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‘Nanofulfillment’ company 1MRobotics emerges from stealth with $25M

19 September 2022

automated fulfillment center warehouse robot

If you follow the logistics space, you’ve probably heard of fulfillment — the completion of an order from the point of sale to final delivery. You’ve probably even heard of microfulfillment, which takes the process to the next level by using a network of tiny warehouses and back rooms to reduce lead times.

But some companies are thinking even smaller.

1MRobotics, a fledgling technology startup that emerged from stealth on Monday, wants to usher in the era of “nanofulfillment.” Courtesy of a $16.5...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/nanofulfillment-company-1mrobotics-emerges-from-stealth-with-25m

Wage and bonus increases seen as necessary to attract warehouse talent

6 September 2022

More than three-quarters of supply chain executives believe wages and bonuses will need to be increased to attract and retain warehouse workers moving forward.

The survey, conducted by warehouse automation and robotics firm Berkshire Grey, found that 76% of surveyed executives believe wages will need to rise and 63% said they’ll need to increase bonuses to attract and retain workers. Those same executives pointed to automation as a way to minimize some of the future workers’ concerns.

“Labor...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/wage-and-bonus-increases-seen-as-necessary-to-attract-warehouse-talent

Walmart set to open Pennsylvania consolidation center, adding 1,000 jobs

15 August 2022

Walmart Inc. has announced it is opening a 400,000-square-foot automated consolidation center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, aimed at speeding up supply chains across the company’s 42 regional distribution centers in the U.S.

The new consolidation center is scheduled to open by the end of August. Walmart has already hired 500 workers at the facility, which will employ up to 1,000 once fully staffed, the company said in a news release last week.

“Walmart is creating the future of the supply chain — a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/walmart-set-to-open-pennsylvania-consolidation-center

GXO Logistics continues to write new chapters in its evolving story

9 August 2022

On Oct. 12, 2021, GXO Logistics Chief Investment Officer Mark Manduca laid out the argument for why the Greenwich, Connecticut-based firm represented a new breed of logistics company.

“This is a hard business to wrap your head around. There is no company out there that is scalable contract logistics,” he told a virtual audience during a Deutsche Bank forum.

Manduca was speaking less than three months after GXO was spun out of XPO. He acknowledged that investors “don’t really understand how to...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/gxo-continues-ecommerce-logistics-growth

US labor secretary: It’s time to invest in the American worker

21 July 2022

The state of the American worker is much discussed. With unionization efforts growing in some industries (Amazon, Starbucks), automation rapidly accelerating in others (warehouses and factories), and even the place of work — offices, remote or hybrid — among the hot topics, industries are eager to identify what the workforce of tomorrow will look like.

“I think companies need to invest more in their workforces, their potential workforces,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh. “This is an...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/us-labor-secretary-its-time-to-invest-in-the-american-worker

Will warehouse workers switch jobs to use technology? New survey says yes

30 June 2022

Robot arms grab items out of boxes moving on conveyor system

As robots and other automation technology is rolled out in warehouses, many have assumed the 1.5 million warehouse and storage employees ultimately will be replaced. But according to a new survey from Lucas Systems, most workers are embracing the use of technology in fulfillment and other warehouse applications.

“If workers equate tech investments with the company’s willingness to help them, it shows us that tech for on-floor warehouse workers plays a vital role in attracting and retaining...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/will-warehouse-workers-switch-jobs-to-use-technology-new-survey-says-yes

Walmart kicks fulfillment into high gear with next-generation centers

3 June 2022

Walmart associate fills totes on e-commerce fulfillment line

Walmart announced on Friday that it will build four next-generation fulfillment centers (FCs) that feature an innovative mix of humans, robotics and machine learning. Once opened, the new centers, along with the company’s existing regional distribution centers and over 4,700 stores, will enable same-day shipping of millions of items to 80% of the U.S. population.

Dave Guggina, senior vice president of innovation and automation at Walmart U.S., detailed the new centers, the first of which will...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/walmart-to-build-e-commerce-fulfillment-centers-with-automation

The robots are marching in

2 June 2022

As labor shortages continue to hamper business operations, robot sales are soaring. According to data from the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), automation providers sold a record 11,595 robots in the first quarter of this year, at a total value of $646 million.

“Every industry, including agriculture, construction, retail and hospitality, is now looking at how they can take advantage of robotics to make their companies more successful,” said Alex Shikany, A3’s vice president of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/robot-orders-reach-record-level-amid-worker-shortage

LogRock raises $3.5M to automate carriers’ biggest risk — compliance

26 May 2022

Trucking compliance solutions startup LogRock announced Thursday it has raised $3.5 million in seed funding led by Dynamo Ventures with participation from QED and 9Yards Capital to continue growing its team and platform to automate carriers’ compliance processes.

“Ensuring companies stay compliant certainly isn’t the sexiest venture, but in the trucking industry, it’s one of the most important aspects to get right,” said Jon Bradford, managing partner of Dynamo Ventures. “At Dynamo, we get...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/logrock-raises-35m-to-automate-carriers-biggest-risk-compliance

Automation and technology to improve overall broker experience

10 May 2022

The freight and logistics industry never sleeps. With drivers on the road at all hours of the night, others in the industry loading and shipping, and people across the world waiting for packages, there is always a need for quick service and updates around the clock, making it vital for companies to upgrade their technology.

“There is a huge demand for support around the clock. No one wants to wait for updates and answers. They want their updates here and now,” said Andrei Unc, vice president of...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/automation-and-technology-to-improve-overall-broker-experience

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