Keeping it real—and relatable

When people find out you write for a living, their ears inevitably perk up.

“Really?” they’ll say with what feels like genuine interest. “What do you write about?” 

I used to feel like I was letting them down a bit when I’d reply “logistics and the supply chain”—like I’d dashed their hopes of having come across a mystery novelist or travel writer, someone whose byline they might recognize. (I am excepting, of course, any logistics professionals who ask me these questions. They are never disappointed.) And no matter how much enthusiasm I would use to describe my work covering warehouses, material handling systems, trucking, and ports, it always felt like I was struggling to live up to someone else’s lofty expectations. 

Not so much anymore. The Covid-19 pandemic put a spotlight on the supply chain that has made my work so much more relatable to the general public. Everyone has experienced product shortages and delivery delays of some sort, and I’ve found that many are seriously interested in what causes these problems and what can be done to alleviate them. Even the president cares, as evidenced by the Biden administration’s launch of the White House Council on Supply Chain Resilience, which held its inaugural meeting just a few months ago.

Delays and disruptions aside, though, there is another, even more interesting logistics topic that never fails to pique people’s interest these days: robots. Throw robotics into a conversation about your work as a writer and the discussion can lead anywhere. Topics could include labor, given the proliferation of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) in warehouses and DCs nationwide, as just one example. 

“Do you think robots will replace warehouse workers someday?” people might ask. 

Ah, no. 

Productivity is another common subject. 

“Is all that warehouse automation the reason Amazon’s delivery is so fast and efficient?” they may inquire. 

Well, there’s more to it than that. 

And one of my favorites: sustainability. 

“Those driverless delivery vehicles are kind of like robots, aren’t they? And they’re better for the environment, right? Do you think I’ll see any of those in my neighborhood anytime soon?”

Maybe.

Of course, all anyone needs to do is turn to the pages of DC Velocity for the answers to these and many other, similar questions. If you’ve read our February issue’s feature stories, you know what I’m talking about (and if you haven’t, then flip back to the table of contents and check them out). Robots—AMRs in particular—figure prominently in this issue, beginning with our profile of Scholastic Canada and its partnership with robotics company inVia Robotics (URL for “Mobility makes the difference). The publishing company has revamped its picking and fulfillment processes by implementing inVia’s robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) platform—which helped Scholastic avoid sustained downtime during its last peak season while also reducing the company’s reliance on hard-to-find seasonal help. 

AMRs are also at the heart of a productivity-enhancing system at UPS Supply Chain Solutions, which partnered with robotics developer Geek+ on a project that was speeding fulfillment at five of the contract services provider’s facilities as of this past peak season (URL for “The incredible, versatile AMR”). And then there’s Zebra Technologies and its work with sustainable agriculture startup Hippo Harvest, which is using Zebra’s AMRs to deliver water and nutrients to the plants in its California greenhouse (same URL as above). 

A third (and by no means final) example is our application story about Beckhoff Automation and its implementation of the Opex Infinity automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), which combines AMRs with a triple-deep tote storage system and a software platform. The system has not only helped speed picking operations at Beckhoff’s U.S. distribution hub in Minnesota but has also expanded the warehouse’s capacity by 60% (URL for Application).

All of these examples underscore the important role technology plays in keeping supply chains running smoothly—and by extension, the vital role supply chains play in our daily lives. 

Now if that isn’t interesting—and relatable—I don’t know what is.