The last MODEX show I went to was in 2016. Last week I went to MODEX 2024. Wow! This show is massive! MODEX 2016 had 800 exhibits and 25,000 attendees. MODEX 2024 has 1,200 exhibits. They expected over 48,000 attendees by the end of the day on Thursday. In 2016, I only remember three robotic […]
In today’s fast-paced, hyper-competitive, omni-channel world, warehouses play a critical role in maximizing service and fulfilling the ambitious customer promises that are required today. Warehouses also represent an enormous cost center. Companies annually spend about $325 billion on warehousing — and 85% of that cost goes to operating expenses that include labor, space and equipment. […]
OTTO Motors’ business is focused on production logistics– as opposed to warehousing and fulfillment. Production logistics has different requirements with respect to variability by operation and integration needs. OTTO Motors focuses on large manufacturing plants with large numbers of vehicles and substantial integration requirements. Large plants such as these are high cost-of-failure environments where […]
My colleague Fox Chen and I just kicked-off the update to ARC Advisory Group’s research on the global mobile warehouse robotics market. Fox is located in Singapore, and I am in Boston. With a solid 12-hour time zone difference between him and me, together we should be able to speak with any robotics provider at […]
ARC Advisory Group’s research on the global WMS market has revealed many of the perennial factors influencing demand for WMS solutions – such as e-commerce fulfillment needs. However, there is one dynamic that became ubiquitous across market segments this year. I refer to this dynamic as demand for “WMS-plus.” Today’s WMS selection is substantial determined by the core WMS-plus the ability to integrate and support complementary processes and technologies. WMS capabilities such as waveless fulfillment or other business rules to prioritize orders while still efficiently handling high volumes are central to customer demands. The ability to offer, support, and integrate adjacent and complementary technologies has escalated […]
Kiva Systems was absolutely fundamental to the germination of the robotics community in Boston. The organization and its culture spawned many knowledgeable people and served as a feeder for Mass Robotics and many successful robotics start-up companies in the greater Boston area, and actually, globally. Prior to his time at Kiva, Mark Messina, currently CEO of Addverb Americas, began his career as a mechanical engineer working in the medical device and consumer products fields. It was this experience working at Philips – a company with and amazing process and dedication to quality, that attracted Kiva to Mark’s capabilities. In a meeting shortly after the acquisition, an Amazon senior executive bluntly said that anyone below director level exit the room. He then explained […]
Note: Today’s post is part of our “Editor’s Choice” series where we highlight recent posts published by our sponsors that provide supply chain insights and advice. Today’s article comes from the team at KNAPP and explores the use of warehouse robotics. Does this sound familiar to you? Customers want their goods ASAP as competition and […]