Automation is no longer a competitive advantage but a competitive imperative, if warehouse operators and distributors are to succeed, says Al Dekin, chief revenue officer and founder of Locus Robotics.

The partnership is aimed at helping customers scale and improve warehouse operations by enhancing inventory accuracy and increasing visibility of operations performance.

Companies may be plowing billions of dollars into automation in delivery operations, but true autonomy in the sector may be years away.

Altogether, the number of robots currently operational around the globe is reckoned to be about 3.5 million units — roughly the population of Uruguay.

More and more warehouse operators are opting for implementation of robotics technology, says Kait Peterson, senior director of product marketing at Locus Robotics.

Companies that invested in artificial intelligence-powered automation are reaping huge returns.

Automation in the supply chain is certainly not new. However, recent advances in artificial intelligence-based systems have made automation far more effective.

 The recent advent of robotics as a service (RaaS) is lowering the barrier of entry to automation as never before.

With a policy of keeping large amounts of inventory on hands, Parts Town was ready for any supply disruption. But it was also aided by having previously installed a goods-to-person system in the warehouse.