realm of applications.” Boston Dynamics and OTTO will be demoing their products at MODEX, a trade show for supply chain, manufacturing, and distribution automation, from March 9 – 12, 2020 in Atlanta, GA. See Boston Dynamics’s Pick in action and learn more about Handle at booth #7494 and find OTTO at booth #10019.
Matthews’ present MODEX Educational Seminar on Collaborative Robotics to Enhance Order Fulfillment
The free, on-show-floor presentation explains ways to combine traditional material handling automation with collaborative robotic technologies for optimized order fulfillment On Tuesday, March 10th, two experts from Matthews Automation Solutions will present a free, on-show-floor educational seminar, “Optimize Order Fulfillment with Collaborative Robotics” at MODEX 2020. The session runs from noon to 12:45 p.m. in Theater E and is hosted by Matthews Automation Solutions’ Austin Santich, System Design Manager, and Dr. Paul Rivers, Managing Director of Guidance Automation, part of Matthews Applied Technologies Group. Rivers will draw on Guidance’s 25+ years of providing robotic technologies to introduce today’s state of the art autonomous solutions. This includes hardware and software advances designed to maximize intelligence, performance, safety and application flexibility. “The front line of autonomous mobile robot (AMR) and automatic guided vehicle (AGV) development focuses on reducing operational errors, increasing throughput and maximizing efficiency while doing so on a scalable, adaptable platform that flexes with changing demand and requirements,” shares Rivers. “AMRs should further create opportunities to integrate and collaborate with proven material handling systems – and personnel – to optimize all resources.” “Early adopter use cases of AMR installations in material handling applications are increasingly being shared, showing that these robotic solutions are proving their potential for alleviating the labor shortage while supporting and enhancing the productivity of the existing workforce,” adds Santich. “As a result, many operations — particularly those in DTC and omnichannel order fulfillment — are more interested than ever in determining where within their processes collaborative robots might best fit.” Santich continues: “Our MODEX presentation will explain several ways in which the selective and incremental implementation of robotics, using a holistic systems approach, will improve throughput rates and labor productivity, with the resulting savings helping to provide a quick return on investment.” Additionally, robotics can increase the agility and flexibility of an automated material handling operation, notes Rivers: “Combining AGVs, AMRs, and other robotic solutions allows a distribution center to more easily customize their system, yet accommodates future changes in fulfillment channels and requirements.” The session will detail a range of application examples in which the addition of robotic solutions increases order fulfillment speed, accuracy, and agility, including: AMR-assisted, semi-automated, light-directed picking systems that travel alongside pickers or tow full and empty carts; Put walls fed by pick-carrying AMRs for fast and accurate e-commerce order consolidation and packout; Fixed conveyor systems integrated with AMRs sporting motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor on their top decks for product movement through areas without conveyance; Loop sorters interfacing with AMRs to receive full totes for takeaway or bring more merchandise for induction; Finishing systems supplied by, or outputting to, AMRs; Complete integration of AMRs and other MHE systems with a facility’s overarching Warehouse Execution Software (WES) for end-to-end optimization and balanced, continuous workflow. Matthews Automation Solutions’ material handling automation and robotic technologies experts will be available to discuss specific order fulfillment challenges in Booth 4013 throughout MHI-sponsored MODEX in Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center, March 9-12, 2020.
Get your Robot Driver’s License at ISC West
Ever wonder what it’s like to drive a security robot? Cobalt Robotics, a manufacturer of intelligent security robots that autonomously patrol indoor facilities, invites ISC West, 2020 attendees, to Booth 34051, in the Drones and Robotics exhibit, to drive a Cobalt robot and experience how they combine the flexibility of humans with the reliability of a machine, providing high-level human intelligence, rapid situational awareness, real-time responsiveness, and perfect accountability. “We want to show ISC West attendees how easy security robots are to use, the different applications where they can be a force multiplier, and why security executives should consider implementing them as a part of their security operations,” said Dr. Travis Deyle, CEO and co-Founder of Cobalt Robotics. “We encourage everyone to visit our booth, put on a driver’s cap, and earn their Cobalt Robot Driver’s License.” Cobalt Robotics’ autonomous indoor security robots are equipped with powerful sensors, including day-night cameras, thermal sensors, motion sensors, and badge readers, which help them to detect anomalies and other risks that might not be detected by the human eye. The robots work alongside human guards and provide a safer environment in places such as offices and warehouses. The Cobalt robot uses machine learning to patrol buildings autonomously and flag anomalies such as unknown people, open doors, suspicious items, or unusual sounds. When anomalies are detected, the robot can either respond autonomously or video-call highly trained Cobalt Specialists to help resolve the situation remotely. Cobalt security robots now feature new leak and spill detection sensing technology, so they can be programmed to detect a leak or spill within a predefined area. Once detected, the security robot can then send the appropriate notification to a robot Specialist. At ISC West (Booth #34051), show attendees can sit with a Cobalt Specialist and operate the robot themselves, with guidance, for a designated time period. Attendees can book their driving experience in advance, or directly at the Cobalt Booth throughout the show. On-site appointments will be scheduled depending on robot and Cobalt staff availability. Cobalt Robotics was founded in 2016. Since then, robots designed and developed by the technology start-up have been deployed by several well-known companies, including Yelp, Briggs and Stratton, and Slack.
MODEX 2020: POWERED BY POSSIBILITIES
MODEX: POWERED BY POSSIBILITIES THE BEST SUPPLY CHAIN SOLUTIONS THE LATEST EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY THE SMARTEST THINKING FIND IT ALL AT MODEX 2020 March 9-12, 2020 Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center As the speed of manufacturing, supply chain and transportation operations continue to accelerate, the future of our industry depends on today’s forward-thinking decisions. From illuminating education to next-generation technology and equipment in action, MODEX lets you see what’s coming — and take advantage of it to power your supply chain with endless possibilities for years to come. MODEX 2020 will allow you to make new contacts, discover cutting-edge solutions, and learn the latest trends that are sure to give you a leg up on the competition. Here, you’ll encounter the best our industry has to offer to: CONNECT with over 900 of the leading providers and see in-person, in-action how their efficiency-enhancing and cost-cutting equipment and technology solutions can futureproof your supply chain. LEARN from the industry’s best minds how key industry trends and innovations can transform your manufacturing and supply chain operations during 100+ free education sessions and four powerful keynotes. MEET FACE-TO-FACE with your industry peers from the U.S. and over 140 countries across the globe. Whatever manufacturing and supply chain solutions or insights you need to power your business, you’ll find them at MODEX 2020. There is no cost to attend the exhibits and conference sessions. Register today for free admission. Show Exhibit Hours Monday, March 9: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Tuesday, March 10, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Wednesday, March 11: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM Thursday, March 12: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Exhibitors can reserve time in the press conference room in the show hall for any media event. Contact Carol Miller at cmiller@mhi.org or 704-676-1190 to reserve the room. Monday, March 9 Time Company Location Contact 8:45 am Keynote Ambassador Nikki Haley Importance of the supply chain to economic development Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 2:00 pm Dematic Booth 5619 Cheryl Falk Cheryl.Falk@Dematic.com 414-870-8735 3:00 pm EnerSys Booth 7632 Melissa Maycott melissa@hbmadv.com 215-440-9800 4:00 pm Waypoint and Numina Group Booth 9600 Jen Maloney jmaloney@numinagroup.com 630-343-2622 Tuesday, March 10 Time Company Location Contact 8:00 am – 8:30 am Rite-Hite Media Breakfast Room C109 Andy Larsen ALarsen@boelterlincoln.com 414-840-0891 8:45 am Keynote Tan Lee The Neurogeneration – The Future is Closer than you Think Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 9:30 am Flexcon Container Booth 8625 Ken Beckerman kenb@flexconcontainer.com 908-871-7000 10:00 am Honeywell Intelligrated Booth 7619a Tracy Niehaus tracy.niehaus@honeywell.com 513-607-1238 Wednesday, March 11 Time Company Location Contact 8:45 am Keynote MHI Annual Industry Report Preview the 2020 MHI Annual Industry Report Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 9:30 am Jungheinrich Booth 3810 Shannon Myers shannon.myers@mcfa.com 713-365-1432 1:00 pm Keynote Peyton & Archie Manning A conversation with Peyton and Archie Manning Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190 3:00 pm Interroll Press Conference Room Maredith Ransom m.ransom@interroll.com 843-323-8289 4:30 pm MHI Industry Night with Hassan Minhaj Thomas Murphy Ballroom Carol Miller cmiller@mhi.org 704-676-1190
How close are we to Drone Delivery?
The rise of e-commerce and growing customer expectations has led to more and more logistics companies making residential deliveries. The last mile of delivery is often the most inefficient portion of global logistics and companies are looking to drones to solve this problem. Click here to view the video.
New Hytrol products to be showcased at MODEX
Hytrol will feature the newest additions and enhancements to its products at MODEX 2020 in booth #6605 in March. The new products to be featured are the Prosort 1100, EZLogic® 4.0 and the company’s new low-profile line. These products will be displayed on a conveyor loop that includes a belted curves, the patented NBEZ narrow belt accumulator and the 24-volt curve. This loop will also demonstrate the company’s PANDA and SLAM applications. “When designing the conveyor loop, we wanted to showcase as many new products and technologies we could to highlight what Hytrol can do for multiple industries,” said Daniel Aspinwall, parcel project manager. The new ProSort 1100 is a smaller, high-speed sliding shoe sorter, with a breakaway shoe. It is made to handle smaller items and is useful for eCommerce industries. “We wanted to create a ProSort that fits the needs of industries that have smaller packages needing to be sorted quickly and efficiently. The ProSort 1100 is suited for the fast pace work of eCommerce and industries that require similar conveyance,” said Research and Development Team Leader Bobby Brown. EZLogic® 4.0 is the newest generation of EZLogic. ® This product works in conjunction with large control design systems. It is a distribution control system with the power of an industrial fieldbus network. Users can control two zones with one controller and allow an engineering controls team to interconnect additional digital devices on a single cable to configure large systems. “EZLogic® 4.0 makes projects more efficient by enabling remote diagnostics and analytic capability,” Brown said. “We wanted to create a program that allowed for higher productivity while lowering installation and operational cost.” The Low-Profile Line allows for simple installation, can be used for multiple applications and is easy to maintain, making this an innovative solution for multiple users. It works well with pick and place robotics such as Hytrol’s SLAM or PANDA robotics. “We wanted to design something that fit well into systems that offered smooth operation along with precision controls. That way when a package needed to be labeled with a print and apply automation, we would have an option for that user,” said Brown. Hytrol will also have a virtual reality booth set up where over 30,000 attendees can see how conveyor systems from different industries work together to provide various material handling solutions. “We use the VR booth regularly at our Technology Center in Jonesboro,” Director of Engineering Ben Moyer said. “By bringing the booth with us to MODEX, we can give a virtual depiction of what Hytrol can do for potential customers.” Read more about Hytrol’s booth #6605 on our website or schedule a meeting at bit.ly/hytrolmodex2020
Bastian Solutions to present with DICK’S Sporting Goods at MODEX 2020
Attendees will learn more about how omnichannel fulfillment gave DSG a competitive edge Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, returns to MODEX March 9-12, 2020. Located at booth 7811, the company will feature the latest in global material handling system technology and host a breakout session with DICK’S Sporting Goods, discussing omnichannel fulfillment. Featuring the AutoStore goods-to-person system with both Red and Black Line bots and bins, paired with Bastian Solutions’ robotic each picking arm and conveyor, the booth will give attendees a taste of the latest in ecommerce order fulfillment solutions. The Exacta Software suite demonstrations of warehouse execution systems and Exacta Touch will be available, along with the M4A Mouse automated guided vehicle (AGV) with natural features navigation, for attendees to view first-hand. The free seminar Monday, March 9 at 10:30 am, hosted by Bastian Solutions and DICK’S Sporting Goods, will break down the details behind DSG’s decision to expand its retail fulfillment center to include ecommerce fulfillment in the same building – creating an omnichannel fulfillment center that boasts 650,000 square feet and services 160 stores. Meet the Bastian Solutions team in booth 7811 or contact us to schedule a time to meet during the show.
AGVS Group rebrands as Mobile Automation Group
The Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems (AGVS) Industry Group of MHI has rebranded as the Mobile Automation Group (MAG). The updated name and changed logo is part of a larger overall branding restructuring as a response to the changing face of the industry. Mobile automation in supply chain continues to evolve and change and the MAG is committed to evolve alongside to give their customers the best solutions for their needs. “Mobile automation within the supply chain continues to evolve and change and the Mobile Automation Group is committed to evolve alongside to give their customers the best solutions for their needs,” says Carlos Millan, chair of the Mobile Automation Group. “MAG serves to educate the market to the changes going on within the world of mobile automation and to the paradigm shift being realized in many markets because of the evolution of mobile automation technology. The new name and logo reflect that mission.” MAG serves to educate the market to the changes going on within the world of mobile automation and to the paradigm shift being realized in many markets because of the evolution of mobile automation technology and the new logo reflects that mission.
Packsize offers tailor-made and automated packaging for e-commerce
Tailor-made, efficient and sustainable: Packsize will present its automated solutions for e-commerce at the LogiMAT trade fair in Stuttgart, Germany. The experts meet the challenge of ever increasing shipping volumes by providing more efficient and sustainable packaging processes. Precision-fit boxes, created individually for each shipment, bring numerous advantages from picking through to shipping. Online retailers are faced with two contradictory requirements: on the one hand, customers like to shop in the Internet and value the advantages. And they expect their orders to arrive, properly packaged, at their doorstep in ever shorter delivery times. At the same time, the demand for more sustainability is steadily increasing. These requirements can only be reconciled by using optimised processes from order entry to shipping. Increased throughput and more efficient material flows become essential. Packaging as a Service Packsize offers “Packaging as a Service”. Packaging lines for e-commerce and fulfilment are designed and implemented individually, working in partnership with the operators. A wide range of options for automated carton cutting, -folding, -filling and -sealing can be efficiently integrated. This always results in more economic and sustainable solutions. “We offer customised complete processes that make it possible for each order to be packed in a ready-to-ship box”, explains Martin Jönsson, Vice President of Enterprise Sales Europe at Packsize. Customers profit from the extensive bandwidth of possible “On Demand Packaging®” solutions. “The degree of automation increases rapidly along with productivity, yet each individual product – be it a tablet, chair or rug – always gets its own tailor-made shipping box”, explains Jönsson. Individual packaging processes with wide ranging options Packsize solutions are based on a high level of automation. The fully automatic X7 packaging line, for example, produces up to 1,200 differently sized ready-to-ship packages per hour. Labour intensive operations in the packaging process are significantly reduced. By introducing On Demand Packaging processes, e-commerce and related fulfilment companies can also reduce their ecological footprint. Using right-sized boxes significantly reduces both the package volume and the amount of material used. Packsize customers also make savings when it comes to handling and logistics, since the tailor-made packages take up less space. And the amount of filling material used is also reduced. Packsize will be exhibiting at the LogiMAT trade fair in Stuttgart from March 10th to 12th at Stand B61 in Hall 4.
Avaltos Supply Chain optimization services
Effective supply chain management can be pivotal for sustained business growth: A Deloitte survey found that “79 percent of organizations with superior supply chain capabilities (‘supply chain leaders’) achieve revenue growth that is significantly above average.” Miami-based Avaltos is distinguishing itself by helping businesses achieve similar superior results, by transforming supply chains into a competitive advantage by improving processes and costing to increase profitability. Avaltos has recently started offering its services to a broader spectrum of companies. Until recently, the company worked only with private equity firms in assisting them turn around their acquired companies. And the company, founded in 2011, has been obtaining impressive, tangible results for its clients, reporting that it has helped grow their bottom lines by $18 million, or the equivalent of generating $180 million in sales. Due to such success, Avaltos has been able to significantly expand its service footprint: Serving only overseas businesses and private equity firms in its first years, the company’s clientele now encompasses a wide spectrum of business, Fortune 500 and small and medium-sized businesses alike, in such diverse sectors as oil and gas, automotive, chemicals, consumer products, food and beverage, industrial manufacturing, mining and metals, healthcare and life sciences, and utilities and energy. Avaltos: How It Helps Businesses Optimize Supply Chains for Sustained Benefits Avaltos says that its overriding focus is to help its clients improve their bottom lines by optimizing supply chains, reducing costs and implementing the technology to transform their organizations. Avaltos does this by partnering with its clients to assist them with cost management, cash flow, and overall operations. Avaltos also augments its clients’ staff so that they can continue running their day-to-day operations while Avaltos helps the clients evolve from tactical and reactive activity to more strategic work — allowing them to become more proactive, visionary organizations. All this, the company emphasizes, is achieved at minimal cost. And that is realized, Avaltos explains, by implementing leading-edge technologies such as automated business processes, data analytics, dashboard and robotic process automation, and adopting demand forecasting, sales and operation planning, new product introduction and product lifecycle management. Avaltos: Examples of its impact: Avaltos saved a major snack food company $3M in annual spending while also reducing the number of headaches caused by supplier relations. Considering the company’s 10 percent gross margin, that’s the equivalent of $30M in new business. An iconic food brand and company with Avaltos’s help obtained savings generated from sourcing exercises in materials, indirect and transportation, and operational efficiencies yielded a 20 percent EBITDA Improvement. A leading manufacturer of personal care and beauty products underwent a transformational journey with Avaltos – resulting in working capital being freed up by the release of cash associated with longer payment terms with suppliers and shorter lead times, producing 25 percent savings in some direct categories. After Avaltos helped an overseas industrial group, specializing in the construction of complex infrastructure, optimize their supply chain while connecting them with neighboring suppliers, they saved $500,000 across several projects over two years. “We’re proud that we’ve established ourselves as a pure results-based organization that helps our clients unlock hidden profits in their supply chains while enabling them to improve top- and bottom-line contributions, and to implement radical, tech-driven transformations, all while being cost-neutral,” says Avaltos President Carlos Grimaldos. “Our clients top and bottom lines will always be our bottom line.”
MHS rebrands VanRiet, OCM businesses in latest step of integration process
Single global brand identity supports cohesive customer experience and integrated path forward MHS, a single-source provider of material handling automation and software solutions, has announced the rebranding of its VanRiet and OCM businesses. The two companies are now simply referred to as MHS, providing a unified brand identity to customers worldwide. “Consolidating legacy brands into a single MHS identity is an important step to portray our broad capabilities and consistent customer experience worldwide,” says Markus Augeneder, the company’s CEO of International, responsible for MHS operations outside the U.S. “Since becoming part of the MHS family, our European colleagues have upheld core values of reliability, trust and innovation to take care of our customers and support the continued global expansion of MHS.” MHS announced the acquisition of VanRiet in May 2018 and OCM in August of the same year, expanding the company’s footprint in Europe and China. In the years since the acquisition, MHS has worked to support the research and development of new technologies, and market advanced automated solutions to a growing global market, backed with responsive local support. Additional MHS acquisitions include Atronix and Advanced Production Systems in October 2017, A2i Systems in July of 2018 and eMotion in 2020, bolstering the company’s controls, software, integration, engineering and lifecycle service capabilities. “Meeting global e-commerce demand requires immense material handling infrastructure and fuels our vision for MHS as a turnkey solutions provider with best-in-class automation technology and support,” says Scott McReynolds, CEO and Co-Founder, MHS Global. “This rebranding gives us the strong global identity to continue our growth trajectory in a fast-paced logistics market.”
AMRs for flexible workflow
Advancements in technology over the past several years have led to a rise in robotics and automation in the supply chain. More recently automated mobile robots, or AMRs, have been rising in popularity. Click here to view video.
Beumer to showcase retail and e-commerce solutions at LINK 2020
As consumer demand for an ever-widening range of products increases, the retailer supply chain must adapt to increase speed, improve efficiency, and ensure accurate, worldwide delivery. BEUMER Group, an industry provider in the design and manufacture of material handling, automation and intralogistics systems, will showcase retail and e-commerce solutions at the LINK 2020 Retail Supply Chain Conference taking place February 23–26 in Dallas, TX. BEUMER solutions, including the company’s tilt-tray and cross-belt sortation system designs, address virtually every phase of the sortation and distribution process — from receiving and order fulfillment, to shipping and returns. In addition, the integration of data analytics enables companies to identify patterns and trends, establish correlations and benchmark processes to enable data-driven asset management. BEUMER experts will be on-hand to discuss examples at Booth 703.