Robotics

Seegrid Acquires Box Robotics

October 7, 2020

Seegrid Corporation, a provider of self-driving industrial vehicles for material handling, recently announced that it acquired Box Robotics, a mobile robotics startup bringing high-definition maps, three-dimensional LiDAR and deep learning to the warehouse and manufacturing automation space.

Five Ways to Invest in Growth During the Pandemic

October 7, 2020

Adam Froman, SCB Contributor

A balanced investment strategy is key to navigating instability and achieving growth.

Amazon Confronts Unions Amid Coronavirus Chaos

Amazon Workers Hurt More Often Than Industry Rate, Report Says

September 30, 2020

Bloomberg

The rate of injuries contradicts more rosy assertions the company has made to lawmakers and the public, according to the Center for Investigative Reporting.

‘Boxing Clever’: Realizing the Benefits of Intelligent Cartonization

September 22, 2020

Paccurate

Cartonization is getting more attention from businesses as rising volume demand and shipping restrictions drive up costs, and as warehouses surge-hire less-experienced packers to keep up.

FedEx Seeks to Add Small Self-Flying Planes for Remote Areas

September 22, 2020

Bloomberg

FedEx Corp. is looking at using small self-flying cargo planes to serve remote areas after experimenting with a technology startup on autonomous aircraft.

Robots Driving Forklifts Score Venture Capital, Create Jobs

September 17, 2020

Bloomberg

Silicon Valley investors are increasing bets on a Pittsburgh company that turns a venerable machine of the past century of industrialization — the forklift — into a driver of the e-commerce boom.

EDITOR'S Q&A

How the Pandemic Is Paving the Way for Robots in Retail Fulfillment

September 8, 2020

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Automation was proceeding at a rapid pace in many factories and warehouses before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, however, concerns over worker health, the need for social distancing, and the relentless push for cost-cutting are accelerating the progress of robots for order fulfillment.

VIDEO

Watch: How Manufacturers Can Stay Ahead of the Automation Curve

August 31, 2020

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Vanessa Akhtar, principal with management consultancy Kotter, offers advice for manufacturers on the right path to automation — one that includes human workers in the equation.

Four Supply-Chain Trends Accelerated by COVID-19

August 25, 2020

Johnathan Foster, SCB Contributor

These are the local and global trends pushed forward by the pandemic — and best practices companies should adopt for long-term success.

Drones, Driverless Trucks and Robots: Dreams of a Final Mile

August 24, 2020

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

The future of “last-mile” delivery of e-commerce orders is one of flying drones, robots and driverless vehicles rushing product to our doorsteps. Or so the futurists would have us believe.

Robotics

The latest news, analysis, trends and tools for automation and robotics for warehousing and distribution. 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 that use cameras, radios, sensors and digital maps to find and sort merchandise are transforming the way warehouses and distribution centers operate — 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 automation and robotics in the warehouse.