The Future Is Now: Four Businesses Transforming Modern Warehousing
Warehousing historically hasn’t been a particularly exciting topic. But times have changed. Thanks to technological innovations, warehouse automation has made the receiving, housing, and distributing of goods truly fascinating stuff.
At Supply Chain Now, we spotlight companies doing exciting things throughout the industry. In modern warehousing, the innovations garnering attention include systems integrations involving robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence (AI); the use of optical character recognition (OCR) technology in yard management; an “elegant” automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS); and a solution called Chuck.
Warehousing at a Crossroads: Innovation for Efficiency
“The warehousing industry is experiencing a technological revolution, with advancements in automation, robotics, IoT, AI, and data analytics transforming operations and driving efficiency. These innovations are not just enhancing operational capabilities but are also paving the way for smarter, more connected, and efficient warehouse environments,” an October report by Taiwan-based logistics property developer ALP said.
ALP said AS/RSs, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), and robotics “are at the forefront of the smart warehousing revolution. These systems enhance efficiency, reduce labor costs, and improve accuracy.”
AI and Robotics: A New Frontier for Modern Warehousing
A Forbes Council post in November said that “one of the most visible impacts of AI and robotics is in warehouse automation. Mobile and collaborative robots accelerate product picking, sorting, and handling. These robots work alongside human operators, easing physical workloads and increasing operational efficiency.
“AI can also optimize warehouse paths and predict real-time demand, allowing companies to manage inventory more efficiently, reducing waste and lowering costs related to overstock or shortages.”
The Future is Now: Four Businesses Transforming Modern Warehousing
“The adoption of advanced AI and robotics is poised to transform the logistics and supply chain sectors,” the Forbes Council article said. “As the demand for faster and more efficient operations grows, these technologies are a fundamental solution for ensuring competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation. Companies that embrace AI and automation today will be better equipped to tackle future challenges and meet the needs of an increasingly dynamic and globalized market.”
Four businesses embracing AI and automation today to help transform their customers’ warehouses are Bastian Solutions, EAIGLE, Exotec, and 6 River Systems.
Bastian Solutions
Bastian Solutions engineers and manufactures its own products, such as a conveyor and Exacta Intralogistics Software, but it is globally renowned as a systems integrator. It combines material-handling equipment, innovative software, and custom automation engineering.
The company began as a supplier of conventional material-handling products in the early 1950s. It launched its robotics division in 2005. Bastian was acquired by Toyota Automated Logistics Group (TALG) in 2017. Headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, Bastian now has more than 20 offices throughout the United States and locations in Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and India.
One recent case study outlined how Bastian helped Denso Corp. reduce process defects by 48% and reallocate labor by 33% by integrating industrial AGVs with its traffic control and routing software at a Maryville, Tennessee, warehouse.
Bastian shares its success stories with numerous case studies on its work with such companies as Puma, Hercules Sealing Products, and Dick’s Sporting Goods in such industries as aerospace, automotive, e-commerce, and healthcare.
In late October, Bastian celebrated its 100th AutoStore system installation at Toyota Material Handling’s parts distribution center in Indiana. According to the announcement, the AutoStore integrates cutting-edge robotics, automation, and AI into Toyota’s operations.
“This AutoStore integration will allow us to deliver parts to customers across North America faster than ever before, ensuring their forklift fleets are up and running when they need them most,” Bret Bruin, Toyota Material Handling’s vice president of aftermarket operations, said in the announcement. “It’s amazing to see this project come together, in partnership with the teams at Bastian and AutoStore, to eliminate unnecessary waste and add efficiencies for the benefit of our customers.”
EAIGLE
Headquartered in Boston, EAIGLE offers an end-to-end AI platform that utilizes yard vision and automation to help supply chain and logistics companies enhance efficiency and security by automating vehicle access control, yard operations, and asset tracking.
EAIGLE uses advanced OCR technology in its AVAC (Automated Vehicle Access Control) product to capture dozens of identifying vehicle and asset characteristics in a split second. Then, EAIGLE optimizes vehicle flow and manages yard assets. EAIGLE’s AI-based vision system provides fast yard mapping, automated audits, and detailed analytics.
Industry thought leader and EAIGLE adviser Bart De Muynck wrote in a FreightWaves column that “trailer yards are transitioning from historically manual and inefficient spaces to technologically advanced hubs that are pivotal to the modern supply chain.”
He added that “with yard vision and automation, the yard will no longer be the overlooked part of the supply chain, but a crucial component where technology is making a significant difference. As these advancements continue to evolve, they will play an increasingly pivotal role in the broader landscape of logistics and supply chain management.”
Companies using EAIGLE’s systems include Burlington, Group Lactalis, Lafarge, Staples, Trimac, and Walmart.
Exotec
Founded in Lille, France, in 2015, Exotec delivers warehouse automation solutions. Its Skypod system has transformed order fulfillment for some of the world’s largest brands and allowed them to quickly adapt to consumer demand and supply chain fluctuations.
The Skypod system is “an elegant automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) that utilizes robotics to offer the best performance on the market while remaining fully flexible to our customers’ needs.”
Exotec’s other products include fleets of robots, ergonomic workstations, the smart Skypath plug-and-play conveyor system, and Deepsky end-to-end warehouse software.
Exotec expanded into Asia in 2019 with an office in Tokyo and into North America in 2020 with a location in Atlanta. In 2022, with a valuation exceeding $2 billion, Exotec became the first industrial unicorn in France.
In May, Exotec was ranked No. 10 on CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list of private companies “upending the classic definition of disruption as AI leads new business models beyond the era of better, faster, and cheaper innovation.”
“We are reinventing an industry that has historically relied on legacy automation that is static to business fluctuations, hard to maintain, and expensive to integrate,” Exotec CEO Romain Moulin said in a March announcement that the company had hit the $1 billion mark in systems sales since its founding. “Our continued growth is proof that flexibility and reliable performance are paramount for supply chain leaders everywhere.”
6 River Systems
6 River Systems promises warehouse operators can exceed customer expectations, grow profits, and reduce risk with its warehouse automation system, which combines advanced fulfillment algorithms with autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).
Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, 6 River Systems is “striving to make warehouses faster with flexible, human-first, and innovative products that deliver immediate value,” according to its website. The company’s solutions are developed with a wall-to-wall mindset — making the entire fulfillment workflow more streamlined from start to finish.”
Its products include Chuck, a warehouse automation solution that uses machine learning (ML) and AI to lead employees through their work zones to help them minimize walking, stay on task, and be more efficient.
“State-of-the-art sensors help it navigate in any warehouse without any new infrastructure,” 6 River Systems said. “Chuck is aware of its surroundings, moving swiftly around boxes and racks and slowing down when equipment or people are in the area.”
6 River Systems calls Chuck, which can handle up to a 200-pound load, a workhorse. “Chuck doesn’t get tired and can run 24/7 with the latest in battery technology for rapid recharging.”
6 River Systems solutions are now used in more than 100 facilities in the United States, Canada, and Europe by companies such as DHL, DM Fulfillment Services, GXO Logistics, and Office Depot. In 2023, the company was acquired by U.K. fulfillment solutions provider Ocado Group.
Supply Chain Now Delivers the Latest News on Modern Warehousing
Do you want to know what’s up with Chuck? What about the latest news on other businesses transforming modern warehousing? A supply chain podcast can keep you informed, and Supply Chain Now is the industry-leading source for the most up-to-date information.
Our supply chain podcasts include:
- Supply Chain Now, featuring the best and brightest in the business.
- Logistics with Purpose, focusing on making a positive impact.
- Digital Transformers, recognizing thought leaders in global digital transformation.
Our library is packed with podcasts focused on the supply chain. Available podcasts focused on modern warehousing include:
- The 10 Competencies of Best-in-Class Warehouses.
- Adapt or Die: Your Survival Guide to Modern Warehouse Automation.
- Automation ROI: How to Score Success with Projects Big and Small.
