Paul Lukehart Managing Principal, PL Programs LLC was my guest for this episode. He's well versed in the operations world realities with the background to prove it from some well-known big names. But he took that knowledge/wisdom and put it into his own organization.

PL Programs is helping operations executives deliver projects critical to their supply chain capabilities from new site launches to automation upgrades.

I loved getting into the weeds with him on how they go about delivering for clients, what makes PL Programs unique, and some of his own unique perspectives on the industry.

Oh, he's also a published author with books for operations leaders out there. The books are great, but you won't want to miss the "pure gold" comedic review he received from one reader! Paul is somebody you should definitely be following online and utilizing as a resource!

Tomas David Ye and Dibyesh Giri from Perseuss stopped by the Podcast for this episode. Up front, they have a fantastic solution that is helping operations reduce their shipping cost and optimize their packing process.

In the warehousing world it's often picking which takes up a lot of the oxygen, resources, and labor. But they're here to tell you that you are possibly bleeding money out by not optimizing pack and you don't even realize it!

Savvy operators realize that it's an ever-changing ballgame at pack to optimize it with literally thousands and thousands of variables. Don't leave this up to chance or expect packers to figure them all out. Utilize a well thought out solution like Perseuss to do it!

Thanks to the real Mike Meyers the founder of Lully for coming on the show! Mike has been connected with the software and optimization side of warehouse and distribution for a long time. Now, he has taken all of that expertise and started his own company.

Lully is here to "maximize warehouse efficiency with unparalleled flexibility and simplicity. Simplify achieving warehouse operational efficiency through our end-to-end orchestration platform."

This is very GRITTY show, we challenge many warehousing "truths", and this sometimes gets people worked up! Decide for yourself where you come down on the arguments.

Great podcast with Cliff Hardesty the VP at Bar Code Depot. We dove into the history of Bar Code Depot, how a family legacy turned into a trusted partner for warehouses and distribution centers across the country.

We also talked about exciting new partnerships, including how they're working with Nexus AMR to bring cutting-edge robotics to their customers. T

he conversation also touched on where they're headed next – from emerging technologies to their bold vision for the future of Bar Code Depot.

A great "go to" to have ready in your queue for tech solutions in your warehouse!

Running out of space in your warehouse? Having to store pallets of goods down the aisles just so that you can unload trucks and not pay detention? This scenario sucks. Next? Safety risk up. Inventory write-offs up. Productivity down. And what are you supposed to do about it....raise the roof higher?

Why yes! I loved chatting with Matt De Vito of LIFTEX and Rob Marek of Raise The Roof Logistics who do exactly that for industrial buildings and warehouses.

Square footage is expensive for new warehouses these days, so the best option just may be to go higher in the facility you're in.

I don't know much about machine learning or AI, but Jerry Abiog does! He's CEO & Co-founder @ Standard Insights & as he says has been "working in the AI space before it was cool."

More specifically, he helps businesses leverage their first-party data to predict and influence their customers' buying patterns. Don't think this applies to the world of distribution centers? Jerry and I feel you'd be mistaken.

Operations are starting to dip their toes deeper into the AI waters, and Standard Insights is the perfect partner to guide your journey!

Operations teams spend money on all types of things to keep things running on time. From materials to supplies and everything in between. Take it from me...it's a HUGE headache doing it, tracking it, and accounting for it.

After all, operations leaders are trying to run operations first! But Keivan Shahida and Response have created a solution to massively help with this headache (even better than Tylenol!)

It was super cool chatting with him and learning more about how Response came to be and the gap they are plugging in the market helping operations control indirect spend from end-to-end.

Don't feel like you're getting the most out of your WMS? IS YOUR WMS VENDOR BECOMING SLOW TO RESPOND TO YOUR CALLS? Make the "911 call for help" to Tryon Solutions!

I enjoyed the chat with Jody Phillips to learn the ins and outs of how Tryon can be a big-time advocate for operations utilizing well known Warehouse Management Systems.

They have the team that you want in your corner when you're getting punched in the face during the early or growth phases of a new WMS install.

Lots of insight was shared when LaFayette Engineering along with their sister company Mesh Automation (Mesh Automation Website Link) joined the show. Investing in a big-time automation or robotic engineering initiative for your warehouse/DC might seem daunting, but the impact and gains from it can be BIG.

Kris Cugnon and Jim Webb share their perspectives on how it all goes down when you work with them on such a project. The goals you have might not be as far off as you think and these two can make them happen.

Also, Jim drops some "teasers" about upcoming reveals from Mesh Automation during upcoming trade shows. Check them out!

Jamie Callihan and Phil Denton joined me on this episode to talk about their robotics solutions at JLC Robotics. We discuss how their products are the perfect gateway for operations wanting to begin their robotics journey.

Also, we highlight the methods their tech can help achieve customer ROI timeline goals.

Added on to that though, we discuss the growing desire in the industry to remember the "soft" returns and the value robotics can bring in multiple areas such as employee retention, attracting employees in a competitive warehouse world, and brand perception/long term investment security to customers.