Where Innovation Meets Imagination
With warehouses increasingly becoming a hub of robotic and automation innovation, we thought now would be a good time to take a closer look at this dynamic sector.
First, the basics. What is a warehouse management system?
Basically, it’s a software application which enables the digital management of a warehouse. [Read more…] about Warehouse management systems: A next-minute overview
SoftBank is highly likely to go ahead with its plan to invest $10 billion in Uber, the ride-hailing app company, according to a report on CNet.com.
An Uber representative quoted by CNet says: “We’ve entered into an agreement with a consortium led by SoftBank and Dragoneer on a potential investment.
“We believe this agreement is a strong vote of confidence in Uber’s long-term potential. Upon closing, it will help fuel our investments in technology and our continued expansion at home and abroad, while strengthening our corporate governance.” [Read more…] about SoftBank to invest $10 billion in Uber
Hanwha has closed a deal on a $79.26 million project to build a logistics automation system and facility for Nexen Tire in the Czech Republic.
A major Nexen Tire Czech plant is being built in Zatec, 70 km northwest of Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.
The plant will serve as Nexen’s tire production base in Europe as the location lends itself to easy access to key markets in Europe including the UK, France, and Germany. [Read more…] about Hanwha to build logistics automation facility for Nexen Tire’s Czech factory
Material handling refers to the movement of items within relatively small spaces, such as a warehouse.
In that sense, it’s different from logistics, which refers to movement of goods over longer distances, from city to city or across countries and continents.
But material handling falls within logistics, obviously, and can sometimes be categorised within intralogistics – as in, movement of goods within a company’s network of warehouses and manufacturing facilities. [Read more…] about Material handling: An overview of a fast-moving market
Material Handling Systems has acquired Atronix Engineering and Advanced Production Systems.
MHS is a provider of advanced parcel sortation systems engineering and equipment. It has 115 employees and says it generates $1.2 billion revenue “from an installed base”.
Atronix is a controls systems integrator, while APS specialises in the engineering, design, and assembly of control panels. [Read more…] about Material Handling Systems acquires Atronix Engineering and Advanced Production Systems
ST Engineering, the Singaporean company which bought Aethon recently, says it is looking to grow its robotics division.
The company’s chief executive, Vincent Chong, says ST Engineering is hoping Aethon can help it pass through the 100-million-dollar barrier – Singaporean dollars that is, which equates to about $73 million in US currency.
As quoted on Nikkei, Chong says: “We want it [Aethon] to be a material business [with a revenue of] over 100 million Singapore dollars. How fast we get there, we don’t know yet.” [Read more…] about ST Engineering looks to Aethon robots to lead it to bigger markets
Locus Robotics has reached a deal with Supply Chain Services on the sales and marketing of its warehouse automation systems.
The “channel partnership” will see Supply Chain Services make Locus Robotics’ autonomous mobile robots available to Supply Chain Services’ network of more than 2,000 warehouse and distribution customers around the US.
The two companies will showcase the technologies in a joint exhibit at MinnPack, November 8-9, 2017 in Minneapolis. [Read more…] about Locus Robotics partners with Supply Chain Services on warehouse automation technologies
By Vincent Bamberger, Florent Nansé, Bernd Schreiber, and Michael Zintel, of Arthur D Little
In the past, legacy logistics players (LLPs) such as DHL, Kuehne + Nagel, DB Schenker, UPS and Nippon Express operated in a stable world, where efficiency, standardization and low cost were the keys to success.
However, digitalization has changed this focus, transforming the market.
New, digital-native entrants are better able to adapt to emerging imperatives such as agility, customer centricity and the need to constantly innovate. [Read more…] about Logistics 4.0: Facing digitalization-driven disruption
Toyota Research Institute has signed an agreement with GoMentum Station to test autonomous vehicle technology at the 5,000 acre autonomous vehicle proving grounds located in Concord, California.
Managed by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority, this partnership enables TRI to expand closed course testing of its two-prong approach to vehicle automation – Guardian and Chauffeur.
Established in 2015, TRI has made rapid advancements in its research into automated driving and recently demonstrated Platform 2.1, its new advanced safety research vehicle that allows for testing of both Guardian and Chauffeur in a single vehicle. [Read more…] about Toyota Research Institute partners with GoMentum to test autonomous vehicles in California
Mexico used to be an attractive place to invest in building manufacturing facilities. It still is.
The country of 120 million people is still part of the North American Free Trade Agreement, which makes importing and exporting to the US easier than it would otherwise be.
And even as US President Donald Trump pushes for a renegotiation of Nafta, manufacturing companies are continuing to choose Mexico as an investment location. [Read more…] about Auto companies still moving to Mexico despite Nafta uncertainty
