Birgit Matthiesen

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…

Special Guest Blog Post written by Brittany Caskey, Chief Commercial Officer – Logistics with DP World Americas   I was recently invited to speak with students in the Supply Chain and Logistics Organization at Georgia Tech, and it reminded me why I still find this industry so energizing. I walked them through my own path — starting in logistics right out of college, building my foundation at UPS in sales and sales management, and eventually stepping into my role today as Chief Operating Officer at DP World in the Americas. What I shared with them is something I still believe deeply: logistics keeps life interesting, because no two days are ever the same. Customer expectations change. Geopolitical realities shift. Trade lanes evolve. Weather, labor, technology — everything is in constant motion. That constant change is what keeps logistics professionals sharp and solutions focused. It’s also why customer experience has become the true differentiator in today’s supply chains. Because while disruption is unavoidable, how you manage it is a choice.   Customers Don’t Care Why — They Care That It Works One message I emphasized with the students is the same one I reinforce with customers and teams every day: customers…