The exclusive distributor of Caterpillar equipment and parts in Canada runs into a brick wall when attempting to implement a new ERP system. But the crisis ends up driving supply-chain transformation.
Online retail continues to grow at a rapid rate, with a 14.6-percent increase in the category in 2015, totaling $341.7bn. That has major implications for warehouse optimization.
We are living in a new wave of automation. Machines are already performing many tasks previously done by humans, and the increased use of various smart technologies such as machine learning means the changes have only begun.
Past scrapyards, railroad tracks, stacks of old wooden pallets and rusty shipping containers here sits a nondescript warehouse, alongside a snarl of freeway overpasses, with two dozen trucks parked at its docks.
Retailers and logistics companies have been opening warehouses at a record pace to ensure online orders reach customers as quickly as possible. Now they're struggling to find workers to staff them.
In a move that Intelligent Energy says will make supply chains more efficient, the clean energy company has signed a deal with PINC to supply air cooled fuel cell systems for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Analyst Insight: After 13 years of conducting the Warehousing Education and Research Council’s (WERC) annual DC Measures Study of key warehousing and distribution performance metrics, a pronounced gap remains between "Best-in-Class" and "Major Opportunity" facilities within several key performance indicators. To close that gap by 2020, Major Opportunity warehouses must understand both qualitative and quantitative metrics as they relate to performance improvement. In other words, move beyond the numbers and focus on their processes. –Karl Manrodt, Georgia College & State University; Joseph Tillman, APQC; Steve Murray, Warehousing Education and Research Council; and Michael Mikitka, WERC
Analyst Insight: The impact of omnichannel fulfillment requirements and growth of e-commerce have altered the way companies plan and design distribution facilities. The plan and design processes themselves haven't changed as much as the number of variables that must be considered. Today's distribution facilities require greater flexibility to adapt rapidly to changing customer requirements. - Phil Quartel, senior director of operations design, Fortna Inc.
The latest news, analysis, services and solutions regarding warehousing and distribution systems and their impact on global supply chains. Today’s companies are moving goods across more suppliers, vendors and customers than ever before, and warehouses are critical points in the overall supply chain. New technologies in warehouse management systems (WMS), automation, robotics, RFID and order fulfillment are transforming the way companies do business — and allowing them to stay ahead of the competition in their industries. As these solutions continue to evolve, businesses are discovering new ways to increase efficiency and cut costs. Learn how companies around the world are improving supply-chain operations through their strategic use of warehousing and distribution services.
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!
Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.