Who are the fastest-growing logistics and transportation companies in the nation? You can find out from Inc., the magazine and website devoted to business entrepreneurship. Each year, its Inc. 5000 list ranks the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the United States, based on percentage revenue growth over a three-year period.
The 2013 edition included 155 companies in the logistics and transportation categories. They included many familiar names, such as Barrett Distribution Centers, England Logistics, enVista, Estes Forwarding Worldwide, Florida East Coast Railway, Legacy Supply Chain Services, Load Delivered Logistics, Mach 1 Global Services, M33 Integrated Solutions, ODW Logistics & Transportation Services, Saddle Creek Logistics Services, and Total Quality Logistics, to name a few. There also were many we've never come across, including some with such intriguing names as Bongo International (parcel forwarding for e-commerce), Ecogistics (environmentally responsible transportation outsourcing and planning), The Logistics Store (a consulting firm), and Zipline Logistics (transportation brokerage). (Associated, a provider of integrated handling, labor management, and engineering solutions, made the list under a different category.)
For the entire list, go to www.inc.com/inc5000 and search by category for "logistics and transportation."
Picture a busy DC, with manually operated forklifts, people, and pallets in constant motion. At the same time, the stationary equipment they interact with, such as conveyors and palletizers, is industriously whirring away. Together, they are performing something akin to a carefully choreographed ballet.
Now add driverless forklifts to the mix. Shuttling along without a human operator on board, they may look like they’re operating independently, but they’re not. They’re actually in constant contact with other equipment and software, making sure they perform their part in the dance at the right moment. Without that ability to communicate, the forklifts—and other warehouse operations—could come to a standstill.
Who, exactly, are driverless forklifts “talking” to, what information are they sharing, and how does that exchange happen? We asked automation experts to explain. They also shared tips on ensuring successful communication between automated lift trucks and other equipment and software.
TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION
Lift trucks that do their jobs without a human operator on board cannot “speak” directly to each other. “As it stands now, there is no peer-to-peer communication or interaction on a forklift-to-forklift basis,” notes David Griffin, chief sales officer for Seegrid, a developer of autonomous lift trucks and AMRs (autonomous mobile robots). There is, however, interaction between forklifts via a centralized fleet manager system (also referred to as a traffic management system or an automation server). This “overarching conductor of the automated system” assigns tasks to each forklift, controls the route the trucks will follow, and manages traffic flow, says Nick McClurg, a sales engineer at forklift maker Hyster Co.
The forklifts communicate with many kinds of material handling equipment, such as robotic palletizers and depalletizers, stretch wrappers, conveyors, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and dock equipment. That communication must be bidirectional, says Michael Marcum, senior director of autonomous vehicles at systems integrator Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Automated Solutions company that also makes robotic forklifts. Much of the exchange consists of messages that indicate status—whether or not the two pieces of equipment involved are ready to conduct a transaction. For example, if a forklift will be delivering a pallet to a stretch wrapper, then the wrapper has to tell that forklift, via the fleet manager system, that the load position is empty and the forklift is allowed to set a payload there, Marcum explains. After a pallet has been wrapped, the stretch wrapper will call for a pickup via the fleet manager. Once the forklift picks up the wrapped pallet, it must confirm to the stretch wrapper that it has departed; without that signal, the wrapper cannot receive its next load.
If a truck is not ready for an assigned task, it signals that status to the fleet manager, and the task will be reassigned to another nearby vehicle, says Jayce Nelson, sales manager, North America, for Kion Group’s Linde Automated Solutions, a specialist in automated forklifts and software. When the assigned forklift is ready to approach, say, the end of a conveyor to pick up a load, it uses its vision systems, such as 3D cameras, to align itself with the equipment.
With their control software, robotic forklifts also have the ability to communicate with other warehouse equipment, like fire-detection systems and automated rollup doors. “If a device is capable of sending or receiving electrical signals, then the vehicle can interact with that device via the automation host software,” McClurg says. Even a piece of mechanical equipment could be outfitted with sensors that help it interact with automated forklifts, according to Brian Markison, director of sales for Rocrich AGV Solutions, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Logisnext’s Rocla and Jungheinrich units that specializes in automated guided vehicles.
The capability to communicate with different types of devices enhances warehouse safety, Griffin says, because it enables automated forklifts to talk to safety equipment like pedestrian warning lights and intersection gates. And since the robots constantly transmit their location, the traffic control system can identify developing problems and prevent them. For example, the system will stop an autonomous forklift from entering an intersection that’s occupied by another lift truck. Once the other truck has moved on, the system will give the approaching forklift the “all clear,” he says.
Hardware isn’t the only thing driverless forklifts can talk to; they also are in continual dialogue with various types of software. “Most commercial warehouse software programs today have the capability for two-way communication, and most can be integrated with automated lift truck fleet management software,” observes John Wilkins, a sales engineer for Yale Lift Truck Technologies. The most common are warehouse management systems (WMS) and warehouse control systems (WCS); others include enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, fleet management and telematics systems, and transportation management (TMS) and order management (OMS) systems.
As for how that might work, Rocrich’s Markison gives the example of a WMS sending an order to move a pallet from one location to another. The order typically will include start and completion time, and some indication of the move’s priority. “That order can then be taken into the fleet manager, which will appropriately queue up the tasks that need to be done,” he explains. The forklift must also report completed missions back to the WMS.
HOW TO TALK TO A FORKLIFT
Communication between robotic forklifts and warehouse equipment and software happens in a number of ways. Which method is deployed depends on the equipment and software involved as well as the tasks to be carried out. Each installation is unique in some way, but there are some commonly used approaches.
Some communication protocols are more widely used than others. Examples of those in widespread use include modbus, a serial communication protocol that governs an initiating and a responding device, and CANbus (Controller Area Network), a real-time communication protocol that transmits data to networked industrial controls.
A driverless forklift’s interface with other equipment could be something electromechanical, such as a photo-eye sensor, says Jeff Kuss, product manager–automated solutions at forklift maker and intralogistics specialist The Raymond Corp. A sensor at the end of a conveyor, for instance, could detect the presence of a pallet. That triggers the sensor to create an electrical signal that it sends to a programmable logic controller (PLC). The PLC receives the electrical signal as a digital input and then transmits a message, via ethernet, to the server that controls the automated vehicles. Finally, the server sends the instructions over Wi-Fi to the closest available forklift to “pick up the pallet and take it to Location X.” (Some facilities use Bluetooth or cellular transmission instead of Wi-Fi.) Data that identify loads and trigger a task can also be acquired through IoT (internet of things) platforms, RFID (radio-frequency identification) systems, and barcode scanning.
Another option, Bastian’s Marcum says, is to use infrared-based optic couplers that share bits (binary digits, the smallest units of digital information) as inputs and outputs. When the forklift gets within a certain distance of another piece of equipment, “the two devices can talk to each other, similar to the way a TV remote works,” he explains.
Usually, though, software is a critical intermediary between driverless forklifts and other equipment. It can be complicated. In the case of a WMS, McClurg says, his company’s approach is to send a text or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file to the WMS; in exchange, the WMS sends a file to a folder on the localized network that can be accessed by the automation host software. The fleet manager reads the file and executes it. Once the task has been completed, a message is sent to another folder. The WMS opens it, reads it, and, based on its contents, either closes out the order or sends additional instructions.
To ensure that interfacing software programs understand the messages they receive from each other, it’s often necessary to create an application programming interface (API). An API is a comparatively simple type of middleware—or software layer—that acts as a translator, facilitating communication by reformatting messages so they will be intelligible to the receiver. In essence, they are “setting ground rules in terms of what information is passing back and forth and what it means,” Markison explains.
In some cases, more complex middleware may be needed. According to Brice Bucher, senior manager of products at software developer and systems integrator Flexware Innovation, APIs have limitations. In a presentation at the Autonomous Mobile Robotics & Logistics Conference 2024, Bucher noted that APIs don’t address data transformation, protocol conversion, or business logic integration. When each system has different data formats or requires specific protocols, middleware bridges those gaps, he said. Middleware also ensures that data moves between systems without delay, he said. For example, if an AGV completes a task, middleware can instantly trigger updates across systems, so that WMS, ERP, and other systems are aligned in real time.
CAN WE TALK?
Raymond’s Kuss notes that each communication integration will be unique in some way. That’s partly because automated forklift vendors and suppliers of fleet manager systems have proprietary interfaces. On top of that, software with some degree of customization, such as a WMS, may require modifications to the fleet manager system, he explains. What’s more, adds his colleague John Rosenberger, director, iWarehouse Gateway & Global Telematics, “even if we know the format for efficient data transfer, the content of the messages may differ depending on the forklift manufacturer, or it can be different by functionality.”
Mixed fleets with forklifts from different manufacturers present a particular challenge. Seegrid’s Griffin notes that it’s common for facilities to use robots from multiple vendors. Generally, he says, each automated solution has its own proprietary fleet manager software that understands where all units under its purview are and controls their movements. When robots of different brands cannot be confined to separate areas, it’s important that their fleet managers have the ability to communicate, so they can do things like open and close intersections where different types of robots cross paths.
While it is possible for dissimilar fleet managers to talk to each other, that’s easier said than done. “Those systems inherently are not interoperable,” Nelson says. “The need to share information like coordinates, current status, past assignments, and prioritization makes it difficult to assign travel paths.” In addition, if the forklifts are unable to communicate location information and what they are doing, that can lead to deadlock, where the vehicles simply stop—what Yale’s Wilkinson calls “the classic situation: a staring contest between two autonomous vehicles from different OEMs, neither one capable of blinking or losing.”
A solution for some facilities is third-party fleet manager software that’s designed to work in multiple brands of autonomous forklifts; examples include those offered by independent developers such as Kollmorgen, BlueBotics, Navitech Systems, and Flexware Innovation. In fact, some forklift OEMs partner with these and other providers instead of developing their own fleet managers. This opens the way for a fleet to potentially buy different robots utilizing the same control and navigation system, which will reduce complexity to some degree, Marcum says.
Communications with driverless forklifts may become simpler in the near future. VDA 5050, an open-source protocol for communication between AGVs and fleet manager systems, is currently in development. Coordinated by two German industry organizations, one for auto manufacturers and the other for material handling and intralogistics, this universal protocol promises to allow “any mobile robot, regardless of brand, [to] be seamlessly integrated into existing operations,” wrote Alfredo Pastor Tella, who runs the Europe-based AGV Network website, in a LinkedIn post. Pastor Tella wrote that Kollmorgen will introduce VDA 5050 into its robot control software in 2025, but other industry observers have noted that because the protocol’s roots are in European manufacturing and there are still technical issues to be worked out, it may be a few years before it takes hold in the forklift world. When it does, conversations with autonomous forklift fleets will likely become much less complicated to hold.
Tips for success
Want to be sure your driverless forklifts will always “get the message”? Here are some experts’ recommendations for facilitating communication with them:
Involve your IT experts early! They’ll need to identify what relevant data is currently available and where it resides. Make sure they’re comfortable that any APIs and other software meet your company’s security requirements. For cloud-based systems, verify that the vendor and systems integrator will have remote access if they need to service any of the systems or software. (Brian Markison, Rocrich AGV Solutions)
If you’re buying from different manufacturers, find out which supplier has navigation technology on the brands you’re considering and try to stay with a single system if possible. If you have a single platform, you can make a change just once and the entire fleet will receive that modification. If you have two fleet managers, segregate them as much as possible. Wherever they are separate, you’ll only have to change that one, but in shared areas, you’ll have to change both. (Michael Marcum, Bastian Solutions)
When it comes to facilitating communication, software is not always the best answer. Sometimes something simpler, like PLCs that notify equipment through very basic logic, works just fine. And it’s better to start small and integrate each function as you go, rather than try to integrate everything at once. You can tie two systems together and demonstrate the benefits from that, then use the savings to justify and help fund the next piece. (John Rosenberger, The Raymond Corp.)
Conduct testing in real-world scenarios, and make sure legacy software and communication technologies are compatible with the automation. These systems work in a dynamic environment, and a lot changes over time. Calibration tests can make sure everything still aligns correctly. And remember to inform your vendor of changes in things like throughput rates, layout, pallet sizes and configurations, products, and so on. (Jayce Nelson, Linde Automated Solutions)
In most facilities, commands and data are communicated via Wi-Fi, so connectivity and reliability are a top concern. A pre-installation survey to measure Wi-Fi signal availability and strength throughout the facility is an absolute must. Based on those findings, you may need to enhance signal strength and expand capacity and coverage. In some very large facilities, a private wireless network that uses cellular signals may be the best solution. (Deryk Powell, CEO, Velociti Inc., a provider of technology deployment, support, and integration services)
Transportation leaders, policymakers, administrators, and researchers from government, industry, and academia will gather January 5-9, 2025, in Washington, D.C., for the 104th annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
The meeting’s program covers all modes of transportation and features hundreds of sessions and workshops on various transportation-related topics. The theme for this year’s conference is how innovations in technology, business, and processes help support transportation’s role in a thriving society, according to TRB.
Speakers at this year’s event include TRB executives as well as federal, state, and international government leaders and policymakers. Discussions on zero-emissions freight, supply chain shifts, automated vehicles and roadway digital infrastructure, National Transportation Safety Board investigations, and other topics will take place throughout the week, according to TRB. Held every January in Washington, D.C., the TRB Annual Meeting attracts more than 13,000 attendees from throughout the United States and around the world.
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2024 International Foodservice Distributor Association’s (IFDA) National Championship
It’s probably safe to say that no one chooses a career in logistics for the glory. But even those accustomed to toiling in obscurity appreciate a little recognition now and then—particularly when it comes from the people they love best: their kids.
That familial love was on full display at the 2024 International Foodservice Distributor Association’s (IFDA) National Championship, which brings together foodservice distribution professionals to demonstrate their expertise in driving, warehouse operations, safety, and operational efficiency. For the eighth year, the event included a Kids Essay Contest, where children of participants were encouraged to share why they are proud of their parents or guardians and the work they do.
Prizes were handed out in three categories: 3rd–5th grade, 6th–8th grade, and 9th–12th grade. This year’s winners included Elijah Oliver (4th grade, whose parent Justin Oliver drives for Cheney Brothers) and Andrew Aylas (8th grade, whose parent Steve Aylas drives for Performance Food Group).
Top honors in the high-school category went to McKenzie Harden (12th grade, whose parent Marvin Harden drives for Performance Food Group), who wrote: “My dad has not only taught me life skills of not only, ‘what the boys can do,’ but life skills of morals, compassion, respect, and, last but not least, ‘wearing your heart on your sleeve.’”
The deal will add the Google DeepMind robotics team’s AI expertise to Austin, Texas-based Apptronik’s robotics platform, allowing the units to handle a wider range of tasks in real-world settings like factories and warehouses.
The Texas firm joins other providers of two-legged robots such as the Oregon company Agility Robotics, which is currently testing its humanoid units with the large German automotive and industrial parts supplier Schaeffler AG, as well as with GXO. GXO is also running trials of a third type of humanoid bot made by New York-based Reflex Robotics. And another provider of humanoid robots, the Canadian firm Sanctuary AI, this year landed funding from the consulting firm Accenture.
“We’re building a future where humanoid robots address urgent global challenges,” Jeff Cardenas, CEO and co-founder of Apptronik, said in a release. “By combining Apptronik’s cutting-edge robotics platform with the Google DeepMind robotics team’s unparalleled AI expertise, we’re creating intelligent, versatile and safe robots that will transform industries and improve lives. United by a shared commitment to excellence, our two companies are poised to redefine the future of humanoid robotics.”
According to FedEx, the proposed breakup will create flexibility for the two companies to handle the separate demands of the global parcel and the LTL markets. That approach will enable FedEx and FedEx Freight to deploy more customized operational execution, along with more tailored investment and capital allocation strategies. At the same time, the two companies will continue to cooperate on commercial, operational, and technology initiatives.
Following the split, FedEx Freight will become the industry’s largest LTL carrier, with revenue of $9.4 billion in fiscal 2024. The company also boasts the broadest network and fastest transit times in its industry, the company said.
After spinning of that business, the remaining FedEx units will have a combined revenue of $78.3 billion based on fiscal year 2024 results for its range of time- and day-definite delivery and related supply chain technology services to more than 220 countries and territories through an integrated air-ground express network.
The move comes after FedEx has operated its freight unit for decades. After launching in 1971 as an overnight air courier service, FedEx grew quickly and in 1998 acquired Caliber System inc., creating a transportation “powerhouse” comprising the traditional FedEx distribution service and small-package ground carrier RPS, LTL carrier Viking Freight, Caliber Logistics, Caliber Technology, and Roberts Express. And in 2006, FedEx acquires Watkins Motor Lines, enhancing FedEx Freight’s ability to serve customers in the long-haul LTL freight market.
FedEx share prices rose after the announcement, as investors cheered a resolution to the debate that had lingered since June about whether the event would happen, according to a statement from Bascome Majors, a market analyst with Susquehanna Financial Group. And FedEx Freight will become a major player in the sector, based on its 16% share of industry revenue in 2023, well above Old Dominion Freight Lines (ODFL)’s 10% and SAIA’s 5%, he said.
Likewise, TD Cowen issued a “buy” rating for FedEx based on the long-awaited move, according to Jason Seidl, senior analyst focused on rail, trucking and logistics. That came as investors were soothed about their worries of potential “dis-synergies” from the split by the detail that FedEx Freight and legacy FDX have signed agreements that will continue the connectivity of the two networks.