Exotec Skypod System adopted by Gap Inc. to optimize returns process
Advanced Handling Systems (AHS, LLC) has announced that they have been contracted by Gap Inc. to design and integrate an Exotec Skypod System to optimize its returns picking process. AHS, LLC, a systems integrator located in Erlanger, KY, is the foremost US partner of Exotec and will be completing the integration of the full system with guidance from Exotec’s execution team. Exotec Solutions, a pick system provider based out of France, utilizes its Skypod mobile robots to manufacture Goods-to-Person technology. Exotec’s material handling solution has revolutionized the fulfillment industry in Europe and Japan and is now focusing on the US market. Gap Inc., a collection of purpose-led, billion-dollar lifestyle brands, is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Athleta, Intermix, and Janie and Jack brands. As one of America’s largest apparel retailers known for redefining resiliency with cutting-edge technology in its fulfillment centers, the company is working to make its returns processes more efficient. AHS, a full-service provider of integrated fulfillment, distribution and robotics solutions, has continued to push the industry adoption of innovation for labor-intensive processes. Exotec Solutions, founded by Romain Moulin and Renaud Heitz in 2015, specializes in robotic systems for the retail and eCommerce industries by utilizing 3D mobile robots (Skypods) to transfer bins of product to a picking operator from a mass storage area with 10-meter-tall racking. The Skypod system is the first of its kind to use mobile robots that are capable of moving in three dimensions. Laser scanner navigation and robust software allow the Skypods to navigate in a multidirectional manner while carrying bins of up to 30 kg. This frees up time for the warehouse team members to focus on packing and shipping, avoiding long-distance walks to access inventory.
EP 159: Fulfilld
In this episode, I was joined by the Co-Founder & CTO of Fulfilld, Michael Pytel. Fulfilld is a new warehouse management system that takes a location-based approach that helps to manage your warehouse more thoughtfully. Michael and I discuss how the idea of Fulfilld started, the platform itself, and some of the cutting-edge technology they are utilizing to make it happen. Key Takeaways Michael started Fulfilld with his partner Yosh who he had worked with at a previous company. The idea came from seeing that current WMS’s were not meeting all the needs that they thought they should. As they began to talk about what they thought was missing from the market they decided that they would start to develop their own system. Over the years they had learned about many different technologies and decided to bring those into what they were creating. Through utilizing technologies like machine learning, location-based tracking, digital twins, and more they were able to create more of an orchestration system that can help you manage your warehouse more effectively. One of the great features of Fulfilld is the ability to easily see where labor needs to be allocated. As the day goes by the tasks that are in the queue are completely visible and are also constantly updating with priority levels allowing you to move them around accordingly. Michael even discusses how the system will look at your incoming carrier pickups and know when trucks are arriving so that orders for them can be escalated or de-escalated if delayed. This allows you to stay on top of the workload and ensure that the resources are being put in the correct place. Industry 4.0 terms abound in this episode so I had to get some knowledge for myself. We dove into the term “digital twin” as it was something I had previously never heard of. Little did I know I knew what it was but just didn’t know the name! Digital twin refers to the re-creation of a physical asset within a virtual environment. Fulfilld utilizes the concept of a digital twin to recreate assets within the warehouse that allows them to be tracked within their system. This helps you to understand not only where labor is located but also your assets for the ability to further allocate your resources. Fulfilld will be launched in June and I am very excited to see how it is received in the marketplace and how it will grow in the next few years. Listen to the episode below and leave your biggest WMS pain point in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 159: Fulfilld
Gap Inc. plans new distribution center in Longview Texas
The modernized Customer Experience Center will feature state-of-the-art fulfillment technology and automation to support Old Navy’s growing online business Gap Inc. has announced plans to open a new state-of-the-art Customer Experience Center in Longview, Texas. By delivering inventory faster and more efficiently to customers across the country, the $140M investment will help Gap Inc. meet the rising customer demand for online shopping and reach its future plans for digital growth. Gap Inc. anticipates the new campus will create more than 500 full-time jobs in Longview by the end of 2023 and will grow to more than 1,000 full-time jobs in the city over the next five years. Additionally, the company expects to create more than 1,000 part-time and seasonal jobs by 2026. The new campus will become Gap Inc.’s latest facility to feature industry-leading technology that has been tested and optimized in other campuses across the Gap Inc. network. Upon completion, the new facility will be able to process up to one million units per day. “As we look to deliver on our three-year strategy and double our online business, we needed to expand our fulfillment network to provide a great experience for our customers today and ensure we have the ability to grow in the future,” said Shawn Curran, Chief Operating Officer, Gap Inc. “We are thrilled to join the Longview community and look forward to developing a facility that will provide employment opportunities and job training to work alongside cutting-edge technology.” Prior to the pandemic, Gap Inc. set out on a journey to transform its fulfillment network by piloting and implementing some of the world’s most advanced fulfillment technology and robotics. The result has transformed our traditional distribution centers into highly automated, cross-channel Customer Experience Centers, intended to serve customers wherever they are shopping. While the Longview facility will initially serve Old Navy’s growing online business, many of the company’s Customer Experience Centers have the capability to seamlessly serve both online and retail orders in one facility. The new facility in Longview is expected to total approximately 850,000 square feet. Construction will begin in April 2021 with plans to be fully operational by August 2022. This campus will supplement our six existing campuses in North America, including those in Fresno, CA; Phoenix, AZ; Groveport, OH; Gallatin, TN; Fishkill, NY; and Brampton, Ontario. While Gap Inc. had plans in place to open a new facility beforehand, as a result of changing customer needs during the pandemic the timeline has been accelerated to create more capacity for online growth. “We are incredibly excited to welcome Gap Inc. to Longview,” said Mayor, Dr. Andy Mack. “This significant investment by Gap Inc. will provide a large number of jobs for East Texans and is a continued diversification of our economy. We believe Gap Inc. will play a tremendous role in supporting economic growth and opportunity in our city and we look forward to working together to deliver a lasting, positive impact on our community.”
FlytWare E-Book on Emerging Technologies in Supply Chain
The supply chain industry is evolving to enable and sustain the rapid demand for goods and services globally. The competitive difference between companies in the industry is increasingly based on real-time data and intelligent analytics that enable optimal managerial decisions. These are being driven by emerging technologies, in the form of robotics and smart computing – which are the focus of the latest FlyWare E-Book on supply chain automation. Innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, and Blockchain, when combined with SCM (Supply Chain Management) are beginning to transform the distribution of goods at an unprecedented scale. The greatest value of these technologies is realized when they are adopted together, thus rapidly adding business value across supply chain operations. When it comes to warehousing operations, methods such as agile and elastic logistics are being used by managers and stakeholders to enhance the flexibility, time efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and overall output of supply chains. These logistical capabilities are making the supply chain resilient to fluctuating consumer demand, and emergencies such as COVID-19. As explained in the E-Book, it is important for supply chain managers to evaluate the payback period and return-on-investment while exploring and adopting such emerging technologies. When embraced whole-heartedly by supply chains, these new capabilities can expand the competitive advantage. Conversely, delaying the integration of automation technologies can drain precious human resources and waste time and costs across the supply chain. To know more about Emerging Technologies in Supply Chain, access the E-Book by visiting: https://flytware.com/guides/
Rufus Labs expands product offering with addition of Rufus RADD™ Tab
The Rufus RADD™ Tab delivers increased visibility into warehouse operations and can be used on warehouse forklifts and vehicles Rufus Labs, which produces intelligent, wearable, warehouse technology, and workforce analytics software, has announced that it has expanded its product offering with the launch of the Rufus RADD™ Tab, a tablet that can be used throughout the warehouse as well as on warehouse forklifts and vehicles. The Rufus RADD™ Tab is a ruggedized Android tablet equipped with Rufus WorkHero software and can be used throughout the warehouse. The Rufus RADD™ Tab comes with an optional forklift and vehicle mount and includes the Android 10 operating system, rechargeable and removable batteries, and dual-band WiFi capabilities. The Rufus RADD™ Tab provides operators in material handling vehicles with mobile access to supply chain applications they need to complete tasks faster and more accurately. In turn, warehouse managers will gain access to Rufus productivity analytics for forklift operators, receiving and shipping stations, and stationary material handlers which provide managers with greater insight into warehouse operations as a whole and can therefore be used to reduce operational costs and improve efficiency. In conjunction with the launch of the Rufus RADD™ Tab, Rufus Labs has also released the Scan2 Pro wearable barcode scanner, the next generation of its scanner module which connects to the Rufus Cuff Pro as well as the Rufus RADD™ Tab. The Scan2 Pro offers an extraordinary working range (capturing data up to 20ft/6m away), omnidirectional scanning, and faster scan speed, enabling warehouse workers to optimize their product picking capabilities. The Scan2 Pro is compatible with the Rufus Ring, Glove, and Palm scanner attachments and is interchangeable depending on ergonomic preference. “We are pleased to deliver unparalleled visibility into warehouse operations with the addition of the Rufus RADD™ Tab,” said Gabe Grifoni, co-founder and chief executive officer of Rufus Labs. “The Rufus RADD™ Tab enables our customers to gain a clearer understanding of where workers are within the warehouse and warehouse operations as a whole, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity.” The full Rufus Labs product line includes the Rufus RADD™ Tab, Rufus Cuff Pro, Scan2, and Scan2 Pro Barcode Scanners with Rufus Ring, Glove, or Palm wearable attachments. All products are part of the Rufus WorkHero subscription, which combines Rufus industrial wearables with Rufus WorkHero visibility software. Rufus Labs’ customers always receive the latest software and hardware as a part of the subscription offering, which increases warehouse productivity, safety, and accuracy, all while reducing labor costs and providing unprecedented labor visibility. The WorkHero subscription is also scalable so customers can adjust based on seasonal need using Rufus Flex, and because the technology is designed for ease-of-use and integrates seamlessly into the WMS, customers can start using Rufus technology on day one.
Episode 150 – Digitization and Sustainability in Refrigerated Warehouses with Viking Cold Solutions
In this episode, I was joined by the President & CEO of Viking Cold Solutions, James Bell. Viking Cold Solutions is a thermal energy management company that focuses on creating more efficient and environmentally friendly cold storage solutions. James and I discuss how thermal energy works in cold storage and how digitization has become a key component to maximizing the efficiency of your cold storage setup. Key Takeaways Admittedly, I have no direct experience with cold storage so we start off the episode by discussing just exactly what cold storage is. James gives a great breakdown of not only what a cold storage facility is but also a bit about the cold supply chain and some of the operational impacts that are involved. As you can imagine, due to the temperature-sensitive nature of cold storage, there are additional levels of complexity above a standard warehouse. One of these is that it takes much more to build out a cold storage facility and James tells us how cold storage is actually in high demand and supply is low due to the increased home delivery demand of food during the pandemic. Digitization is on the rise in our industry overall but James talks specifically about digitization within the cold storage industry. This is very interesting because there is a lot of opportunities to create more efficiency and ultimately save money if your refrigerated warehouse is being properly managed. The digitization of your system gives you the ability to be more flexible with your operation because of the large amounts of data that are able to be collected and then acted upon. One of the things that are really interesting about the digitization combined with Viking Cold Solutions setup is that the thermal energy that is being stored can be leveraged to become a profit center. While energy is being generated and stored it may be more than is actually needed. With monitoring capabilities due to digitization, operations are then able to actually sell energy back to the power company by pumping it back into the grid. As James explains, this results in a huge amount of savings for an operation. Listen to the episode below and let us know your cold storage solutions experiences in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 150: Digitization and Sustainability in Refrigerated Warehouses with Viking Cold Solutions
Episode 149 – Warehouse Theft with BSI
In this episode, I was joined by Jim Yarbrough of BSI. Jim is a Global Intelligence Manager for BSI or the British Standards Institute who focuses on security and risk within the supply chain. This can include anything from political upheaval to cargo theft. Previously on the show, I have spoken with other BSI representatives about porch pirates and supply chain theft. For this discussion, we focus on warehouse theft and how certain types of theft have been on the rise due to the pandemic. We also discuss how to prepare yourself for this type of theft and reduce the risk of it happening to your operation. Key Takeaways It is no news to anyone that 2020 was a wild ride and most of the things that Jim’s group at BSI focuses on actually happened in the last year so he is a good source to understand what increased types of theft are out there. One thing that has been on the rise is warehouse theft which has become more appealing to criminals during the pandemic. With warehouses not working and having days where no one is in or around the building it has made for opportunistic times to steal for thieves. Additionally, Jim points out that warehouse consolidation has also been a contributing factor to freight being stolen when it is on the move. I’m always interested in hearing everyone’s journey in our industry and Jim has a very interesting one which we get into. He actually has a warehouse operations background. Jim discusses how that experience has helped him to understand his work at BSI more and how to be able to relate to individuals who are on the floor. This is an important note that we have discussed multiple times on the podcast and really helps you progress in your career. It is so important to spend time on the floor and understand what people are really doing for the day to day. Since Jim and his team are able to review so many different security incidents they have a great basis from which to give recommendations to operations on how to be more secure. His biggest point in preparing yourself for any type of threat is creating awareness. By being aware of yourself and also making your team aware you’ll be able to know when others are stealing or where potential threats lie. Additionally, employees start to understand what to look for outside of the facility as well which can help you increase your security measures. Listen to the episode below and let us know how you are protecting your operation in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 149: Warehouse Theft with BSI
KNAPP announces Senior Management Promotions and Board Appointments
Changes reflect market trends, strong subsidiary growth, and the increased importance of KNAPP’s North American Market and Customer Base KNAPP, a global provider of intelligent intralogistics solutions has announced a restructuring of its Atlanta-based North American subsidiary board, including promotions and re-alignment of its senior management team. The re-alignment and promotions have been undertaken in response to significant market trends, major successes and growth of the subsidiary, and the increased importance of the business unit to the KNAPP enterprise. Citing the reasons for the leadership changes, CEO Josef Mentzer said, “KNAPP is uniquely positioned in the global intralogistics market. Innovative and intelligent technologies, combined with a very strong commitment to the latest software technologies and strong market demand has resulted in a five-year, ten-fold growth of our North American business”. He continued, “The only constant in today’s world is change, and in order to perform at the highest level possible on all fronts, we are taking this step to further enhance our team; adding energetic, experienced, and dynamic leadership to ensure that we are well-positioned for growth and success.” Mentzer, who continues as CEO, announced that the following changes in responsibility and the managing board will be effective April 1st: Andreas Salznig, VP of the KNAPP AG Healthcare business unit has been promoted to COO of KNAPPs North American subsidiary and will join the board. Clemens Bauer, Managing Director of KNAPP subsidiary Demateh, and a board advisor at KNAPP AG has assumed the position of CFO of KNAPPs North American subsidiary and will join the board. SVP Sales and Engineering Jusuf Buzimkic has been promoted to CSO of KNAPPs North American subsidiary, where his responsibilities will include sales, marketing, and engineering; he will also remain on the board of KNAPPs North American subsidiary. The growth in importance of the North American subsidiary has been primarily driven by major account relationships and contracts with market leaders in the healthcare, grocery, and retail sectors. According to board member and KNAPP AG EVP Heimo Robosch, “These major, multi-site customer relationships are the result of the company investment in a very strong team and a year-over-year commitment to innovation and R&D in key growth areas – specifically including high-performance eCommerce order fulfillment solutions.” KNAPP is currently expanding service operations, scaling up its North American parts inventory, enlarging its operations team to meet the increase in market demand – and will launch a training center later this year.
Episode 148 – ROI Breakdown with Procensis
In this episode, I was joined by Chuck Coxhead who is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Procensis. I often talk to solutions providers on the show and we talk about the solutions they provide but when I connected with Chuck we wanted to explore how do we get these solutions into our operations and have them make sense. In this episode, we discuss the ins and outs of ROI, benefit-cost analysis, and how to present those solutions to decision-makers in your organization. Key Takeaways Chuck works for Procensis which is a mobility and network design solutions provider that helps to improve your operation’s overall workflow. They work with many different providers, including the ones we have featured on the show previously, so they have the ability to give you the best overall solution for you and not just one solution. With so many different solutions on the market, it is great that there is the ability to work with a company that can help you get the best for you matched up and put together to give you the best flow. ROI is the return on investment and when it comes to making a decision for purchasing a new solution for your operation the numbers need to make sense. Without a good ROI, you will most likely not get the green light to go forward with implementation or purchase. Chuck gives us a great breakdown of what ROI is and how it relates to our industry. Simply put, in the majority of companies, if you cannot put together a proper ROI your proposal or project will most likely not go too far. Chuck is very familiar with this as he is on the sales side of trying to get solutions into operations and helps companies understand what they can gain from certain solutions every day. One thing that Chuck points out is that you need to look at the cost-benefit analysis in addition to the ROI. This will help you understand where you are saving on costs at a much more detailed level. You can be implementing something that directly relates to one process but can have an impact on multiple other processes as well. This is a key to not only understanding the true benefits of a new solution but also to understanding where improvements can be made. We also discuss one important process of this is doing a proper time study to understand where in your process you are spending lots of time thus spending lots of money. When we look at ROI and the cost-benefit analysis often times we get caught up in only the quantitative numbers but miss some of the larger benefits. Chuck goes deep into discussing these different factors like safety, learning, and overall employee well-being. These are hard things to measure but the cost savings over time can be huge. From my experience, decreasing training time can be a huge benefit and savings to keep your operation flowing even when headcount fluctuates. Listen to the episode below and let us know what you factor into your calculations in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 148: ROI Breakdown with Procensis
ABCO Systems adds new Chief Sales Officer
ABCO Systems has announced that Jack Kaumo has joined their team as our Chief Sales Officer. With over 20 years of impressive sales experience, Jack is poised to put ABCO Systems on a path of growth while retaining our status as a family-based business. He graduated from Oregon State University in 1999 with a B.S. in Business Management and went on to gain indispensable experience as a sales manager at Micron Technology at the crux of the smartphone boom. Thanks to his mentor, Eric Toscan (who is still at Micron Technology today), Jack was able to fine-tune his abilities as a sales professional and take his talents to Sun Microsystems, which was shortly acquired by Oracle. Sales Professional to Material Handling Solutions Expert At Oracle, Jack led two different sales teams and developed a drive to sell more than traditional database products. Once Oracle began venturing into cloud-based technology, Jack took initiative on the scene by leading a sales team that successfully sold cloud-based applications to banks in the Boston area. After mastering the corporate sales environment, Jack sought after a more inventive and tech-forward company and joined Zipcar as Director of Sales when it was still only a business-to-consumer platform. Thanks to Jack’s vision and management, Zipcar expanded its business model and went from $0 revenue to $30 million in a couple of years by selling corporate Zipcar contracts. Zipcar soared and shortly got acquired by Avis. After this acquisition, Jack searched for new opportunities in the material handling industry, which is what brought him to the Raymond Corporation. At Raymond, Jack worked in product development and shortly thereafter led their national sales effort in the United States. With eight years of hands-on material handling solutions experience, Jack became a material handling solutions expert and uncovered his true passion for working in essential industries that are always evolving— enter ABCO Systems. Why Jack Chose ABCO Jack chose to join ABCO Systems because of our team-focused internal culture and customer-focused business approach. As a sales expert, Jack Kaumo holds these values near and dear to his heart. As for his goals for the company, “I want to take ABCO Systems to the next level and the level above that,” Jack says. He plans to continue our legacy as a customer-first company and build a world-class sales network. “ABCO has done great at 40 million in revenue— that came easy for them. We can quadruple it.” Outside of his professional work, Jack is a car enthusiast, like many of us at ABCO. He loves to track race with his Shelby Mustang and is excited to share our passion for cars in tandem with our goals for the supply chain. Ultimately, Jack looks forward to helping ABCO continue to grow as a leading solution handling provider in the supply chain industry. “When people think of anything but the forklift, I want them to think of us.”
Episode 145 – Nate Schisler’s Distribution Journey
In this episode, I was joined by a fellow distribution professional named Nate Schisler. Nate has an extensive background in distribution and logistics that has seen him work for major logistic powerhouses like DHL and UPS as well as other experiences including his most recent position at lululemon. All this has led to his transition into his new business DistributionX providing companies with his expertise in the space. We discuss his journey through distribution and logistics, his experiences and learnings, and how to survive through intense projects. Key Takeaways Nate had a very similar journey that I find many have had in getting to a career in distribution and logistics. Similar to a previous guest, John Conte, he started working in the logistics industry by doing the hard work and loading trailers at night for UPS. As he got his experience at UPS he quickly moved up and learned the UPS way and culture which really set the foundation for his career in distribution and logistics. From there he spent some time at Eddie Bauer as their WMS superuser, then moved on to DHL for a short time to help open a new distribution center which led him across the street to lululemon. Here he was able to help them grow rapidly over the past 7 years and help them launch multiple distribution projects allowing for them to continue their success. From his experience, he had worked and been exposed to consultants in the industry and began to understand that there was a gap in the market because consultants would need to be engaged for long periods of time in order to make their business viable. What he realized is that smaller companies often times would not be able to bring in a consultant to help them because of the cost of keeping them on board for a long length of time. This brought him to the idea of DistributionX where he does short term consulting for companies of all sizes. It works perfectly for both him and the companies he is working with. It allows him to continue to be exposed to different projects and allows companies to be able to tap into a distribution and logistics expert without a long term commitment. One of the great things about my discussion with Nate is all the great experiences he shares throughout our conversation. It is a great example of all the different directions that a career in distribution and logistics can take you. There are so many different facets to our industry that can allow you to really explore and find where you fit in. His journey is a great example of how you can grow and learn so much through taking on different projects. There are a ton of gems in this episode that can really help you navigate your career to get to where you want to be in distribution and logistics. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 145: Nate Schisler’s Distribution Journey
Episode 143 – Supply Chain Sustainability with Justin Goldston
In this episode, I was joined by Justin Goldston who is a professor, speaker, Ph.D., and all-around supply chain expert. Justin currently teaches supply chain at Penn State University and Georgetown University. He has spoken at many conferences all around the world and was scheduled to speak at a conference in Vietnam just a few hours after we recorded this episode. We discuss the current education climate for the supply chain, his take on sustainability in the supply chain, and the future place of automation in the supply chain. Key Takeaways As a professor, Justin is constantly trying to engage his students in different ways and has had to adapt to the pandemic style of teaching. He gives us some insight on how the pandemic has had an impact on education and how some professors are struggling to translate their education into a virtual environment. We discuss some of the unique ways that Justin tries to interest his students in the supply chain through experiential learning and exposing them to many different professionals in the industry. It is a positive note for the industry that he is finding student’s interest in the supply chain continues to increase. Justin often discusses sustainability in his presentations but not in the typical way that initially comes to mind. He goes in-depth into his thinking behind sustainability in the global supply chain and how it involves many facets of an organization. One interesting perspective is his views on diversity in organizations. He discusses how diversity and inclusion are often discussed but what is sometimes missed is the expansion of the talent pool throughout the globe and the great impact that can have on a company’s bottom line. This is a really interesting insight as it gives companies a better footprint in attracting talent and also understanding global markets to help introduce their products to them. One of the constant ongoing discussions in the supply chain is the future of jobs within an automated operation. Will there be dark warehouses or will it be collaborative? Justin gives us his take and also some great examples of when dark operations were attempted but had some struggles. I think we are both on the same page when it comes to the belief that automation will be a collaborative effort and the human element will always be needed at some level. Listen to the episode below and let us know your take on sustainability in the supply chain in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 143: Supply Chain Sustainability with Justin Goldston
Episode 142 – AutoStore with Jon Schechter
In this episode, I spoke with Jon Schechter who is a Business Development Manager at AutoStore. We just recently spoke with Andrew Benzinger from AutoStore as well about micro-fulfillment on Episode 139 but Jon and I have a completely different discussion. We dive into the concept of fleet-based robots, the new trend of software-based material handling systems, and the differences between our industry in Germany and America. Key Takeaways One of my favorite things from this episode is hearing the story of how AutoStore was created. The solution was created because an electronics distributor who was servicing Scandinavia was quickly running out of room in their distribution center and was trying to figure out how to solve this issue without expanding or getting an additional location. From this issue, they created AutoStore and were able to redefine their space by bringing this solution to life. At first, they just used it for themselves, and as their customers started to see the solution they wanted to install it in their facility as well. A true example of fix what bugs you. We discuss fleet-based robots which is a system that allows all robots to coordinate so that the inventory is in the right place at the right time. The best way to describe this system is the example that Jon gives where, in a typical warehouse setup, you have conveyors where orders have been released in batches and cannot be moved without human intervention. He discusses how a priority order can get lost or needs lots of attention to get it to the front of the line in a non-fleet based setup whereas, with a fleet based setup, the robots can coordinate with each other so that robots carrying priority orders can move to the front of the line and the others know to move back in line. This allows you to be more effective and have your operation run more efficiently while delivering better customer satisfaction. Jon and I get into a great discussion around software in the warehouse. As I’m sure you know, bringing in new software or upgrading software into your operation can be a scary thing. Many times these projects do not go according to plan or there are a lot of hiccups along the way. I know that I have seen it myself but Jon has some great words of wisdom for these projects that he heard from his former boss. He says that the first day of the software implementation will be the worst and it will only get better from there. This is a great perspective because it is very true. The initial stress of what issues may be happening is not worth it because the issues will work out and overall your operation will be better for the implementation. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 142: AutoStore and Jon Schechter
Power up your supply chain at ProMatDX
Supply chain solutions are more critical to business success than ever before. How do you keep up with increasing customer demands and competitive pressures? MHI has created the ProMat Digital Experience. A new digital event to power up manufacturing and supply chain professionals by giving them critical access to the latest solutions needed to improve resiliency and agility in their operations. Click here to view the video.
Episode 141 – SmartBOL
In this episode, I was joined by James Sramek of SmartBOL. James does enterprise sales at SmartBOL and came on to discuss how their solution works and how it has evolved during COVID as well, in fact, it was almost built for contact-less service before COVID even came around. The episode is also great if you want to learn about BOL’s as well since I have James give a BOL 101 course at the beginning of the show. To hear more about pandemic innovations listen to my 2020 recap here. Key Takeaways BOL basics are the first thing that James and I discuss. Essentially, a BOL or Bill of Lading is a contract that states that a carrier has picked up the stated goods from the shipper and will deliver them to the intended receiving destination. It serves as proof that a shipment has been picked up and been put into the carrier’s possession. Typically this is usually just a simple piece of paper but SmartBOL has taken this process and made it digital. The driver gives an electronic signature and then all the records are stored in the cloud or your database. This makes the process much more efficient and helps to eliminate the risk of losing paper not only for transit purposes but also for filing and future reference purposes. James explains how there are multiple applications for the technology which gives your operational flexibility and also additional safety measures during COVID. You are able to set up a kiosk where drivers can sign the BOLs or even a mobile application that drivers can utilize right in the cab of their truck. During the pandemic, this is a great safety measure because it gives you another opportunity to keep your employees from being exposed to additional people, in this case, the drivers. The setup can be totally external with no need for the driver to enter the facility at all. One of the questions I had for James was what happens if only one party has the SmartBOL application. James explains how in many cases both the shipper and receiver have SmartBOL but if the receiver does not then the application will send them a one-time email with a link that will allow them to open the document to do an electronic signature. On the driver’s side, it has the ability to send them text messages as well with the link for the paperwork. I love that no matter what, there is no instance where one party will not be able to utilize the application meaning that, as a shipper, you will not have to deal with exceptions to your process. Listen to the episode below and let us know how you are staying contact-less in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 141: SmartBOL
Episode 140 – Pandemic Innovations, 2020 Recap
In this episode, I take a look back at 2020 and discuss the theme of pandemic innovations. This episode features clips from Episode 72, Episode 78, and Episode 130. During the pandemic, there were a lot of dark things happening but through the darkness, there was some light as the technology was evolving and innovations were happening to help humanity adapt to the new normal. Those innovations are what this episode is all about. While we are still quite a distance from seeing life return to normal, we can be sure that innovation will continue to happen and as I mention in the episode, our ability to adapt and innovate is a great sign that we will make it through this and be better for it. I am eager to see what other innovations will occur and how they will push our technology further in a shorter time span than we may have seen without the pandemic driving the need. The innovations discussed in this episode highlight some of the biggest themes of the pandemic which are keeping businesses operating through flexibility, social distancing, and sanitization. All three of these things have been very important factors, especially in our industry, for survival. My thoughts go out to all those in the industry around the world who have been working to help meet consumer demand during these unexpected surges. I hope that you enjoy this episode and find the highlighted innovations to be intriguing and inspiring. Thank you so much for being a listener throughout the year and I welcome any feedback on the podcast you might have. You can leave a comment below or email me at kevin@thenewwarehouse.com. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 140: Pandemic Innovations, 2020 Recap
Episode 137 – Rufus Labs Update
In this episode, I caught up with the CEO and co-founder of Rufus Labs, Gabe Grifoni. I last spoke with Gabe back on Episode 25 where we discussed how their solution works and the connected worker. In the newest episode, we discuss updates to their solution, how companies can help employees get through peak season, and how to speed up the training process. Key Takeaways Rufus Labs provides a wearable device that enables your operators to be hands-free when they are performing their tasks. They provide the device which is designed and made by them along with their Work Hero platform which is the software that drives the device and provides great insights into productivity. The device pairs with a scan glove that keeps the scanner close but also allows your hand to be used more freely. Additionally, it is a subscription-based service for hardware and software which allows you to stay up to date with their latest versions and technology. Since we last spoke the device has been updated more with a new cuff and additional features. The work hero platform has also been updated by Rufus Labs allowing for further drill down and additional visibility to look at all locations that might be in your network. Additionally, as COVID has driven many changes, a proximity program is in the works that will notify operators when they are within six feet of someone else wearing a Rufus Labs wearable. Warehouse workers are front line workers and Gabe discusses how they are facing tough peak seasons due to the increased demand for eCommerce. We talk about how the pandemic has created peak like levels before the peak had even hit this year. As you will hear, Gabe discusses how it is important to empower the worker and give them tools that will allow them to work more efficiently and with less stress to help them keep up with the high demand. When we get into peak like times, there is a demand for more workers which can come with the issue of getting these new workers trained and up to speed. Gabe discusses how the setup of Rufus Lab’s devices allows for easier onboarding, in some cases within a half-day workers are ready to go. This is a huge improvement to the onboarding and training period especially as it becomes difficult to attract and retain staff. With the additional insights through Work Hero, you will also be able to get insights into their productivity and understand whether they are a fit for a job much more quickly. Listen to the episode below and let us know what you think about the business model in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 137: Rufus Labs Update
Applied Manufacturing Technologies hires Senior Engineer and Controls Leader Arthur J. Kahler
AMT hires Arthur J. Kahler to support an increase in demand for the company’s engineering services and control system integration solutions Applied Manufacturing Technologies (AMT), North America’s largest independent automation engineering company supporting manufacturers, robot companies, systems integrators, line builders, and users of robotic automation worldwide, has announced the hire of Senior Engineer and Controls Leader Arthur J. Kahler. “AJ brings a long history with many different aspects of controls to his position at AMT,” said Chief Operating Officer Craig Salvalaggio. “With AMT’s growth in systems integration and controls solutions, we will leverage AJ’s ability to work with many different control and technology platforms. In addition to his technical leadership, he will support the team professionally with mentorship in their careers and overall group leadership.” Kahler brings more than ten years of experience in industrial automation and control systems to his position at AMT. His most recent position was senior field service engineer at Rockwell Automation where he supported a large array of products, managed automation projects, developed standards, and commissioned systems, as well as specializing in CIP motion, networks, HMIs, and process control. Kahler also has industry experience in PID loops and process control in the chemical industry. A graduate of Macomb Community College, Kahler holds his Associate’s degree in science as well as having completed several technical courses in controls engineering.
Loading and palletizing cement bags simultaneously with the BEUMER autopac
Fully automatic loading of bags on trucks The BEUMER autopac of the 2400 and 3000 construction series is a system that enables users to automatically load bagged bulk materials like cement on trucks and simultaneously palletize them – quickly and with the desired packing pattern. The BEUMER autopac consumes very little energy, is reliable even in dusty environments, and can be easily operated and maintained. The machine is also suitable for paper, HDPE, and PP valve bags. The truck with the empty loading space slowly stops under the BEUMER autopac. To load and palletize the cement bags, the employee enters the number of bags, the packing pattern, and the desired number of rows and layers in the BEUMER Group Human Machine Interface (HMI). Laser positioning aids have been mounted to the left and right of the BEUMER autopac. They project the outer contours of the machine with a clearly visible red beam on the loading space, helping the operator to position the loading head on the truck. From its starting position, the BEUMER autopac now starts the automatic loading process, bag by bag, directly from the filling machine via belt conveyors onto the truck. “With our BEUMER autopac, we have a system in our product range that can load trucks automatically,” explains Markus Peitzmeier, senior sales manager at BEUMER Group. “And it does so extremely reliably”. The use of an electronic bag counting system makes sure that the truck is neither underloaded nor overloaded. Manual corrections are completely omitted. “The program control recalculates the height setting for each layer,” Peitzmeier describes. In order to attain the highest possible degree of stability for the whole load on the truck, and in order to optimally utilize the loading space, two mirror-inverted layers are palletized next to one another. Two belt conveyors positioned one above the other flatten the bags before the loading process and thus remove the air from them. After being positioned, the bags are also pressed by the loading head, which makes the stack more compact and more stable. Meanwhile, the next layer is already being prepared. The bag feeding lines can be adapted to the customer’s installation conditions. Corresponding technical solutions are available for variable conveyor lines. “The BEUMER autopac is ideally suited for use in emerging countries, where the transshipment of bagged bulk goods is increasing. In these countries, labor costs are rising, and it is becoming more and more difficult to find appropriate personnel for this kind of work,” says Peitzmeier. Manual truck loading is exhausting and usually requires two people who alternate with their colleagues for each loading process due to the heavy physical work involved. Furthermore, there is a high level of dust formation, which negatively affects employees’ health. During the manual loading process, the loading performance as well as the quality of the bag stacks often fluctuates. “These problems are eliminated with our BEUMER autopac,” says Peitzmeier. One employee is able to operate more than one machine.” This enables owners to optimize processes, achieve high loading capacities, and work very efficiently from bagging up to loading. Depending on the bag dimensions and their length and width ratio, the user has flexibility in layer formation. Patterns of ten, twelve, and twenty bags per layer are possible. The very low positioning height of the loading head contributes to the gentle handling of the bags, as they are supported during the loading process and not lifted or possibly deformed, as is the case with vacuum suction modules. The system provider uses the specially developed BEUMER Group HMI for operating the BEUMER autopac. This is a touch panel with an optimized user interface and graphic navigation. This operator panel provides users with an easily understandable and intuitive interaction concept, enabling them to define efficient working sequences. Sustainable all along the line BEUMER Group is committed to evaluating its products comprehensively on the levels of economy, ecology, and social responsibility. “We follow a total value of ownership (TVO) approach. This means we consider the system in its entirety, not only from its cost side,” says Peitzmeier. For example, we continuously look to reduce energy and resource consumption in the production cycle and during the operation of the systems, all while keeping emissions to a minimum. When loading 3,000 bags per hour, each weighing 50 kilograms, power consumption is held below 0.1 kWh per ton. The BEUMER autopac is both energy-efficient and extremely robust, as demonstrated by the many systems that have been in daily use for decades. “The machine has been designed for heavy-duty operation to resist extreme ambient conditions like heat, high air humidity, dust formation and the three-shift operation in packing plants”, says Peitzmeier. In addition, the owner profits from a smaller footprint compared to other loading systems. With its compact design, the BEUMER system can be quickly and easily maintained, is reliable and safe to operate. “This is supported by the fact that we have only integrated electromechanical components,” describes Peitzmeier. “This eliminates the need for hydraulic or pneumatic components, which wear out fast or require expensive compressed air.” As for the sensors, the system provider installs contactless proximity switches that reliably transmit signals without mechanical contacts. The use of high-quality photocells ensures signal transmission even under difficult environmental conditions. In addition, the sensors used to increase both machine capacity and product quality and make sure that a wide variety of materials and bags is safely handled with the BEUMER autopac. “Remote maintenance is also possible, around the clock, every day of the week, during which we can connect to the system from the BEUMER site,” says Peitzmeier. “This increases system availability because we can react faster without having to travel long distances.” The pre-assembled modules allow the BEUMER autopac to be quickly installed and commissioned at the customer’s site. “The fully automatic loading process enables users to achieve a constantly high loading performance and stack quality,” promises Peitzmeier. “Our BEUMER autopac has proven itself in the cement industry worldwide for decades.”
Episode 133 – Facility Design with Peter Christian
In this episode, I was joined by Peter Christian who is an author, consultant, and teacher in the supply chain arena. Peter is currently “retired” but is still very busy and involved in the field. His background is in industrial engineering, operations, and strategic planning so our discussion revolved around facility design and how it has changed over the years. Key Takeaways As mentioned above, Peter has an extensive background and continues to build on that experience as well. While he is semi-retired he still authors his own books including “What About the Vermin Problem?” and recently released “Influences and Influencers” as well as works as an adjunct professor at Alvernia University. His background is very interesting and probably the most intriguing part of it for me was his time at Crayola which is an incredibly fun place to visit if you ever have the chance. Throughout his career, he has worked in engineering, quality control, operations, and strategic planning. I wanted to talk about facility design and planning with Peter because of his extensive background. It is very interesting to hear how facilities have changed over time. One thing is for sure, the size of distribution facilities have become massive with some topping 2 million square feet. Not only have they increased their footprint but they have also increased the height that they go. Increasing the height allows for more cubic space overall but can help to reduce cost by shrinking the amount of land needed. Peter starts the discussion on facility planning with the most important aspect of an operation, safety. He discusses how any type of planning within a facility whether new or old should always take safety into account. He emphasizes the importance of this now more than ever due to the increase in equipment being utilized and different moving parts. This is incredibly important as a redesign or new design may seem incredibly efficient but if it is not safe, it is not worth it. As we look at changes in design not only does safety need to be thought of in the process flow but also from a budget perspective. Safety measures should be taken and preventive measures should be invested in prior to an issue happening. One other point that was very important to bring up is to look at whether a new facility is actually needed or if you are just not optimizing your current space. Peter discusses how assessing your actual needs instead of getting caught up in the idea of a new facility is an important first step. While having a bigger footprint may make an impact when you say it, the reality may be that it is unnecessary for your operation. A proper assessment will take into account your current space and analyze whether space can be redesigned to help your current and future needs. Once that is done then you can really make the best decision for the future of your business and operation. Listen to the episode below and let us know your thoughts on facility planning in the comments. The New Warehouse Podcast EP 133: Facility Design with Peter Christian