Under Swiss watch. Swiss food and beverage retailer Denner has commissioned Swisslog as the general contractor for the expansion and automation of a distribution center in Magenwil. The project will triple the facility's volume and flow rates and boost its efficiency. The expansion is scheduled for completion by autumn 2007.
Put 'er there, partner. ASAP Automation has been named a certified partner in the Microsoft Business Solutions Partnership program, which means the company has demonstrated competence in Microsoft technologies. Based in Louisville, Ky., ASAP Automation provides supply chain execution software and automation technologies. As a certified Microsoft partner, ASAP Automation will now be able to offer its customers access to resources that will ultimately enhance their productivity.
Class act. ASURYS, a business unit of International Paper, and RFID4U have partnered to offer CompTIA RFID+ certification training. Most of this training will take place at ASURYS' Memphis, Tenn., Customer Solution Center, which offers industry testing, training, engineering and development services.
Ten-hut! P&O Ports has extended an agreement with the U.S. Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC) to handle the stevedoring (loading and unloading) of military equipment at the ports of Beaumont and Corpus Christi, Texas, through 2010. P&O has provided these services to SDDC since 1989.
What a feeling! Ryder System will support Toyota's new assembly plant in San Antonio, Texas, by providing lead logistics management and operations services from network facility locations throughout North America. Production will begin late this year at the auto plant, which will have the capacity to produce 200,000 Tundra pickup trucks a year.
Keying in. USAnotebook.com, an Internet retailer of refurbished laptop computers, has selected DHL as its exclusive domestic shipping provider. USAnotebook.com, located in Pompano Beach, Fla., will use DHL's EasyShip system to process its shipments.
In sync. Associated Wholesale Grocers, the nation's second largest retailer-owned grocery wholesaler, is extending its agreement with consulting firm ESYNC. ESYNC has been working with AWG to help the grocer select supply chain software and roll it out at its seven distribution centers.
Symbolic act. Systems integrator World Wide Technology Inc. has selected a Symbol enterprise mobility solution for its U.S. warehouses and distribution facilities. Included in the deal are Symbol's MC9060K rugged mobile computers and Mobility Services Platform, which help warehouse workers capture, move and manage critical data.
Taking the lead. Eaton Corp. has tapped Penske Logistics to be its lead logistics provider in Europe. The new contract builds on the two companies' long-established relationship in the United States. Under the deal, Penske will provide transportation management services, followed by a comprehensive supply chain redesign for Eaton's European manufacturing operations, which span 13 countries.
Mix and match. Two plastic container manufacturers are collaborating to enhance and market one another's product lines. LINPAC Materials Handling, known for its reusable plastic containers and pallets, and Monoflo International, a manufacturer of reusable totes, offer complementary products, which are now available from either company.
Going mobile. A collaboration between Intermec Inc. and ADC Technologies Group has brought the power of mobile warehouse operations to small and mid-sized companies using Microsoft Dynamics GP distribution software. The joint marketing program includes Intermec's CK60 rugged mobile computer and ADC's Quickstart Warehouse Mobility Kit featuring ADC's x10DATA Mobile software.
Proof positive. Wessin Transport, an independent transportation company serving the Midwest and East Coast, has installed AirClic MP, a proof-of-delivery system from Newtown, Pa.-based AirClic. By equipping its drivers with enabled mobile devices, Wessin now is able to track up to 30,000 deliveries daily in real time while improving its customer service.
Chips ahoy. Savi Networks, operator of RFID-enhanced global information services for container shipments, has rolled out its SaviTrak service at ports in Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. The service uses RFID technology to provide automated tracking, management and security.
No missing tires. RT Systems has received an order to install its warehouse management system, RT Locator, at Jack Williams Tire Co. in Scranton, Pa. The system will provide inventory management and warehouse control at the Jack Williams distribution center, which serves 26 retail locations.
Leaders at American ports are cheering the latest round of federal infrastructure funding announced today, which will bring almost $580 million in Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) awards, funding 31 projects in 15 states and one territory.
“Modernizing America’s port infrastructure is essential to strengthening the multimodal network that supports our nation's supply chain,” Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips said in a release. “Approximately 2.3 billion short tons of goods move through U.S. waterways each year, and the benefits of developing port infrastructure extend far beyond the maritime sector. This funding enhances the flow and capacity of goods moved, bolstering supply chain resilience across all transportation modes, and addressing the environmental and health impacts on port communities.”
Even as the new awardees begin the necessary paperwork, industry group the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) said it continues to urge Congress to continue funding PIDP at the full authorized amount and get shovels in the ground faster by passing the bipartisan Permitting Optimization for Responsible Transportation (PORT) Act, which slashes red tape, streamlines outdated permitting, and makes the process more efficient and predictable.
"Our nation's ports sincerely thank our bipartisan Congressional leaders, as well as the USDOT for making these critical awards possible," Cary Davis, AAPA President and CEO, said in a release. "Now comes the hard part. AAPA ports will continue working closely with our Federal Government partners to get the money deployed and shovels in the ground as soon as possible so we can complete these port infrastructure upgrades and realize the benefits to our nation's supply chain and people faster."
Supply chains are poised for accelerated adoption of mobile robots and drones as those technologies mature and companies focus on implementing artificial intelligence (AI) and automation across their logistics operations.
That’s according to data from Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Mobile Robots and Drones, released this week. The report shows that several mobile robotics technologies will mature over the next two to five years, and also identifies breakthrough and rising technologies set to have an impact further out.
Gartner’s Hype Cycle is a graphical depiction of a common pattern that arises with each new technology or innovation through five phases of maturity and adoption. Chief supply chain officers can use the research to find robotic solutions that meet their needs, according to Gartner.
Gartner, Inc.
The mobile robotic technologies set to mature over the next two to five years are: collaborative in-aisle picking robots, light-cargo delivery robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for transport, mobile robotic goods-to-person systems, and robotic cube storage systems.
“As organizations look to further improve logistic operations, support automation and augment humans in various jobs, supply chain leaders have turned to mobile robots to support their strategy,” Dwight Klappich, VP analyst and Gartner fellow with the Gartner Supply Chain practice, said in a statement announcing the findings. “Mobile robots are continuing to evolve, becoming more powerful and practical, thus paving the way for continued technology innovation.”
Technologies that are on the rise include autonomous data collection and inspection technologies, which are expected to deliver benefits over the next five to 10 years. These include solutions like indoor-flying drones, which utilize AI-enabled vision or RFID to help with time-consuming inventory management, inspection, and surveillance tasks. The technology can also alleviate safety concerns that arise in warehouses, such as workers counting inventory in hard-to-reach places.
“Automating labor-intensive tasks can provide notable benefits,” Klappich said. “With AI capabilities increasingly embedded in mobile robots and drones, the potential to function unaided and adapt to environments will make it possible to support a growing number of use cases.”
Humanoid robots—which resemble the human body in shape—are among the technologies in the breakthrough stage, meaning that they are expected to have a transformational effect on supply chains, but their mainstream adoption could take 10 years or more.
“For supply chains with high-volume and predictable processes, humanoid robots have the potential to enhance or supplement the supply chain workforce,” Klappich also said. “However, while the pace of innovation is encouraging, the industry is years away from general-purpose humanoid robots being used in more complex retail and industrial environments.”
An eight-year veteran of the Georgia company, Hakala will begin his new role on January 1, when the current CEO, Tero Peltomäki, will retire after a long and noteworthy career, continuing as a member of the board of directors, Cimcorp said.
According to Hakala, automation is an inevitable course in Cimcorp’s core sectors, and the company’s end-to-end capabilities will be crucial for clients’ success. In the past, both the tire and grocery retail industries have automated individual machines and parts of their operations. In recent years, automation has spread throughout the facilities, as companies want to be able to see their entire operation with one look, utilize analytics, optimize processes, and lead with data.
“Cimcorp has always grown by starting small in the new business segments. We’ve created one solution first, and as we’ve gained more knowledge of our clients’ challenges, we have been able to expand,” Hakala said in a release. “In every phase, we aim to bring our experience to the table and even challenge the client’s initial perspective. We are interested in what our client does and how it could be done better and more efficiently.”
Although many shoppers will
return to physical stores this holiday season, online shopping remains a driving force behind peak-season shipping challenges, especially when it comes to the last mile. Consumers still want fast, free shipping if they can get it—without any delays or disruptions to their holiday deliveries.
One disruptor that gets a lot of headlines this time of year is package theft—committed by so-called “porch pirates.” These are thieves who snatch parcels from front stairs, side porches, and driveways in neighborhoods across the country. The problem adds up to billions of dollars in stolen merchandise each year—not to mention headaches for shippers, parcel delivery companies, and, of course, consumers.
Given the scope of the problem, it’s no wonder online shoppers are worried about it—especially during holiday season. In its annual report on package theft trends, released in October, the
security-focused research and product review firm Security.org found that:
17% of Americans had a package stolen in the past three months, with the typical stolen parcel worth about $50. Some 44% said they’d had a package taken at some point in their life.
Package thieves poached more than $8 billion in merchandise over the past year.
18% of adults said they’d had a package stolen that contained a gift for someone else.
Ahead of the holiday season, 88% of adults said they were worried about theft of online purchases, with more than a quarter saying they were “extremely” or “very” concerned.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are some low-tech steps consumers can take to help guard against porch piracy along with some high-tech logistics-focused innovations in the pipeline that can protect deliveries in the last mile. First, some common-sense advice on avoiding package theft from the Security.org research:
Install a doorbell camera, which is a relatively low-cost deterrent.
Bring packages inside promptly or arrange to have them delivered to a secure location if no one will be at home.
Consider using click-and-collect options when possible.
If the retailer allows you to specify delivery-time windows, consider doing so to avoid having packages sit outside for extended periods.
These steps may sound basic, but they are by no means a given: Fewer than half of Americans consider the timing of deliveries, less than a third have a doorbell camera, and nearly one-fifth take no precautions to prevent package theft, according to the research.
Tech vendors are stepping up to help. One example is
Arrive AI, which develops smart mailboxes for last-mile delivery and pickup. The company says its Mailbox-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform will revolutionize the last mile by building a network of parcel-storage boxes that can be accessed by people, drones, or robots. In a nutshell: Packages are placed into a weatherproof box via drone, robot, driverless carrier, or traditional delivery method—and no one other than the rightful owner can access it.
Although the platform is still in development, the company already offers solutions for business clients looking to secure high-value deliveries and sensitive shipments. The health-care industry is one example: Arrive AI offers secure drone delivery of medical supplies, prescriptions, lab samples, and the like to hospitals and other health-care facilities. The platform provides real-time tracking, chain-of-custody controls, and theft-prevention features. Arrive is conducting short-term deployments between logistics companies and health-care partners now, according to a company spokesperson.
The MaaS solution has a pretty high cool factor. And the common-sense best practices just seem like solid advice. Maybe combining both is the key to a more secure last mile—during peak shipping season and throughout the year as well.
The Boston-based enterprise software vendor Board has acquired the California company Prevedere, a provider of predictive planning technology, saying the move will integrate internal performance metrics with external economic intelligence.
According to Board, the combined technologies will integrate millions of external data points—ranging from macroeconomic indicators to AI-driven predictive models—to help companies build predictive models for critical planning needs, cutting costs by reducing inventory excess and optimizing logistics in response to global trade dynamics.
That is particularly valuable in today’s rapidly changing markets, where companies face evolving customer preferences and economic shifts, the company said. “Our customers spend significant time analyzing internal data but often lack visibility into how external factors might impact their planning,” Jeff Casale, CEO of Board, said in a release. “By integrating Prevedere, we eliminate those blind spots, equipping executives with a complete view of their operating environment. This empowers them to respond dynamically to market changes and make informed decisions that drive competitive advantage.”