Challenge: Handling multimodal logistics over a period of rapid growth with spreadsheets and whiteboards. That was the challenge that faced an American crude oil logistics company in 2012, when it grew 10-fold in just six months. It needed a planning solution that could handle the complexities of multimodal logistics, and fast.

A new generation of robots is on the way - smarter, more mobile, more collaborative and more adaptable. They promise to bring major changes to the factory floor, as well as potentially to the global competitive landscape.