AutoScheduler.AI names Keith Moore as CEO
AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Management System (WMS) accelerator, names Keith Moore as CEO with Tom Moore, Founder, moving to the Board of Directors. AutoScheduler has also added Lori Stoia, a seasoned marketing professional, as the new Director of Marketing to evangelize their rapidly-growing market presence. “These executive changes reflect the growth that AutoScheduler has experienced recently and will further position the company for continued growth and success,” says Jeff Potts, Chief Revenue Officer at AutoScheduler.AI. “All of these executives are trailblazers in their respective fields and bring impressive leadership and strategic skills to their new positions.” Keith Moore was previously the Chief Product Officer at AutoScheduler. As CEO, he takes on additional responsibilities and will manage AutoScheduler’s overall operations, including driving profitability, managing organizational structure, strategy, and communicating with the board. Keith will continue to drive product direction and vision, leveraging his knowledge of the warehousing industry and deep technology competencies to drive value in AutoScheduler’s offerings, taking the business to the next level. Keith is well-recognized in the market as a thought leader, entrepreneur, and visionary. He is also the Founder of ProvisionAI and previously led product management at SparkCognition. Thomas A. Moore is the Founder of AutoScheduler.AI, CEO of T|WO, and a Partner at ProvisionAI, and will now move to AutoScheduler’s Board as Chairman. Tom founded all three of these businesses, focusing on applying optimization software to transportation and warehouse operations to increase efficiencies and lower costs. Most recently, ProvisionAI and Kimberly-Clark’s Project EARL was recognized as a CSCMP Innovation Award Finalist for solving costly transportation volatility challenges. Lori Stoia joins AutoScheduler.AI as the Director of Marketing where she will leverage her deep domain expertise for demand generation, awareness and building thought leadership for the company.
Numina Group continues double digit growth trajectory in 2022 in response to continuing high demand for warehouse automation solutions
Numina Group’s key services, design engineering, and software-driven warehouse automation integration remain in high demand as manufacturers and distribution operations seek to increase their efficiency and reduce their reliance on manual labor. To meet growing demand, Numina Group has increased its workforce by 34% in the first half of 2022. Numina Group’s focus is on designing automation and process improvement solutions that reduce warehouse labor costs and increase productivity and business profitability. Small, mid-size, and large businesses all have the same business operational goals in common – reduction in manual labor and improvements in accuracy and performance in pick, pack, and ship are critical to their success. As an independent systems integrator and software development firm with a proven 35-year track record, focused on lean processes that optimize operations for manufacturing and distribution operations, Numina Group is perfectly poised to provide businesses with the assistance they need. Top industry and technical talent joins the Numina Team New hires at Numina Group include several director-level senior managers to bring additional executive leadership and industry experience to the firm. They have also added additional software engineers, mechanical and electrical engineers, project managers, technicians, and customer support managers. Kevin Walsh joins Numina Group as the Director of Engineered Solutions. Kevin enjoyed a long career at UPS working both as a senior industrial engineering manager and as a facility operations manager. Kevin also worked in the 3PL industry as the Senior Manager of Technology, Engineering, and Systems at DSC Logistics, recently acquired as part of CJ Logistics, an international 3PL firm. “It is exciting to join an established design and automation firm with a great reputation for innovation,” he said. “I’ve worked both operation management and systems engineering roles from the customer’s side, so I enjoy the data-driven approach to design with Numina.” He added “I find it rewarding to draw from my 30+ years of experience to contribute to the firm’s growth and continuous quality improvement goals. Everyone on my team embraces Numina’s objective of providing warehouse automation solutions that exceed our customers’ business and ROI goals.” Jeff Vinkler is joining Numina Group as the Director of Software Engineering. Jeff has extensive experience leading software engineering and development teams responsible for designing, developing, and implementing complex solutions, including over 10 years at Accenture. He will lead the software delivery and customer service support teams at Numina. Jeff will focus on leadership, team building, communication, and comprehensive project management to help scale the organization to support its current and future growth. Jeff stated, “I’m very happy to be part of Numina’s organization, and am looking forward to helping deliver quality products for our customers. I’m thrilled that my 28 years of experience in software engineering delivery on both sides of the client/vendor relationship can help Numina continue its growth trajectory.”
Duravant welcomes new Senior VP and General Counsel
Duravant welcomes Chad E. Walker to the position of Senior Vice President and General Counsel. In this role, Walker will drive Duravant’s global legal strategy, deploy processes to ensure legal compliance, and work with the organization’s leadership teams to propose and drive initiatives to propel the Company forward. Among his initial priorities, Walker will work to develop a more structured framework for advancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives across the Company. He will also serve as Secretary for the Board of Directors and Chief Compliance Officer. “As our business has grown in size and complexity, it is necessary to add this critical role to our Executive Leadership Team. Chad’s broad experience in corporate law makes him ideally suited to drive compliance, new initiatives, and focus on strategy across the Duravant family,” said Mike Kachmer, president, and CEO of Duravant. Walker brings over 20 years of diverse legal experience from both private and public companies. Most recently, he was the General Counsel, Corporate Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer for Morton Salt, Inc., the North American leader in the production of salt for culinary, household, food processing, chemical, pharmaceutical, and numerous other industrial uses. “I am thrilled to be joining Duravant and leading its legal strategy. I look forward to working with all our operating companies that are leading engineered equipment providers in the food processing, packaging, and material handling markets,” said Walker. “The opportunity to build a global ESG program and oversee corporate compliance for Duravant as the organization is rapidly growing and expanding in new and emerging markets is particularly exciting.” Prior to his role at Morton Salt, Walker was Assistant U.S. General Counsel for McDonald’s Corporation, one of the world’s leading food service brands. Walker’s previous experience also includes time as the Deputy General Counsel for the State of Illinois Department of Central Management Services, and as an attorney for Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr (formerly Arnstein & Lehr) and subsequently Michael Best & Friedrich LLC. Walker holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY, and a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison, WI. He will be based in the Duravant corporate office in Downers Grove, IL.
EP 302: Yard Management Solutions at MODEX 2022
In this week’s episode of The New Warehouse, we are talking about an often overlooked aspect of warehousing, yard management with the Yard Management Solutions team. A long-time friend of the podcast, Colin Mansfield, Director of Sales and Marketing, and a new podcast friend, Keegan Adams, Business Development Manager both work for Yard Management Solutions (YMS). YMS specializes in removing inefficiencies and manual processes associated with Yard Management. We discuss innovations and how YMS solves one of the most difficult challenges in warehouses today. Key Takeaways Having won the innovation award twice and now a finalist for the fifth time (MODEX and ProMat), YMS is no stranger to innovation. This year’s entry is YMS connect, a solution that provides visibility over material flow by bringing many different systems (WMS, TMS, IoT trackers, etc,) together. The idea for YMS connect came from a customer who asked for a way to see information from all of their different systems in one place. Understanding that many customers are experiencing the same challenges, YMS version 2, launched in January of this year, takes integration to a new level. The new system’s framework and flexibility open up many more possibilities for solving customer challenges, such as integrating with legacy systems. Customers aren’t just an excellent source for innovation. YMS believes its customers are some of its best salespeople because they help spread the word about how much easier yard management can be. We discuss the process-driven YMS system that is easy to use and visually appealing and makes it simple for employees to report what they are doing and update the system accordingly. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 302: Yard Management Solutions at MODEX 2022
Synergy conjures up yet more magic for Gartner Quadrant
Synergy North America has been retained on the elite Gartner Magic Quadrant (MQ) for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) – for the 11th successive year. The WMS domain expert cements its place in the ‘niche’ quadrant (focused on producing tangible functionality improvements) but also with leanings towards ‘visionary’ thanks to its innovative SnapFulfil technology and speed-to-value solutions. Synergy is one of only a handful of independent software vendors worldwide to be selected for the prestigious 2022 WMS MQ. Apart from having a credible and proven WMS solution, the business was also measured on its vision and ability to execute. Synergy’s SnapFulfil is an award-winning, advanced cloud-based WMS suite and the MQ guide acknowledges its easy configurability and in-built flexibility to adapt to changing market requirements. Its robust rules engine facilitates high levels of non-code adaptability to support customer-specific and vertical-industry-specific requirements. This agility facilitates SnapFulfil’s superior onboarding methodology, which includes differentiating remote and self-implementation capabilities. It also offers a game-changing configuration tool for customers and has been further improved by interactive guidance and real-time digital training. Also highlighted by Gartner MQ is SnapFulfil’s pricing strategy, which allows companies to flex their number of users and associated costs, based on seasonal demand variations. In addition, a no-capital-expenditure, turnkey-managed service option combines software, cloud infrastructure, radio frequency (RF) hardware, ongoing support, and updates, as well as implementation services as part of a single and competitive subscription fee. Synergy clients range from high-growth SMBs to expanding global organizations and another Gartner focus is SnapFulfil’s ability to scale down to high Level 1 warehousing and up to more complex Level 4 operations by improving and enhancing processes that extend decision support capabilities. Also listed was an automated debugging tool to further speed up implementations. Last, but not least, Synergy is one of the longer-tenured cloud WMSs offering rapid onboarding (within an average of eight business weeks) and dedicated SaaS solutions. This reduces both short-term costs and entry-to-market risks. Synergy NA CEO, Rich Pirrotta, says: “We’re delighted once again to get this prestigious recognition from Gartner MQ, as we continue to make a tangible difference through rapid ROI, industry-leading deployment speed, and low total cost of ownership (TCO). With our focus on strong value, Gartner also recognizes our aim of being the provider of choice for the increasingly important e-commerce sector, as well as the third-party logistics (3PL) companies that support retail and D2C.”
Concentric LLC, an OnPoint Group Company acquires Industrial Power Products
Concentric, LLC, the national provider in DC power management and maintenance for the material handling and critical power industries, announced the acquisition of Industrial Power Products, the largest motive power distributor in the Mid-South. This acquisition will expand Concentric’s service footprint across West Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Industrial Power Products has seven branch locations, each featuring service technicians that are factory-trained in battery, charger, and battery handling equipment repair. The company’s digitally-enabled power services complement Concentric’s digital PM platform, ConcentricCARE. For almost thirty years, Industrial Power Products has been led by Owners and Operators Scott and Michelle Monteath who will remain in their roles after the acquisition. Under their leadership, the company has become well-known for its digitally-enabled forklift power services for manufacturers and distributors. “I’ve had the privilege of collaborating with Scott and Michelle for years and this partnership is both personally and professionally exciting. The culture at Industrial Power Products is remarkable and they are renowned for their tech-forward service focus. We look forward to incorporating their DNA into our culture as we pursue our vision to provide a zero service interruption experience to customers,” said Concentric Chief Operating Officer, John Winter. “We could not be more thrilled to join forces with Concentric, furthering our joint mission to bring safety, consistency, and cost savings to manufacturers and distributors across the country. We will now have the capability to utilize our service expertise to impact a national customer base,” said Industrial Power Products’ Owner, Scott Monteath.
EP 300: MHS, Mujin and HAI Robotics at MODEX 2022
How fitting to have three guests join me for what is officially the 300th episode of The New Warehouse Podcast. Brian Reinhart, VP of Sales for HAI Robotics, Bruce Bleikamp, Director of Product Management at Material Handling Systems, Inc. (MHS) and Brandon Coats from Mujin join me from the booth at MODEX 2022 to discuss how the three companies have joined forces to provide the best user experience possible. Key Takeaways Brian, Bruce, and Brandon discuss what they feel are the most exciting products they have seen while at MODEX and what customers are most excited about as they look to take automation further into their processes. No two customers are alike, the needs vary from customer to customer depending on the operation, so it is important to maintain a flexible approach. We discuss how customer demands vary, which emphasizes the need to develop a solution that adjusts to the customer’s changing requirements. Brian discusses how a partner like MHS can bring that all together. We discuss pain points and challenges some of their customers are facing. We discuss how today’s automation solutions are designed to be scalable so that customers can start small and grow as their needs increase. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 300: MHS, Mujin, and HAI Robotics at MODEX 2022
KPI Integrated Solutions acquires Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors
Further strengthening KPI’s capacity and expertise to provide end-to-end distribution solutions for clients KPI Integrated Solutions, a supply chain consulting, software, systems integration, and automation supplier have announced the acquisition of Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors, a Boston-based, independent supply chain consulting firm that designs innovative demand-centric distribution networks, facilities, and systems. Driven to solve clients’ distribution challenges and provide complete end-to-end solutions, the acquisition of a second consulting firm allows KPI to strengthen our capacity to help our clients address their supply chain and operational challenges. The combined firms will continue to provide innovative solutions that drive scalable and resilient distribution networks and power agile order fulfillment operations for existing as well as new clients. Commonwealth founder and President Ian Hobkirk will be continuing in a senior leadership role at KPI, and all of Commonwealth’s consultants will be making the move to KPI as well. “I am excited to welcome Commonwealth to the KPI team as we continue to provide data-driven network and warehouse designs that speed up order fulfillment and reduce labor dependence for our clients,” said Larry Strayhorn, CEO of KPI. “The deep bench of our combined KPI and Commonwealth teams provides unmatched distribution network strategy, innovative facility plans, and advanced automated systems that deliver business results,” he continued. “By joining KPI, we have significantly increased our pool of consulting resources and added some great analytical tools to our toolbox,” said Hobkirk. “We’ll have the same core consulting team that we’ve spent a decade building but we’ll be able to offer our services on a much larger scale.” Hobkirk added, “Our combined organization offers end-to-end solutions that build agile operations, provide the most resilient and scalable distribution systems, and ultimately help our clients build stronger businesses. It’s an exciting day for Commonwealth and for our customers.” KPI Integrated Solutions, a portfolio company of ARES Management, was formed in 2021 with the combination of Kuecker Logistics Group, Pulse Integration, and QC Software
June 2022 reaches levels in New Industrial Manufacturing Planned Industrial Projects not seen since March 2022
SalesLeads has announced the June 2022 results for the newly planned capital project spending report for the Industrial Manufacturing industry. The Firm tracks North American planned industrial capital project activity; including facility expansions, new plant construction, and significant equipment modernization projects. Research confirms 150 new projects in June 2022 as compared to March 2022 with 152 planned projects in the Industrial Manufacturing sector. The following are selected highlights on new Industrial Manufacturing industry construction news. Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Type Manufacturing/Production Facilities – 129 New Projects Distribution and Industrial Warehouse – 71 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Scope/Activity New Construction – 44 New Projects Expansion – 55 New Projects Renovations/Equipment Upgrades – 72 New Projects Plant Closings – 9 New Projects Industrial Manufacturing – By Project Location (Top 10 States) Michigan – 15 Indiana – 13 Ohio – 12 Texas – 9 California – 8 South Carolina – 7 Kentucky – 5 North Carolina – 5 Virginia – 5 Wisconsin – 5 Largest Planned Project During the month of May, our research team identified 16 new Industrial Manufacturing facility construction projects with an estimated value of $100 million or more. The largest project is owned by GlobiTech, Inc., which is planning to invest $5 billion in the construction of a manufacturing facility in SHERMAN, TX. Construction is expected to start in late 2022. Completion is slated for 2025. Top 10 Tracked Industrial Manufacturing Projects OHIO: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $1.5 billion for expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in AVON LAKE, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project. OREGON: Lithium battery mfr. is planning to invest $450 million in the construction of a manufacturing facility in REDMOND, OR. They are currently seeking approval for the project. CONNECTICUT: Semiconductor components mfr. is planning to invest $250 million for an expansion of its manufacturing facility in WILTON, CT. They are currently seeking approval for the project. TENNESSEE: Specialty food packaging products mfr. is planning to invest $200 million for expansion and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in VONORE, TN. Completion is slated for late 2023. OHIO: A biotechnology company is expanding and planning to invest $150 million in the construction of a 350,000 SF laboratory and processing facility at 9885 Innovation Campus Way in NEW ALBANY, OH. They are currently seeking approval for the project. GEORGIA: Industrial equipment mfr. is planning to invest $140 million in the construction of a 650,000 SF warehouse and manufacturing facility in GAINESVILLE, GA. They are currently seeking approval for the project. Construction is expected to start in 2022. Completion is slated for late Summer 2024. ARKANSAS: A lumber company is expanding and planning to invest $131 million for the renovation and equipment upgrades on their manufacturing facility in WALDO, AR. Completion is slated for late 2024. MONTANA: A food production company is planning for the construction of meat, dairy, poultry processing, and warehouse complex in GREAT FALLS, MT. The project also includes the construction of a 20,000 distillery and production facility at the site. They are currently seeking approval for the project. MISSOURI: Automotive mfr. is planning to invest $95 million for expansion and equipment upgrades at their manufacturing facility in KANSAS CITY, MO. They have recently received approval for the project. MICHIGAN: Food safety products mfr. is planning to invest $70 million in the construction of a 175,000 SF manufacturing facility in LANSING, MI. Construction is expected to start in Fall 2022. About SalesLeads, Inc. Since 1959, SalesLeads, based in Jacksonville, FL is a leader in delivering industrial capital project intelligence and prospecting services for sales and marketing teams to ensure a predictable and scalable pipeline. Our Industrial Market Intelligence, IMI identifies timely insights on companies planning significant capital investments such as new construction, expansion, relocation, equipment modernization, and plant closings in industrial facilities. The Outsourced Prospecting Services, an extension to your sales team, is designed to drive growth with qualified meetings and appointments for your internal sales team.
Abel Womack celebrates 100 Years in Business, continues Legacy of Innovation
The Northeast US premier material handling company marks a major business milestone, building on one hundred years of dedication, professionalism, and integrity Abel Womack, a Northeast, US full-service lift truck, automation, and intralogistics company, has announced that it is reaching its key milestone of 100 years in business in 2022. This latest achievement is underscored by the company’s culture of teamwork, expertise, customer support, and a focus on forward-thinking client solutions. “We are thrilled to have reached this momentous milestone in our company’s history,” said John Croce, Chief Executive Officer of Abel Womack. “What’s truly impressive, even after 100 years, is that our mission, vision, and exceptional standards to “be the difference” remain intact; which is why we continue to attract the best sales, service, and business professionals in the industry. I am both humbled and proud to have spent nearly 50 years with this company and witness firsthand the integrity, professionalism, and customer care that takes place here every day”. Founded in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1922 as Robert Abel & Co., Inc., Abel Womack originally dealt primarily with hoists and cranes before representing the innovative Raymond® forklifts in 1958. Womack Material Handling was founded in 1978 in Wallingford, CT, and merged with Robert Abel & Co. in 1996 to become Abel Womack. Milestones include building a new corporate headquarters in Lawrence, MA in 1999 and a new Wallingford, CT facility in 2013. In order to also accommodate their considerable growth in NY, the branch moved from Farmingdale to a larger facility in Edgewood. Over 100 years, the equipment, technology, and solutions that help meet the needs of our customers have changed drastically, and Abel Womack has consistently stayed ahead of the curve with automation and technology such as robotics, goods to picker solutions, conveyors, fleet management services and the exceptionally engineered Raymond® forklifts. Abel Womack has continued to add products and solutions to its portfolio to ensure it can offer its clients unbiased, optimal solutions. In 1999, Abel Womack foresaw that automation and integrated systems were the wave of the future and began investing in the people and resources to grow that aspect of the business. It has certainly paid off as automation continues to grow in demand. With more than 230 employees in NY, MA, CT, ME, RI, VT, and NH, including 100+ mobile technicians, Abel Woman is better able to provide unparalleled service and unbiased, tailored solutions.
Rethinking Supply Chain Management
The supply chain crisis continues to place enormous strains on business. Global trade has been knocked out of balance. COVID-19 outbreaks continue to plague us all. COVID outbreaks in China closed two of the world’s busiest container ports. A marooned ship blocked traffic through the Suez Canal. And more than 100 ships were idled for weeks off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, waiting for trucks to arrive to clear the backlog of containers stacked on shore. The pandemic has caused both dramatic drops in segments of the market and seemingly controlled surges in others. Raw material supply shortages, transportation bottlenecks, finished goods shortages, as well as inventory placement challenges, have adversely affected our markets. These supply chain problems are compounded by labor shortages. The effect on consumers has been widespread. The general public is now experiencing supply chain disruption as households are having shortages, from the scarcity of PPE and toilet paper in 2020 to empty store shelves during the 2021 holiday shopping season. For businesses, especially manufacturers, the supply chain disruptions have had severe operational and financial consequences. When raw materials and packaging are not available when needed, production is slowed or halted, and sales are lost. At times this means customers are lost as they move on to competitors or find other solutions to overcome their unique shortage issues. Lean Inventory Management Put to the Test The supply chain disruptions have tested the Lean manufacturing practices, put in place to minimize “waste” of raw material and lower inventory. The Lean Six Sigma management philosophy urges against excess materials sitting around, taking up space because they are a drain on financial resources and additional inventory requires added resources to manage. Just-in-Time (JIT) inventory management programs, exemplified by the Toyota Production System (TPS), require suppliers to support production and shipping schedules between consumers and manufacturers with as little inventory as possible. The goal is to have just enough with zero excess or cushion. The model performs well to reduce costs when the supply chain is stable and predictable – but in this environment, is the cause of most shortages. Experts in Inventory Management AGE Industries is a leader in the packaging industry in forming true partnerships with our customers. Only through effective communications with our business partners can we achieve the service levels we have by carrying the correct levels of inventory. We have built our entire business around supplying our customers with their packaging needs on a JIT basis through a fantastic group of customer service representatives (CSRs) assisted by an operating system specifically tailored to manage our business. For many of our customers, we provide a Vendor-Managed Inventory (VMI) service where we take on the responsibility for optimizing the inventory held by the distributor, based upon our extensive experience in JIT, Kanban, forecasting, and other supply chain management methods. AGE does have other customers that do not require us to hold inventory. For these customers, we place orders called “run and ship.” Even though these customers manage their own inventories, our AGE customer service group communicates the ever-changing raw material lead times to ensure our customers get their orders placed with enough time to meet their own internal demand. These methods worked extremely well for the mutual benefit of our company, our vendors, and the customers that we have partnered with for decades. Impact of the Supply Chain Crisis Then came the pandemic. AGE started operations in 1974 and until the pandemic hit, raw material lead time had been roughly 24 hours. Today our lead time fluctuates from 2 to 4 weeks on normal material grades and up to 16 weeks for specialty items. Fortunately, the impact of the supply chain disruptions on our business and on our customers was relatively limited, due to our relationship with our vendors and the strategies we used to respond to the initial supply chain disruption. Once again, having good people on your team who care, clear communications with our customers, and proper production planning and inventory management is the key. Communication and Visibility First and foremost, our customer service team genuinely cares about our customers. This is the foundation for better communications. AGE teaches its CSRs how to properly interpret usage to prevent supply issues by not only reviewing the production process, but taking into account raw material availability, usage history, and production backlog. AGE does so in an effort to build a dynamic inventory management system in place of the normal min/max that most of our competitors use today. Through this process, AGE has been able to maintain constant supply in the current environment. Speed our Manufacturing Throughput To increase throughput, AGE had to adapt to pandemic-related labor shortages and improved automation, moving away from labor-intensive equipment and moving to automated equipment allowing more products to be finished in a single pass. We also reorganized the flow between our five production facilities to maximize manufacturing efficiency and to best utilize limited labor resources. This shift is from a previous model that gave priority to being as close as possible to the customer. The result has increased our shipping costs but will pay dividends in the future through long-term relationships built on trust. In the years ahead, we look forward to helping our business partners who rely on our services. I believe AGE has a strong future because of its people and ability to adapt to any market. COVID is a testament to our people, plans, and processes. We also believe that COVID is only the first of many tests to come. If you are not with a supplier that cares about your wellbeing and has the foresight to understand your business as well as theirs, then problems will ensue. About the Author: Bill Allen, Chief Operating Officer at AGE Industries, LTD.
Warehouse workers demand better technology
New Insights From Lucas Systems ‘Voice of the Warehouse Worker’ Market Study Warehouse workers value technology so much that they are willing to take a pay cut and switch jobs to use tech to help them do their jobs better, according to market study insights released today from Lucas Systems. The study polled 500 U.S. on-floor warehouse workers in May 2022 and is the first of its kind to examine workers’ relationships with technology as well as their fears, expectations, and perceptions about their daily jobs. Developed as the ‘Voice of the Warehouse Worker’, the study was conducted by Wakefield Research for Lucas Systems, a pioneer in providing software for warehouse workers and supervisors over the last 24 years. In the study, nearly 3 out of 4 (74%) on-floor workers said they would consider a pay cut at another company for an opportunity to use technology if it helps them in their job. Workers also said they are physically spent, spending over a third of their day walking, and would welcome tech’s help in the form of robots or other tech tools. “Having pioneered software used by tens of thousands of on-floor warehouse workers, we’re always seeking input. We’re interested in how to make on-floor worker jobs easier and better and what keeps them at their employers or encourages them to look elsewhere,” says Lucas Systems Chief Marketing Officer Ken Ramoutar. Other market study insights: Workers want to stay with their employer but feel improvements are necessary to make their jobs easier. Workers generally anticipate staying at their current employer for at least three years (74%) with 35% anticipating a tenure longer than five years. 75% of workers say physical strain in their jobs takes a larger toll on them than mental strain. The leading cause of physical strain is carrying and/or lifting followed by walking and/or traveling. Top causes of a mental strain include meeting performance or incentive goals and objectives (25%) and safely maneuvering around the warehouse (20%). Workers see robots as productive allies but fear increased quotas. More than 2 in 5 believe robots will reduce physical stress (46%) or help them achieve better speed in item picking (44%) or better accuracy (40%). In the study, workers perceived their company’s technology as an investment in them. Lucas Systems says this is meaningful in an industry already facing a labor shortage. “If workers equate tech investments with the company’s willingness to help them, it shows us that tech for on-floor warehouse workers plays a vital role in attracting and retaining employees in addition to its role in improving warehouse operations and performance,” says Ramoutar. More market study insights can be found here.
AutoScheduler.AI mentioned in 2022 Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Supply Chain Execution Technologies report
Recognized for the second time for the Warehouse Resource Optimization category AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Management System (WMS) accelerator, announces the company has been recognized for the second time in the 2022 Gartner Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Execution Technologies [1]. AutoScheduler appears in the category under Warehouse Resource Optimization, “which applies the concepts of forward-looking, constraint-based planning and optimization to work activities within a warehouse or warehouse campus, leveraging advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning technologies.” “We are very excited to be recognized for a second time for this category. We believe that our WMS accelerator dynamically rebalances activities across the warehouse environment, considering space, time, labor, and other constraints,” said Keith Moore, Chief Product Officer, AutoScheduler.AI. “Our solution orchestrates and optimizes activities to drive greater degrees of labor, work allocation, fulfillment, and inventory management.” “Gartner Hype Cycles provide a graphic representation of the maturity and adoption of technologies and applications, and how they are potentially relevant to solving real business problems and exploiting new opportunities.”[2] AutoScheduler is recognized as a sample vendor under Warehouse Resource Planning and Optimization technology. We consider that the report recommends that end-users reading this document evaluate Autoscheduler as a sample vendor for their Warehouse Resource Planning and Optimization needs. AutoScheduler sits on top of existing WMS or visibility platforms to accelerate productivity. It is meant to accelerate the current WMS capabilities using Intelligent Warehouse Orchestration. Using capacity-constrained schedules, AutoScheduler will help solve problems such as poor OTIF, dock schedule conflicts, inventory shortages, inefficient workforce allocation, and the struggle to meet carrier appointment times. Gartner clients can access the full report here. [1] Gartner, ‘Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Execution Technologies, 2022,’ Dwight Klappich, 27 June 2022 GARTNER and HYPE CYCLE are registered trademarks and service marks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product, or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. [2] Gartner, “Gartner Hype Cycle”, https://www.gartner.com/en/research/methodologies/gartner-hype-cycle
Synergy Logistics – 50 years ahead of the curve
WMS technology innovator Synergy Logistics celebrates 50 years in business One of the world’s pioneers of cloud-based warehouse management software, Synergy Logistics, is celebrating its half-century milestone. Established in 1972, Synergy initially focused on developing innovative solutions for vehicle route scheduling but 35 years later launched its best-in-breed SnapFulfil WMS, for which it is renowned. Back in 2007, the SnapFulfil suite was architected for the web utilizing Adobe Flex and Microsoft.NET-based C# programming. Its launch spearheaded real-time data information to optimize warehouse management, without sacrificing any functionality. Today, its unique rules-based configuration engine delivers a highly flexible and agile solution that is used in leading e-commerce, D2C, and 3PL warehouses around the world. Included since 2012 in Gartner’s elite WMS Magic Quadrant, Synergy has a global footprint with offices in Broomfield, Colorado, in the US, plus the UK. It continues to pioneer with remote and self-implementation capabilities that empower customers to handle their own multi-site rollouts and develop more sustainable business models. Synergy Chairman, Hugh Stevens, has been at the helm of the company for more than 40 years and proudly remembers launching one of the world’s first warehouse management systems, Locator, in 1985 after being approached by Unilever. Locator morphed into Locator Expert using PowerBuilder on the latest client-server technology – and was utilized by Coca-Cola in the 90s at its huge new distribution center at Wakefield in England, the largest soft drinks factory in Europe. Hugh continues to innovate and shape the future of warehouse infrastructure, saying: “My mantra has always been stick to your knitting! It’s easy to be distracted by market noise but our specialism is warehouse management and I never lose sight of that. We have survived and thrived for half a century by looking ahead. Rather than fearing change, I’ve always embraced it, anticipating what’s next and investing today in tomorrow’s product. “We continue to make a tangible difference through rapid ROI, industry-leading deployment speed, and low total cost of ownership (TCO) and while many competitors have fallen by the wayside over the last five decades, Synergy and our SnapFulfil WMS have stood the test of time and continues to lead the way.” The 50th anniversary is being celebrated throughout the year with staff and customer rewards as well as events and competition initiatives.
2022 Distribution Center Metrics Report and Digital Tool now available
The Warehousing Education & Research Council (WERC) recently announced the availability of the 2022 DC Measures report. DC Measures captures 36 key operational metrics for warehouse and distribution center operations. The metrics are grouped into five balanced sets – customer, financial, capacity/quality, employee, and perfect order index metrics – plus the additional sets related to cash-to-cash cycle measurement. The report also contains a list of definitions for each metric in the study and how to calculate each providing a consistent approach to reporting performance. Used by thousands of distribution logistics professionals, DC Measures helps benchmark operations to improve warehouse and distribution center performance by making informed, data-driven decisions. New DC Measures Digital Tool In addition to the report, WERC recently launched a new digital resource that is designed to help practitioners, 3PLs, and consultants leverage hard data to measure and improve operational performance online. The DC Measures data creates benchmarks for warehouse operations from a proven set of data, and the new digital benchmarking tool allows you to instantly compare the subscriber’s company operations to industry standards by entering the data for a facility and create a report in real-time to assess the caliber of operations and set a course for improvement. Subscription to this tool allows a full year of unlimited access to the data and the full DC Measures library, data breakdown functionality, and saved report comparisons. Click here to learn more about the DC Measures Report. Visit werc.org/metrics to learn more about the digital tool.
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June 2022 Logistics Manager’s Index Report®
LMI® at 65.0 Growth is INCREASING AT AN INCREASING RATE for Inventory Levels Growth is INCREASING AT A DECREASING RATE for Inventory Costs, Warehousing Utilization, Warehousing Prices, Transportation Capacity, Transportation Utilization, and Transportation Prices Warehousing Capacity is CONTRACTING The Logistics Managers’ Index reads in at 65.0 in June, down 2.1 points from the May reading and slightly below the all-time average of 65.3. This is the first time since July 2020 that it has been below the all-time average. While this does still represent a healthy rate of expansion in the logistics industry, it is a far cry from three months ago when the index hit an all-time high reading of 76.2. The steep decline is reflective of what we have seen in the overall economy in the last three months, moving from the record-setting expansion of the last 18 months to the greatly subdued level of growth observed throughout Q2. We are also seeing a different type of growth now than we were previously. Up until 2022, we saw high demand for transportation and warehousing and difficulty building up inventories, June’s report is the opposite. Inventory Costs lead the way at 83.8, and Inventory Levels are up (+2.5) to 71.8, marking the fifth time in six months that metric has come in over 70.0 – something that had only happened twice before 2022. Meanwhile, Transportation Price is down 61.3, below the all-time average of 74.0, and more importantly, slightly below Transportation Capacity’s reading of 61.7. when these two lines invert, it often means a serious economic shift has taken place. This is the first time Transportation Capacity has been above Transportation Price since the locked down days of April 2020. Warehousing metrics remain elevated, although it is worth noting that Warehousing Prices are down (-9.1) to 78.4. Researchers at Arizona State University, Colorado State University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rutgers University, and the University of Nevada, Reno, and in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) issued this report today. Results Overview The LMI score is a combination of eight unique components that make up the logistics industry, including inventory levels and costs, warehousing capacity, utilization, and prices, and transportation capacity, utilization, and prices. The LMI is calculated using a diffusion index, in which any reading above 50.0 indicates that logistics is expanding; a reading below 50.0 is indicative of a shrinking logistics industry. The latest results of the LMI summarize the responses of supply chain professionals collected in June 2022. Overall, the LMI is down (-2.1) from May’s reading of 67.1. The slowdown in the rate of expansion is the product of the continued slowdown in the transportation market. However, the overall logistics industry continues to expand, driven primarily by high levels of inventory growth and the associated costs. While Transportation Capacity has now expanded for two consecutive months (although at a slower pace in June than in May), Warehousing Capacity continues to contract, the slight expansion we observed in the back half of May did not translate to further growth in June. In a story that we have been tracking over the last few reports, no agreement was reached between the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore and Warehousing Union (ILWU) before the July 1st deadline, meaning the current contract between the two parties has expired. Over 150 industry groups pushed President Biden to encourage a quick resolution – seemingly to no avail (although Biden did meet with both parties in mid-June). Although both parties have stated that business will continue despite the absence of a new deal, an eight-day strike occur at the previous impasse in 2015. Shippers will attempt to route cargo to other entrances, but East Coast ports may already be at capacity[1]. The biggest stopping points with the negotiations are pay and the push towards greater levels of automation. Workers are eager for higher pay given the increased volume of the last few years, and ports are interested in greater automation to shield them from the types of labor shocks they saw over the same period[2]. Interestingly, labor strikes are already taking place at German and Dutch ports, slowing down the flow of products like automobiles and furniture. Analysts warn that even if strikes were to let up, it would still take months to work through the backlog. Globally, only 30-40% of containers are currently being delivered on time[3], and it seems likely that prolonged strikes will cause this number to drop even lower. As has been the case for the last two years, the problems extend beyond the ports and further down the supply chain. For instance, some firms have reported waiting weeks for intermodal rail to ship containers out of the Southern California ports. Much like we saw in 2021, the backups extend to the switching hubs in Chicago (where BNSF containers are experiencing 20% higher dwell times year-over-year). In another repeat of last year, BNSF has announced it will be limiting new orders to get this backlog under control – a move that will back goods up at the port even longer. This demonstrates the limited capacity of intermodal to cover for increasingly expensive trucking. 29,000 boxes are waiting to get picked up from the Port of Los Angeles – triple the normal amount and further evidence that capacity is still not where it needs to be to get supply chains back to normal levels of operation[4]. Despite slowing economic growth the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach both reported their third-busiest month ever in May 2022[5], with the former predicting increased year-over-year volume in mid-July as back-to-school inventories flow in[6]. The Port of Oakland is following in the footsteps of its Southern California counterparts, reducing the “free” time that containers may sit at its terminals from seven days to four days in an attempt to clear congestion[7]. The federal government is also attempting to address congestion due to stagnant containers, introducing a new regulation that will make it more difficult for shipping
Johnson Controls and Accenture join forces on new AI-enabled OpenBlue Innovation Centers
Johnson Controls and Accenture will deliver two new Johnson Controls OpenBlue Innovation Centers seeding further development of AI-enabled building control system products and services. The focus will be on developing new hardware and software built around 5G and IoT, adding greater system connectivity, control, and visualization for building environments. The new solutions will accelerate carbon reduction in buildings as part of ongoing investment by Johnson Controls in net-zero buildings to promote better occupant health, safety and security. Accenture and Johnson Controls, the global provider of smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, are collaborating to deliver and operate two new OpenBlue Innovation Centers. The centers will drive Johnson Controls’ rollout of building control system products and services using technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital twins, Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, and the cloud. The goal is to accelerate advanced automation in building operations to achieve greater sustainability, safety, security, and user experiences. Johnson Controls OpenBlue is an AI-enabled suite of connected solutions and services that integrates with customers’ operational technology. The system collects and primes data from buildings and applies machine learning at the edge and in the cloud—comparing the data against optimized AI performance models. The result is the ability to micro-manage real-time building performance, saving cost and energy as well as enhancing environments. “We have a fantastic opportunity to accelerate carbon reduction in buildings by weaving in new features built on advanced technology into OpenBlue, further enabling our customers to achieve their sustainability targets,” says Vijay Sankaran, Johnson Controls chief technology officer. “Accenture’s expertise in platform engineering, integration, and sustainability will help us to deliver these enhanced capabilities faster—accelerating how quickly we can cut emissions, energy, and cost out of projects and helping our customers to reduce their operational costs sooner.” Accenture will assist Johnson Controls by implementing leading-edge technologies on the OpenBlue platform. This includes AI-driven analytics to optimize space utilization, O2 vs. CO2 saturation in airflows, as well as infectious disease risks and other environmental information. Digital twins will be used to enable Johnson Controls to model, analyze, and make decisions on maintenance, upgrades, and sustainability—replacing physical prototypes to help reduce resource use, carbon emissions, cost, and time to market. 5G and IoT will also be used for faster and higher capacity data transmission, with remote management and control of connected devices. “The better and more sustainable we can make buildings—the smarter, more attractive, healthier and efficient they will become—and the better they will be for people and our planet,” said Peter Lacy, Accenture’s global Sustainability Services lead and chief responsibility officer. “It’s about creating environments focused on well-being and productivity of occupants while protecting the environment of our planet. Digitizing building operations is an essential first step toward these goals.” With around 40 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions globally generated by the building sector, research from Accenture found that technology such as digital twins, digital replicas of physical assets or processes, can cut energy use and carbon emissions in half. Further evidence from Accenture research found that companies with a higher sustainability performance—across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) indicators—perform better financially. “Companies should not have to make trade-offs between their business and sustainability goals, and an effective technology strategy can address this,” said Paul Daugherty, Accenture’s group chief executive—Technology and chief technology officer. “Together with Johnson Controls, we will harness technology in new ways, use effective ESG measurement tools and engage the power of ecosystems to solve environmental problems within the building environment.” The new OpenBlue Innovation Centers, opening in Bangalore and Hyderabad, are aligned with Johnson Controls’ innovation in building technology and the strong Johnson Controls network of OpenBlue Innovation Centers across the globe.
Tranzonic hires Chris Adams as VP of Supply Chain
The Tranzonic Companies, a respected manufacturer of cleaning, maintenance, and personal protection products, has named Chris Adams its new vice president of the supply chain. Adams brings a quarter-century of experience in business-to-business distribution to the role. He has successfully led cross-functional teams in sales, marketing, supply chain, cost-to-serve analytics, and operations to consistently achieve breakthrough performance in profit and revenue. At Tranzonic, Adams will lead the inventory management and logistics teams while also imparting his expertise to operations and system integration. “The global supply chain has experienced a seismic shift the likes of which we’ve never seen,” said Tom Friedl, CEO. “With his history of innovation, I know Chris is the leader to build on Tranzonic’s successes and keep us thriving in this changing landscape.” In his 25-year career, Adams has held senior executive positions with Fortune 500, global, and multi-billion dollar companies. He has been recognized for breakthrough work in distribution, measurement systems, value chain mapping, data analytics, and innovative collaborative strategies. His work has been recognized by Harvard Business Press Balanced Scorecard Report and Harvard Business Review. An early success came with his role on the innovative marketing team that helped develop the retail market for the now gold-standard PURELL® Instant Hand Sanitizer brand. “Navigating today’s supply chain challenges demands creative thinking, solid strategy, and collaboration,” said Adams. “Working with the foundation already in place, I look forward to working with my new Tranzonic team to develop and implement profitable new strategies.” Adams is an advisor to the State of Georgia’s Center of Innovation and Logistics. He also serves as chairman of Marquette University’s Center of Supply Chain Management executive board. He was a summa cum laude graduate of Benedictine University and leads strategy development on their alumni board. Adams is a sought-after speaker at national and international programs including McDonald’s Hamburger University, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, Palladium’s International Balanced Scorecard Symposium, and multiple international seminars on business forecasting. He has pioneered unique collaborative business planning and modeling processes for manufacturers and distributors including the use of strategy mapping and lean six sigma.