eCom Logistics Podcast

ABOUT THE GUEST(S)  

Jon Schechter started with AutoStore in July 2020 and is responsible for driving market awareness focused on retail in North America. As a Business Development Manager, he partners with customers in their fulfillment journey to identify whether AutoStore is the right fit for them. Jon has been designing robotic-based fulfillment centers since 2008 with prior experience at Kiva Systems, Amazon, and RightHand Robotics. Jon studied Mechanical Engineering at MIT and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School.  

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:06] Jon's Journey in Warehouse Robotics

[00:02:56] Early Stages of Automation

[00:07:55] 3PLs and Automation Investments

[00:14:28] The Importance of WMS in Automation

[00:18:10] Understanding Bin Digging in ASRS

QUOTES

[00:06:53] "You can't build automation on top of no WMS."

[00:08:54] "3PLs can be successful by partnering with customers to co-invest in automation."

[00:10:46] "With labor environments today, I don't think you have a choice but to develop and invest in your own 3PLs."

[00:11:26] "Employees don't want to push a cart. They don't want to walk down 10 miles a day to do their pick, pack and ship."

[00:14:51] "It's not like you can go buy one of those things and bring it home and turn it on."

[00:15:53] "You can't have a really well utilized automation system without a strong WMS underlying it."

Find out more about Jon Schechter in the links below.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonhschechter/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

ABOUT THE GUEST(S)

Guy Courtin is a seasoned supply chain expert with decades of experience in the technology and supply chain space. Currently serving as Tecsys'  Vice President of Industry and Global Alliances, he has held leadership roles at 6 River Systems (a Shopify company), Infor Retail, and i2 Technologies (now Blue Yonder). He has likewise served as an industry analyst at Constellation Research, SCM World (Now Gartner), and Forrester Research. Guy holds an MBA in Management from the Olin Graduate School of Business, a Master's in International Relations from Loyola University Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the College of the Holy Cross. 

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00:48] Guy's Journey in Supply Chain

[00:02:58] Challenges in E-commerce Fulfillment

[00:04:55] Inventory Management Strategies

[00:11:26] Change Management in Warehousing

[00:14:50] Healthcare Ground Game

[00:18:45] Future of Healthcare Fulfillment

QUOTES

[00:09:58] "Everyone thinks they have a secret sauce. There is no secret sauce. It's just ketchup." - Ninaad Acharya

[00:13:45] "Change management is, I think, one of the hardest things we've seen in warehousing, in supply chain." - Guy Courtin

[00:16:01] "The ground game, which is not as sexy, is still, I think, as important as this other digital strategy." - Guy Courtin

[00:18:52] "The challenge, the reason why some companies do that is they just don't have the right systems to do virtual segregation." - Ninaad Acharya

Find out more about Guy Courtin in the links below.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/guycourtin/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

ABOUT THE GUEST

Steve Pickfield is a dynamic leader with a proven track record of building high-performance sales teams and driving business success. Currently the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at PSI Engineering in Toronto, Steve has led commercial strategy and operations since 2018, achieving significant growth. As Executive Vice-President of National Sales at T. Litzen/Skyline Sports since 2017, he fosters a collaborative atmosphere for a national sales team. During his 27-year tenure at Vickers-Warnick Ltd, he held roles from Outside Sales Representative to President, managing major acquisitions and business transformations. Known for his exceptional interpersonal skills, Steve excels in navigating businesses through rapid change, strategic planning, high-level negotiations, and financial management, building strong relationships with key stakeholders.  

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:34] Steve's Background and Journey: Steve shares his journey in automation and his role at PSI Engineering.
[00:03:53] Understanding SLAM: Explaining the term SLAM (Scan, Label, Apply, and Manifest) and its importance in e-commerce.
[00:05:40] Evolution and Importance of SLAM: Discussion on the development of the SLAM industry group within MHI and its significance.
[00:08:06] ROI and Volume Considerations: When and why companies should consider automating their SLAM area.
[00:12:06] Solving Bottlenecks: How automation helps in addressing bottlenecks created by upstream processes.
[00:13:18] Image Capture Technology: The role of image capture in verifying shipments and reducing errors.
[00:19:51] Starting the Journey: Advice for companies looking to optimize their SLAM area.

QUOTES

[00:00:25] "A lot of people have invested into that automatic storage and retrieval, AMRs, and all that. The kind of fancy stuff, the auto stores, it is created that bottleneck."
[00:03:53] "It stands for Scan, Label, Apply, and Manifest. It doesn't encompass everything that happens in that last hundred feet, but it certainly does."
[00:12:06] "If you look at an e-commerce direct-to-consumer fulfillment facility, most likely 80% of your labor cost is going to be in that pick and pack, and 20% will be in the last hundred feet."
[00:13:18] "We worked with them and created some technology around that. So, that we would be taking a picture of that box with the cell phone in and it really solved that problem."
[00:19:51] "It does start with an assessment, and assessing, what areas, where is your true bottlenecks, where is most of your costs going, where are your error."

Find out more about Steve Pickfield in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenpickfield/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

ABOUT THE GUEST

Ann Marie Jonkman, Vice Presidnet Industry Strategies at Blue Yonder, advises Logistics Service Providers (LSPs) on leveraging technology and best practices to enhance their business strategies. With over 20 years of experience in continuous improvement and consulting, particularly in distribution, e-commerce, and transportation, she brings a unique blend of operational insight and software expertise. Collaborating closely with product development teams, Ann Marie ensures alignment with customer needs and drives innovation to deliver tangible results. Prior to Blue Yonder, she held positions at leading organizations like XPO Logistics and Radial. Ann Marie holds degrees in Political Science and History, with ongoing education in Business Technology Design and strategic communication from esteemed institutions like Lewis University, Tuck School of Business, and Dartmouth. Based in Chicago, she devotes her personal time to supporting animal rescue initiatives and enjoys golfing and football.

HIGHLIGHTS
[00:03:29] Exploring the Post-2023 Logistics Landscape
[00:07:06] The Evolution of Software in Logistics
[00:13:16] The Future of Warehouse Operations and Technology
[00:17:59] Exploring the Impact of AI in Logistics
[00:20:02] The Power of Generative AI and Machine Learning
[00:23:16] Empowering the Mid-Market with AI Technology
[00:27:03] Human-Centric Approach to Technological Adoption
[00:29:14] The Future of Work: Automation, AI, and User Experience

QUOTES

[00:01:17] "Technology should deploy that. It should enable it for people and it should be easy."
[00:05:51] "People are very mindful where they put their money, but it's open. I feel the change."
[00:12:49] "It's really being a partner because if we all haven't noticed, this tech is changing fast."
[00:17:50] "That billing piece is just, from a 3PL perspective, you're right. It's a small army of people."
[00:20:13] "It's more so enabling that to your point to where we truly capture what's happening."

Find out more about Ann Marie Jonkman and her company in the link below: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajsupplychainleader/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, recorded live from MODEX 2024 in Atlanta, hosts Ninaad Acharya and Dan Coll interview Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler. Keith shares his journey from a supply chain background to launching AutoScheduler, a company specializing in warehouse distribution orchestration and optimization. The conversation covers the evolution of supply chain technology, from early machine learning applications to the current push for robotics and automation. Keith discusses the challenges of integrating AutoScheduler with existing WMS and WES systems, the importance of data quality, and the future of human-robotic symbiotic relationships in distribution organizations.  

ABOUT KEITH

Keith Moore is the Chief Executive Officer for AutoScheduler.AI. As a supply chain “Pro to Know”, Keith works with Consumer Goods, Beverage, and Distribution companies to drive efficiency in distribution centers. As the CEO, Moore’s focus is in creating the future with the prescriptive warehouse. Moore was voted by Hart Energy Magazine as an Energy Innovator of the Year in 2020, was selected as a Pi Kappa Phi 30 under 30 member, and holds multiple patents in the fields of neural architecture search and supply chain planning. Moore attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a bachelor of science in Mechanical Engineering.

HIGHLIGHTS  

[00:02:00] Keith Moore's Journey in Supply Chain and Tech  

[00:04:23] The Birth and Growth of AutoScheduler  

[00:04:49] How To Optimize Warehouse Operations  

[00:09:00] Challenges and Solutions in Warehouse Management  

[00:23:56] The Future of Robotics in Distribution  

QUOTES  

[00:00:27] Keith Moore on Warehouse Nodes: "It's all about supporting universal inventory flow through a facility... everything in and everything out the rest of the supply chain decides."  

[00:10:31] Keith Moore on Technology Integration: "Generally what we do in our sales process now... is you'd be super upfront with exactly what needs to happen."  

[00:14:41] Keith Moore on Real-Time Decision Making: "What optimization should decide is exactly what processes do you need to do in the inside of that circle to make sure that you're supporting that overall flow."  

[00:19:36] Keith Moore on Continuous Adaptation: "Every plan you create is broken the second you create it because nobody follows a plan perfectly... you need to be able to adapt that plan."  

Find out more about Keith Moore in the links below.  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithdmoore13/  

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit https://www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.  

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

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Oana Jinga is the Chief Commercial Officer and co-founder of Dexory. Under her leadership, Dexory raised an impressive $19 million in a Series A funding round led by European VC Atomico, establishing key partnerships with logistics giants like Maersk and DB Schenker. Oana’s recent achievements include winning the ‘Tech Innovator’ Award at the Everywoman in Transport and Logistics event. She’s recently spoken at the State of Gender Diversity in European Venture initiative by Female Foundry and featured in a panel alongside influential women in tech, such as Business Insider’s Tech Editor Shona Ghosh. Dexory’s growth, from 30 to over 100 team members in 2023, highlights the company’s thriving trajectory under Oana’s leadership.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, broadcasting live from Modex 2024 in Atlanta, the hosts sit down with Oana Jinga, co-founder of Dexory, to explore innovative solutions in the logistics industry. The conversation dives deep into Dexory's journey from a retail robotics company to a logistics-focused enterprise, the challenges and advantages of AMR versus drone-based data capture, and the transformative power of digital twin platforms. Dexory's technology enables real-time inventory management, enhanced accuracy, and predictive analytics, aiming to revolutionize the logistics landscape.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:03:57] The Shift to Logistics and Inventory Management
[00:05:31] Understanding Digital Twin Technology
[00:12:51] Challenges and Innovations in Warehouse Management
[00:19:32] Safety and Efficiency of AMR vs. Drones
[00:23:37] Future of Inventory Management and RFID Integration

QUOTES

[00:06:58] The value proposition lies in real-time access to accurate inventory data, enabling operators to make informed decisions and optimize warehouse operations.
[00:08:45] Real-time data feeds from AMRs bridge the gap between physical and digital representations, offering unparalleled visibility and insight.
[00:11:09] Future advancements aim to leverage AI tools for predictive analytics and simulation within the digital twin platform, revolutionizing inventory optimization.

Find out more about Oana Jinga in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oanajinga/
http://dexory.com/

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If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

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Josh Dolan is Division President – Consumer Division for the Americas at GXO Logistics, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider. He joined the company in 2023.

As a member of the GXO’s Americas and Asia Pacific Executive Leadership Team, Josh is responsible for deepening existing customer relationships and delivering on the company’s divisional growth targets.

Prior to joining GXO, Josh built a career of best-in-class supply chain leadership at some of the world’s leading companies. He served as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and Global Logistics for Cardinal Health, where he led all aspects of supply chain for the Pharmaceutical Segment and integrated logistics for all business units. Before that, he held senior-level leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Target and DICK’S Sporting Goods. At Amazon, he led Global Inbound Supply Chain and Logistics and was responsible for global cross border supply chain and logistics, including product development, pricing, technology, operations, procurement and network design.

Josh is an alumnus of Penn State University and Harvard Business School. He resides in Tampa with his children, Connor and Kylie.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Ninaad Acharya and Dan Coll are joined by Josh Dolan. The discussion covers Josh's extensive career journey from UPS Supply Chain to GXO, highlighting his expertise in global supply chain operations across various sectors including retail, technology, and life sciences. The conversation delves into the expansive portfolio of GXO, featuring notable clients such as Ikea, L'Oreal, Nike, and Adidas. Josh shares insights into the challenges and innovations within logistics, focusing on the role of automation, AI, and the cultural alignment necessary for successful mergers and acquisitions. The episode wraps up with thoughts on the evolving logistics landscape and the importance of strategic partnerships and tailored solutions for clients.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:24] Josh Dolan's Journey Through the Logistics Landscape
[00:02:50] Exploring the Consumer Division at GXO Logistics
[00:13:39] The Impact of Automation and Technology in Logistics
[00:28:39] The Strategic Importance of Acquisitions and Cultural Alignment

QUOTES

[00:31:03] “It's not just about the physical distribution component. It's also about the technology to your point around visibility and then, flashing availability back of those products on those clients' sites”
[00:38:49] “If you take care of your team and you take care of the customer, everything else  falls into place over time”
[00:39:49] “So the fact that there is all of this amalgamation of so many companies. I think that's pretty, interesting and just purely from a case study standpoint, something that is worth looking at.”

Find out more about Joshua Dolan in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajdolan/
https://www.gxo.com

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If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

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ABOUT THE GUEST

Andrey Bakholdin is the Chief Growth Officer at Brightpick, a leading innovator in robotic automation solutions for warehouses. With a background in finance, Andrey's career includes experience in mergers and acquisitions, as well as multi-strategy investing at Blackstone. He joined Brightpick to help scale the company after recognizing its potential during an investment evaluation. Under his leadership, Brightpick has developed cutting-edge mobile robot solutions that streamline the fulfillment process, enhancing efficiency and reliability for customers.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:03] Spotlight on Brightpick: Revolutionizing Warehouse Fulfillment
[00:02:30] Exploring Brightpick's Unique Mobile Robot Solution
[00:14:02] The Future of Robotics: AMRs vs. Humanoids
[00:23:47] Closing Thoughts: The Evolution of Warehouse Automation

QUOTES

[00:00:27] "The innovation isn't just in the ability to stick a robotic arm on a mobile base. The innovation is in being able to do that in a cost-efficient manner, which delivers not just equivalent, but superior ROI to customers."
[00:02:54] "Our robot is the only mobile robot in the world that can robotically pick items directly in the aisles where they're stored."
[00:16:50] "80 percent of processes in a warehouse or in a manufacturing plant are standardized. For specific processes, solutions like Brightpick AutoPicker will always be more cost-efficient than a humanoid."
[00:23:01] "In what world are legs more efficient than wheels? Wheels will always be more energy-efficient, faster, and easier to maintain than feet, especially in a warehouse designed for forklifts."

Find out more about Andrey Bakholdin in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abacholdin/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit https://www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

ABOUT THE GUESTS

As CEO of SVT Robotics, A.K. Schultz leads the overall company vision and go-to-market strategies. A.K. has spent his career leading the design and implementation of high-profile automation projects across multiple industries and top Fortune 500 companies, participating in the deployment of over $1 billion in automation. That experience gave him a unique understanding of the technical solutions customers need to advance their business, and it provided the foundation to launch SVT Robotics in 2018.

Nick Leonard is the SVP of Product at SVT Robotics. With extensive domain and software leadership experience, Nick ingeniously bridges the realms of business and technology, honed through his journey rising through project management and solutions architecture. At SVT, Nick shapes the overall product vision, ensuring the company remains at the cutting edge of robotic process automation. Beyond the office, Nick prides himself on being a mentor, tech enthusiast, and avid reader.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:01] Meet the Minds Behind SVT Robotics
[00:01:25] Nick Leonard's Journey in Automation
[00:02:40] AK Schultz on Solving Interoperability in Robotics
[00:06:26] The Philosophy of Connectivity and Integration
[00:13:16] Customer Success Stories with SVT Robotics
[00:16:19] The Future of Automation: Monitoring and Optimization
[00:18:01] Real-Time Incident Management: A Customer Story
[00:19:42] Advanced Logging and Fault Analysis
[00:20:43] Exploring Orchestration in Robotics and Automation
[00:23:40] The Future of Open vs. Closed Ecosystems
[00:25:07] Bridging Technology Gaps with Connectivity
[00:27:18] Partnering with Tier One Systems for Integration
[00:29:11] Empowering IT and Integrators with Advanced Tools

QUOTES

[00:06:37] "The machines are really executing what the software is doing and the magic is in the software, right? And so that's number one. Number two, we connect to software or robotic software is basically automating and making things faster and it doesn't necessarily need to involve a machine. It doesn't have to have an articulated arm robot. It can just be a mechanical system, right? So really what it's about is unlocking sensor data and putting it into this, what we see is us being the central nervous system."
[00:16:39] "So the first thing I think a lot of people misunderstand is. Now we're connected. What's the next challenge we have to think about? We're going to maintain that system's health, right? Because now we're running an automation facility and you were talking about 120, 140 picks an hour from your baseline. Okay. Now I have that ROI, that clock's ticking. I need to make sure that we're at that 100 to 200, 124 picks all day long. And a lot of automation systems, it's making sure that silent failures aren't happening in your system. So a lot of times maybe you're a bad data from a wrong order structure or something like that. One system doesn't like the data that's being exchanged. A lot of times that's happened. That's silently failing in the background."

Find out more about A.K. Schultz and Nick Leonard in the links below.

A.K. Schultz’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/a-k-schultz-9b5b899/
Nick Leonard’s LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickleonard/
SVT Robotics Website: https://www.svtrobotics.com/
SVT Robotics Library: https://atlas.svtrobotics.com

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube

ABOUT THE GUEST(S)

Padhu is the co-founder and CEO of Osa Commerce, a trailblazer cloud-based platform that powers the supply chains of logistics providers, retailers, and brands. With over 25 years of experience in digital supply chains, operations, and product development, he is an expert in creating and implementing end-to-end commerce solutions that optimize online sales and enhance fulfillment and delivery automation using artificial intelligence and data visibility.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:16] Deep Dive with Padhu from Osa Commerce
[00:02:40] Padhu's Journey in Supply Chain and E-commerce
[00:04:15] Building a 3PL Business from Scratch
[00:07:53] The Evolution of Osa Commerce into a SaaS Provider
[00:08:16] Exploring the Ecosystem Model of Osa Commerce
[00:12:31] Addressing Integration and Change Management in Supply Chain
[00:16:52] The Future of 3PL and Brand Operations
[00:19:47] Disruption and Innovation in the Supply Chain Space
[00:20:53] Unpacking the Unique Challenges of Osa Commerce
[00:21:45] The Tesla of Supply Chain: Innovation at the Core
[00:24:24] Redefining Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
[00:27:01] The Evolution of E-Commerce and Its Impact on Logistics
[00:32:46] The Osa Solution: Bridging Gaps in the Supply Chain
[00:33:14] The Power of Data in Optimizing Supply Chains

QUOTES

[00:07:26] "When you commit to a customer in the morning saying that we will ship 45,000 units by the end of day, and you come back and find out you only have almost one third of the people, and of one third of the people almost half leave after the lunch break. COVID was so rapid and things changed."
[00:27:48] "We created the solution based on what the need was because we were operators. So the system is built by operators for the operators who are very simple."

Find out more about Padhu Raman and his company in the link below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/padhuraman/
https://osacommerce.com/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Subscribe and Keep Learning!

If you’re a logistics leader looking to scale sustainably, don’t miss out! Subscribe for more expert strategies on tackling modern supply chain challenges.

Be sure to follow and tag the eCom Logistics Podcast on LinkedIn and YouTube