Alexia Smith

At MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, Scott Luton reconnected with James Malley, Co-Founder and CEO of Paccurate, for a conversation that blended humor, operational insight, and a fresh perspective on where warehouse technology is headed. While the discussion included everything from Disney World to hot dog bun conspiracies, the core message was serious: supply chain organizations are entering a new phase where control, visibility, and operational simplicity matter more than flashy technology demos.   MODEX 2026: Less Hype, More Optimization After nearly a decade of attending MODEX events, Malley sees a clear shift in this year’s show floor dynamic. “I notice in some years at MODEX, there will be all kinds of wild technology that’s kind of futuristic. And in other years, the vibe seems to focus more on the maturation of technology in very established categories,” he explains. “This year is more of the latter.” In other words, the industry appears to be moving from experimentation toward optimization. Rather than chasing the next shiny object, many supply chain leaders are focusing on getting more value from the systems and automation they already have in place. Deeper analytics, better visibility, and operational refinement are becoming bigger priorities than headline-grabbing robotics demonstrations.…

Uncertainty Is the New Baseline At Manifest 2026, Scott Luton spoke with Romain Moulin, CEO and co-founder of Exotec, to discuss how warehouse automation is evolving in an era defined by volatility. “The big trend of last year was uncertainty,” Romain said, reflecting on 2025’s tariffs, economic tensions, and shifting trade dynamics. “Anything that would be done needed to deal with uncertainty.” Rather than waiting for stability, companies are designing operations that assume change is constant. “Anything that is going on now must be projects that are able to reorganize themselves,” he explained. Warehouses must be robust, agile and flexible as to whatever the next disruption brings.   From Conveyors to Configurable Robotics Exotec is known for inventing 3D warehouse robots (Skypods) that move across the floor and climb racks up to 14 meters (46 feet) to retrieve totes and deliver them to operators. But beyond the visual wow factor, the real transformation is simplification. “The time of bespoke complex warehouses tailored to a very specific need is over,” Romain said. Customers are moving toward more generic, adaptable warehouses. Exotec replaces hardware complexity with intelligent software. “We don’t program the solution,” he noted. “We let the software find the best…