Zach Ramirez

We are excited to celebrate Scott Luton, Founder & CEO of Supply Chain Now, for being recognized as a 2025 Pro to Know by Supply & Demand Chain Executive—a distinction that underscores his unwavering impact and leadership in the field. This recognition honors Scott’s year-in and year-out commitment to excellence—from thought leadership to community engagement. It stands alongside his previous accolade as a Pro to Know in 2019 and now again in 2025, highlighting a sustained legacy of influence within the supply chain profession. See the complete list of 2025 Pros to Know here.

At MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, Scott Luton caught up with Mike Harris, VP of OMRS at Ocado Intelligent Automation, to explore how robotics, software, and evolving customer expectations are reshaping modern warehouse operations. While robots may grab the spotlight, Harris makes it clear: the real value lies beneath the surface, as in the intelligence that powers them.   Rising Expectations and the Cost-to-Serve Challenge Warehouse operators are under increasing pressure from both ends of the supply chain. Costs continue to climb, while customer expectations are rising just as quickly. “Cost to serve is continuing to increase and customers expect things faster and completely accurate” Harris explains. This dynamic creates a constant balancing act. Organizations must improve speed and accuracy while controlling costs, a challenge that requires more than incremental improvements. It demands smarter, more adaptive systems.   Flexibility and Long-Term Thinking Take Center Stage In today’s volatile environment, Harris sees a clear shift in how companies approach automation investments. “We’re finding that customers are looking to invest in technologies and partners that they want to stay with for a while,” he notes. Rather than chasing one-off solutions, organizations are prioritizing long-term partnerships and scalable platforms that can evolve with their…