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e-Commerce compliance platform Eurora appoints Walter Trezek as Chairman of the Supervisory Board to
Eurora, an Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning-backed e-commerce compliance company. Eurora has appointed a global e-commerce giant, Walter Trezek, as Non-Executive Chairman of the Supervisory Board to assist the Eurora's expansion.
e-Commerce compliance platform Eurora appoints Walter Trezek as Chairman of the Supervisory Board to fuel global expansion
· With over 35 years of experience in the e-commerce industry - Walter is the Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the UN’s Universal Postal Union, co-chair of Ecommerce Europe and an advisor to the European Commission
· The e-commerce industry is projected to increase in Europe and the US as the cost-of-living crisis pushes consumers to look for lower price points
· EU’s e-commerce VAT package resulted in an additional €18 billion in revenue for the block during its first year. Now other countries, including the US, Singapore and the UK, are following suit; Eurora’s platform can automate compliance with the cross-border trade
· Eurora’s AI/ML-based platform can process up to 5,000 requests per second with up to 98% accuracy at a fraction of the time and price of hybrid or manual code allocation solutions commonly used
MIAMI, US and Tallinn, Estonia (September 12, 2022): Eurora Solutions (Eurora or the Company), a provider of leading artificial intelligence machine learning-based (AI/ML) cross-border e-commerce compliance platform, has appointed global e-commerce executive Walter Trezek as its non-executive Chairman of the Supervisory Board to support the Company’s global expansion.
Walter brings over 35 years of experience in digital commerce and logistics. He is the Chairman of the Consultative Committee of the Universal Postal Union, a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates postal policies among 192 member nations and facilitates the worldwide postal system. Walter is also the co-chair of the eLogistics & Taxation Working Committee at Ecommerce Europe, an association representing 150,000+ companies selling goods and services online to consumers in Europe. He is an advisor to the European Commission (EC) on logistics, value added tax (VAT), customs and postal market matters.
Walter was one of the first employees of Stamps.com, the Silicon Valley internet start-up and inventor of the digital stamp, which listed in 1999 at a $3.8 billion valuation. After the successful Initial Public Offering, Walter was invited to become the Head of Technology & Sales at Austria Post, where he contributed to the organization’s restructuring that led to the company’s listing on the Vienna stock exchange.
Eurora’s global ambition
Walter’s appointment aligns with the Company’s plans for geographical expansion: fuelled by the US$40 million Series A funding round in April this year, Eurora recently announced the opening of a central office in Miami, and the appointment of Chris Lentjes, a Pitney Bowes and DHL veteran with more than 20+ years of industry experience, as its US CEO. Before the end of the calendar year, Eurora plans to open an Engineering Hub in Dubai and an Innovation and Research Center in Estonia. The e-commerce sector in these regions is expected to undergo rapid growth. Having almost tripled in the past decade, global parcel shipping volumes are projected to reach over 260 billion deliveries by 2026, or 32.5 parcels per global citizen. Eurora is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this growth with its full suite of automated e-commerce solutions ready to service players across the entire supply chain.
Walter Trezek, the Non-Executive Chairman of Eurora, comments: “With the growing energy crisis and record inflation rates across the globe, consumers are left with less disposable income, encouraging them to look to online retailers for lower price points. This will add additional strain on postal systems and e-commerce companies which are already facing climbing costs. As noted in the WSJ coverage of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals State of Logistics Report, business logistics costs rose 22% in 2021 as companies worked to adjust to shifting consumer demand. The cost of returns in the US rose by 21%, and the inventory costs increased by 26% last year alone. Record inflation rates will add further strain to an industry that already operates at very low margins, increasing efficiency is an essential element in remaining competitive. I believe Eurora’s AI/ML-based approach can play an instrumental role in making e-commerce leaner, faster and more cost-efficient.”
Eurora’s proprietary AI/ML-based platform
Eurora’s B2B platform can be used by online sellers, marketplaces, logistics and postal companies to automatically create electronic declarations for duties and taxes via simple API integration. It assigns e-commerce products an appropriate HS code. Using AI and ML, Eurora automatically processes 5,000 requests per second with up to 98% accuracy – the highest level of accuracy, speed, and automation available on the market. It operates at a fraction of the time and price of hybrid or manual code allocation solutions commonly used today. Eurora was the first official VAT Intermediary and the first company to issue an IOSS number.
Marko Lastik, the Founder and Global CEO of Eurora, said: “Walter is a giant in the global e-commerce industry. With his guidance and further investment in our technology, Eurora is ideally placed to capitalize on these legislative changes. Our platform can already verify the accuracy of parcel data, and its functionality can easily be extended to verify compliance with transport security or product safety. This might prove a challenge for companies under-investing in their technology, however, many of whom are already struggling to comply with the current regulations.
“Eurora currently has over 250 paying clients, and our software is used to ship more than a billion parcels each year. Everyone, from large marketplaces to small and medium-sized enterprises, needs software capable of providing integrated services, increasing efficiency and making the parcel’s journey seamless – the Eurora platform benefits merchants and postal operators ali
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — Averitt has promoted David Fussell to vice president of dedicated sales, following the retirement of Walt Gray.
Fussell joined Averitt in 1991 and has held several key positions throughout his career. He served as a transportation sales specialist in Decatur and Nashville, later becoming service center director in Little Rock. In 2018, he transitioned to director of dedicated sales, working closely with Gray to expand the company’s dedicated accounts and deliver customized solutions to customers.
“David’s extensive experience and leadership have been instrumental in expanding our dedicated services,” said Kent Williams, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Averitt. “We look forward to seeing continued growth under his leadership in this role.” For more information about Averitt’s Dedicated solutions, visit Averitt.com/Dedicated.
About Averitt
Serving shippers for over 50 years, Averitt is a leading provider of freight transportation and supply chain management solutions with an international reach of over 100 countries. Averitt's “Power of One” service structure provides shippers access to LTL, Truckload, Dedicated, Distribution & Fulfillment, and Integrated services that cover every link in the supply chain. Averitt’s team has been awarded the highest honors in the industry in the past year, including three Quest for Quality Awards, numerous customer awards, and a top ranking in MASTIO & Company’s shipper survey. Averitt's 8,500+ associates are dedicated to delivering the most reliable services within the industry and promoting a company culture centered around people, communities, sustainability, and giving back. For more information, call 1-800-AVERITT (283-7488) or visit Averitt.com.
GREEN BAY, Wis.-- Schneider National, Inc. (NYSE: SNDR), a premier multimodal provider of transportation, intermodal and logistics services, is marking another significant milestone as its battery electric vehicle (BEV) fleet has surpassed six million zero emission miles, highlighting its commitment to reducing carbon emissions and advancing cleaner transportation.
“Reaching six million zero emission miles is a testament to our steadfast dedication to sustainability and innovation,” said Schneider President and CEO Mark Rourke. “Leading the way in adopting electric vehicle technology not only benefits the environment but also serves as an example of the broad service capabilities and flexibility we can offer to customers.”
This latest achievement means Schneider has had an impressive reduction of 20 million pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions since the company started using BEVs — equivalent to removing over 2,100 gas-powered passenger vehicles from the road for one year.
Schneider operates one of the largest BEV fleets in North America, which includes nearly 100 Freightliner eCascadias from manufacturer Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA). To power its electric fleet, the company operates a large charging depot at its Southern California Operations Center in South El Monte. The depot features 16 350 kW dual-corded dispensers, allowing the company to charge 32 trucks simultaneously.
“Schneider is a great example of the kind of forward-thinking entrepreneurship our industry needs,” said David Carson, Senior Vice President, Sales and Marketing at DTNA. “They’ve achieved over 6 million zero emission miles, which is a reminder for us all to keep working on overcoming challenges together on the path to zero emissions. At DTNA, we're committed to the shift to zero emissions, alongside pioneers like Schneider, who are showing us what's possible.”
Schneider’s BEV leadership benefits customers
As a responsible company, Schneider has established aggressive sustainability goals and invests in energy-efficient equipment. These efforts also support customers in meeting their own sustainability ambitions, and the BEV fleet has been a key differentiator for customers looking for more efficient transportation solutions. In 2023, Schneider was the first third-party carrier to haul zero emission shipments for PepsiCo globally, traveling more than 31,000 zero emission miles in a few short months.
"PepsiCo is proud to celebrate this milestone driven by Schneider in California. As the first partner using their electric fleet, we’ve demonstrated the power of cross-industry collaboration in reducing emissions. Together, we are working towards a cleaner, healthier environment," said David Allen, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo Foods North America.
Drivers also feel the benefits of the BEV fleet
In addition to customers, Schneider drivers have also embraced the electric trucks because of the excellent on-road experience they create. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with drivers appreciating the smooth ride, reduced engine noise and ease of steering.
“Once you drive an electric truck, you won’t want to go back to a diesel truck,” shared longtime Schneider driver Marty Boots. “The ride quality and the quietness make a huge difference in our daily operations.”
Contributing to our communities
The eCascadias primarily operate in Southern California, where they have significantly reduced emissions and contributed to cleaner air quality while transporting freight. Improving air quality in the Southern California community is important to mitigate the effects of smog and improve public health. Aligned with the goal of improving air quality, Schneider's fleet was made possible through a number of grants from organizations such as California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission’s Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative (JETSI), with additional support from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD).
Fifty of Schneider’s 92 eCascadias were made possible by the JETSI — a California-wide initiative working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen the economy, and improve public health and the environment, particularly in disadvantaged communities.
Of the additional 42 trucks, five are jointly funded by the U.S. EPA FY18 Targeted Airshed Grant and Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program (HVIP), seven are funded by the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust and 30 trucks are funded by HVIP.
"Achieving six million zero emission miles is more than a milestone — it’s a clear demonstration of how innovation in transportation can lead to cleaner, healthier air for our communities,” said Wayne Nastri, South Coast AQMD’s Executive Officer. “By embracing battery electric vehicles, Schneider is setting a great example for the industry while directly contributing to improved air quality and public health in regions like Southern California.”
Commitments beyond BEVs
With a goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 7.5% per mile by 2025 and achieve a 60% reduction in CO2 emissions per mile by 2035, Schneider is paving the way for a more sustainable future in transportation by extending efforts beyond its electric fleet with a broader commitment throughout the industry.
As a responsible carrier, Schneider is exploring a variety of solutions to reduce carbon emissions in addition to the BEVs such as renewable natural gas and hydrogen internal combustion engines. Additionally, all of Schneider’s non-BEV tractors currently use a mixture of biodiesel — a renewable alternative derived from organic waste such as vegetable oil and animal fats — and conventional diesel, thereby reducing traditional diesel consumption.
Schneider has been safely delivering superior customer experiences and investing in innovation for nearly 90 years. The company’s digital marketplace, Schneider FreightPower®, is revolutionizing the industry giving shippers access to an expanded, highly flexible capacity network and provides carriers with unmatched access to quality drop-and-hook freight – Always Delivering, Always Ahead.
For more information about Schneider, visit Schneider.com or follow the company socially on Facebook,LinkedIn and X: @WeAreSchneider.
Roboteon, provider of a powerful software platform for warehouse robot enablement, announces breakthrough simulation capabilities in its platform for robotics and other warehouse automation. The new tool help companies make better decisions across multiple time horizons, from initial automation planning through real time execution on the floor.
Interest in Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and other robotics is high, but there remains much uncertainty about use cases, the number of AMRs and humans needed across different time horizons, expected operational improvements, and cost savings from the robotics investment.
Companies also lack tools to optimally balance and release work to the DC floor based on demand and available human and robotic resources.
The good news: Roboteon’s Warehouse Robotics Fulfillment platform addresses all these challenges and more in a way unique in the market , adding a new dimension to the Roboteon platform’s powerful capabilities to integrate, manage, orchestrate, and optimize robot-enabled warehouse processes.
Key features and capabilities of the new simulation tool include:
The ability to assess the number of robots and humans that will be needed for a potential robotics initiative.
After the initial deployment, the ability to test different operating plans, such as what is required for peak season success.
“Digital twin” functionality that enables real-time optimization of resource assignment and order release.
Native support for multi-client environments, as required by many 3PLs.
Ability to run simulation using actual past order history or generate synthetic demand based on profiling order patterns without the need to gather all that data.
Highly flexible configuration parameters for running the simulation, including the facility layout, speed of the robots, speed of human workers, time to complete picks and other work, use of other automation such as goods to person systems, and more.
More than two dozen metrics generated by the simulation, including cost per pick, lines or unit per hour, robot and human dwell times, and many more.
Extensive use of machine learning to improve the optimization results over time.
The combination of Roboteon’s simulation capabilities, ease of use, and robot vendor agnostic orchestration provides a breakthrough in the warehouse robotics sector.
Companies would typically work with Roboteon early in a robotics initiative to understand automation options, ROI, costs, as part of the solution design. Once robots have been deployed, the simulator supports short to mid-term planning for placement of robots and humans on the DC floor.
Benefits of Roboteon’s simulation tool include:
Support for testing and building the business case for automation
Improved visibility over flexible time-horizons
Enhanced decision-making based on real-time data
More consistent ability to meet service-level commitments and client scorecards
Higher productivity and throughput
“With the release of this simulation tool as part of our Robotics Fulfillment Platform , Roboteon has further enhanced our sector-leading capabilities for successful robotic enablement in the short and long term” said Dan Gilmore, chief marketing officer.
About Roboteon
Roboteon Inc.™ is a unique market innovator whose vision is to enable rapid deployment and efficient operation of robotics in distribution. Our software platform enables interoperability across robotic technologies and vendors. It also optimizes order planning, picking and other process execution while automatically considering dynamic conditions such as robot and human resource capacities on the floor. Combined with deep domain expertise, our technology speeds time-to-value and supports agile change. You can learn more at www.roboteon.com.
Media Contact Dan Gilmore Roboteon dgilmore@roboteon.com
Pittsburgh, PA – November 19, 2024 – Today inventory intelligence solution Gather AI announces its expansion into freezer and cold storage warehouse environments, an industry-first for inventory monitoring automation.
According to Grand View Research, the U.S. cold storage market size was valued at $40 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $97 billion by 2030. This can be attributed to technological advancements in packaging, processing, and storage of temperature-sensitive items.
In tandem, the rise of e-commerce has accelerated delivery timelines, and warehouse inventory accuracy is more crucial than ever. Traditionally, staff across food and beverage, pharma and healthcare, health and beauty, and chemicals and technology have had to physically cycle count in harsh freezer environments, but now with Gather AI’s industry-first freezer and cold storage capability, drones do the counting, and employees can comfortably view the results from a dashboard away from the cold.
Gather AI computer vision technology enables drones to fly autonomously through warehouses with no GPS, WiFi, or infrastructure changes needed. The machine learning algorithm analyzes inventory pictures and reads and interprets far beyond the barcode including lot codes, text, expiration dates, case counts, and occupancy information. Warehouse operators can compare their real-time physical inventory with the warehouse management system (WMS) data. Gather AI’s solution scans 10X faster than traditional means in the freezer environment - up to 900 pallets per hour - and improves inventory accuracy by up to 70%. See more here.
Key benefits of this expansion into freezer and cold storage warehouses:
Reduce the time staff spends in challenging conditions
Ensure FIFO compliance to guarantee inventory freshness
Monitor inventory age and expiration dates to reduce waste
Prevent shrink and reduce mispicks, fulfillment delays, and partial shipments
Realize the full benefits of traceability and digital twin visualization
“Our automated solutions are designed to enhance both employee experience and operational efficiency, helping businesses achieve greater productivity in their facilities,” said Gather AI CEO & Co-Founder, Sankalp Arora, Ph.D. “Our commitment to building flexible, scalable technology has led to this industry-first: automated inventory monitoring in cold storage and freezer environments. With this technical challenge solved, we’re excited to support businesses in meeting heightened inventory counting and accuracy standards, while enabling employees to spend less time on manual tasks in these demanding conditions.”
Langham Logistics CEO, Cathy Langham says “We use business intelligence solutions like Gather AI to give our life sciences customers total inventory visibility, control, and compliance. After engaging Gather AI in 2022, we went from a 97% accuracy rate to over 99% accuracy. With the expansion into cold storage and freezer locations, we expect the same accuracy gains and up to 10X faster cycle counts. This will improve results for our clients and ultimately get product into the hands of people who need it most - quickly, accurately, and in peak condition.” Hear more about Langham Logistics’s experience with Gather AI here.
To learn more about the Gather AI solution, please visit www.gather.ai, and meet their team at industry conferences including Manifest, HumanX, ProMat, and others.
About Gather AI: Pittsburgh-based Gather AI is a market leader in supply chain AI to decrease the cost of inventory, improve productivity, and boost revenue. Gather AI was founded in 2017 by Carnegie Mellon University alumni Sankalp Arora, Ph.D., Daniel Maturana, Ph.D., and Geetesh Dubey. The Gather AI solution is currently deployed in warehouses across third-party logistics, retail distribution, manufacturing, food & beverage, and air cargo at companies including GEODIS, Langham Logistics, NFI Industries, Barrett Distribution, Army & Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES), and more. Gather AI was named a 2024 CB Insights AI 100 company and received several other awards from trade media outlets in the past year. Gather AI is backed by Bain Capital Ventures, Tribeca Venture Partners, Xplorer Capital, Dundee Venture Capital, Expa, Bling Capital, and XRC Ventures. To learn more about Gather AI, visit www.gather.ai and on YouTube and LinkedIn.
Dublin, Ohio (November 19, 2024) — VARGO®, a leading provider of material-handling systems integration, warehouse execution software and equipment solutions, has announced several new vendor partnerships and customer advancements that are helping them to create efficiencies and empower fulfillment.
VARGO® and Tompkins Robotics have signed a mutual partnership, designating VARGO® as an authorized integrator of the technology. “Tompkins is an obvious choice in partner for us,” said Bart Cera, CEO. “Their robotics solutions are conducive to a weightless, continuous flow as well as being modular and quickly deployable. Their solutions have the ability to shrink or grow with the size of our customer’s operation which will allow us to utilize it often and in many different merchandise categories.”
Long standing customer, Micro Center recently upgraded the 20-year-old system at their Hilliard, Ohio facility. Initially installed in 2004, this system had an exceptionally long usable life for a line shaft conveyor. It is estimated that during 2020, more than $4B worth of goods were sorted and shipped using this system. VARGO® made recommendations for modernizing the aging technology and investing in the next phase to mitigate the associated maintenance cost that is often seen with sunsetting systems.
Ultimately, Micro Center opted to modernize the conveyor in phases by removing the existing line shaft conveyor and replacing it with the lower maintenance and operational cost option of an MDR conveyor, an upgraded saw tooth merge and a new narrow belt sorter to increase accuracy and throughput. VARGO® was able to add a temporary workaround and allow for remote monitoring to minimize operational impact during the equipment upgrades. Implementation was a success with an earlier than expected completion date due to additional efforts from the installation teams.
VARGO® also recently announced a pivotal partnership with URBX, making VARGO® an authorized integrator of their cutting-edge robotic solutions. “With the explosion of new fulfillment technologies and automation in our industry, we are able to deliver compelling returns for our customers when applying the URBX technologies correctly,” said Bart Cera, president and CEO of VARGO®. The partnership anticipates a prosperous future by combining URBX’s cube storage solutions for speed across SKUs with VARGO®’s expertise in waveless and omnichannel order fulfillment.
Additionally, VARGO® has expanded their partnership with TGW Systems with the installation of their goods-to-person technology to Gap Inc.’s Columbus facility coming in Q1 of 2025. The Columbus Gap Inc. facility is already home to a TGW automatic storage system, allowing for optimal utilization of volume while also ensuring easy maintenance and durability. “We are honored to have been a trusted partner forGap Inc. and their growth strategy. This recent addition to our partnership with TGW Systems is allowing us to bring Gap Inc. the benefits of a highly ergonomic and user-friendly design, allowing for minimal error rates and maximum efficiency,” said Cera.
The VARGO® team looks forward to finishing out a very successful 2024, full of many client expansions and updates, new and expanded vendor partnerships and internal team growth.
About VARGO®
VARGO® is a proven integrator to enable what's possible and empower automation and people. VARGO® provides the newest and smartest technologies with the intelligent design of its Continuous Order Fulfillment Engine (COFE®) - the first intelligent Warehouse Execution System (WES) - to develop game-changing fulfillment solutions across all work resources - machines, people and processes. VARGO® is a team of mechanical and software engineers with over five decades of experience, VARGO® has helped manufacturers, distributors, leading retailers, e-commerce providers, and 3PLs improve their fulfillment and material handling systems, increase processing capacities, and reduce order cycle times.
Learn more about VARGO® and their innovative solutions at www.vargosolutions.com.