Automation technology company Beckhoff USA is stocking more inventory and shipping faster than ever thanks to the implementation of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) from Opex Corp. Completed last fall at the company’s Minneapolis-area warehouse, the project is helping Beckhoff keep up with soaring demand for its components and controls—revenue grew 26% in 2021 and 33% in 2022, and the company expected another 30% increase in 2023, Beckhoff USA President Kevin Barker said in a video describing the project last year.
The AS/RS expands the warehouse’s capacity by 60% and also provides room to grow.
“With this and other strategic investments, we have returned to pre-pandemic leadtimes, which is a game-changer for customers across industries,” the company said in a separate statement describing the 2023 project.
INFINITE POSSIBILITIES
A subsidiary of Germany-based Beckhoff Automation, Beckhoff USA provides PC-based controls for all kinds of industries, from automotive to marine to warehousing and logistics. The Minneapolis warehouse is Beckhoff’s distribution hub for the United States, and as business grew, the facility was quickly running out of space, according to Barker and Wayne Schmeichel, Beckhoff USA’s director of operations. On top of that, they said, warehouse associates were spending too much time walking up and down aisles with carts in order to pick products. To maximize space and help associates be more productive, managers decided to install the Opex Infinity AS/RS, which Opex introduced in 2022.
The next-generation goods-to-person (G2P) system combines wireless “Infinity iBOT” robotic vehicles, triple-deep tote storage, and Opex’s Cortex order fulfillment software platform to deliver the right stock-keeping unit (SKU) to the right workstation every time, according to Opex. Unlike traditional AS/RS solutions—which use shuttles that travel horizontally on a set row, ferrying inventory to an elevator for vertical delivery to workstations—the Infinity iBOTs are compact multidirectional vehicles that can access all inventory in the system’s storage grid, traveling both horizontally and vertically throughout the system. The iBOTs can also leave the storage grid, which allows them to deliver inventory to detached workstations for various pick, pack, and ship tasks. The system’s modular racking design makes it easy to customize and scale the solution as well.
One of the greatest improvements since implementing the AS/RS? Higher productivity and happier workers.
“Before implementing the Opex Infinity system, we were running out of room in our warehouse, not to mention personnel bandwidth to meet customer demands,” Schmeichel said in the statement. “It’s always refreshing to see technology make people’s jobs easier. By automating processes, we can work smarter instead of harder, and rather than eliminating jobs, we continue to grow our warehouse team headcount to ensure the best possible customer experiences.”
The U.S. upgrades coincide with Beckhoff Automation’s efforts to boost its manufacturing and logistics capabilities around the world, including new production and warehousing facilities at the global headquarters in Germany.
“We expect to keep growing at the same rapid pace for years to come—at Beckhoff USA and globally,” Barker said. “With our automated warehouse upgrades in Minnesota, we are taking a monumental step forward, but this certainly won't be the last step in that journey.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Aptean said the move will add new capabilities to its warehouse management and supply chain management offerings for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, retailers, and 3PLs. Aptean currently provides enterprise resource planning (ERP), transportation management systems (TMS), and product lifecycle management (PLM) platforms.
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Durham, U.K., Indigo Software provides software designed for mid-market organizations, giving users real-time visibility and management from the initial receipt of stock all the way through to final dispatch of the finished product. That enables organizations to optimize an array of warehouse operations including receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping, the firm says.
Specific sectors served by Indigo Software include the food and beverage, fashion and apparel, fast moving consumer goods, automotive, manufacturing, 3PL, chemicals, and wholesale / distribution verticals.
Schneider says its FreightPower platform now offers owner-operators significantly more access to Schneider’s range of freight options. That can help drivers to generate revenue and strengthen their business through: increased access to freight, high drop and hook rates of over 95% of loads, and a trip planning feature that calculates road miles.
“Collaborating with owner-operators is an important component in the success of our business and the reliable service we can provide customers, which is why the network has grown tremendously in the last 25 years,” Schneider Senior Vice President and General Manager of Truckload and Mexico John Bozec said in a release. "We want to invest in tools that support owner-operators in running and growing their businesses. With Schneider FreightPower, they gain access to better load management, increasing their productivity and revenue potential.”
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, but Mode Global said it will now assume Jillamy's comprehensive logistics and freight management solutions, while Jillamy's warehousing, packaging and fulfillment services remain unchanged. Under the agreement, Mode Global will gain more than 200 employees and add facilities in Pennsylvania, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Illinois, South Carolina, Maryland, and Ontario to its existing national footprint.
Chalfont, Pennsylvania-based Jillamy calls itself a 3PL provider with expertise in international freight, intermodal, less than truckload (LTL), consolidation, over the road truckload, partials, expedited, and air freight.
"We are excited to welcome the Jillamy freight team into the Mode Global family," Lance Malesh, Mode’s president and CEO, said in a release. "This acquisition represents a significant step forward in our growth strategy and aligns perfectly with Mode's strategic vision to expand our footprint, ensuring we remain at the forefront of the logistics industry. Joining forces with Jillamy enhances our service portfolio and provides our clients with more comprehensive and efficient logistics solutions."
In addition to its flagship Clorox bleach product, Oakland, California-based Clorox manages a diverse catalog of brands including Hidden Valley Ranch, Glad, Pine-Sol, Burt’s Bees, Kingsford, Scoop Away, Fresh Step, 409, Brita, Liquid Plumr, and Tilex.
British carbon emissions reduction platform provider M2030 is designed to help suppliers measure, manage and reduce carbon emissions. The new partnership aims to advance decarbonization throughout Clorox's value chain through the collection of emissions data, jointly identified and defined actions for reduction and continuous upskilling.
The program, which will record key figures on energy, will be gradually rolled out to several suppliers of the company's strategic raw materials and packaging, which collectively represents more than half of Clorox's scope 3 emissions.
M2030 enables suppliers to regularly track and share their progress with other customers using the M2030 platform. Suppliers will also be able to export relevant compatible data for submission to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a global disclosure system to manage environmental data.
"As part of Clorox's efforts to foster a cleaner world, we have a responsibility to ensure our suppliers are equipped with the capabilities necessary for forging their own sustainability journeys," said Niki King, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Clorox Company. "Climate action is a complex endeavor that requires companies to engage all parts of their supply chain in order to meaningfully reduce their environmental impact."
According to New Orleans-based LongueVue, the “strategic rebranding” brings together the complementary capabilities of these three companies to form a vertically integrated flexible packaging leader with expertise in blown film production, flexographic printing, adhesive laminations, and converting.
“This unified platform enables us to provide our customers with greater flexibility and innovation across all aspects of packaging," Joe Piccione, CEO of Innotex, said in a release. "As we continue to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of the industry, we look forward to delivering exceptional solutions and service."