We are thrilled to share that 6 River Systems (6RS) has embarked on an exciting journey by becoming part of Ocado Group, a pioneer in intelligent automation solutions with 20+ years of experience in developing and operating its own platform for grocery retailers around the world. In just a handful of weeks since this partnership was announced, we have achieved impressive results by securing contracts with four new clients and expanding programs with two existing customers, including a global family entertainment company. These accomplishments exemplify our unwavering commitment to delivering ..read more

Warehousing can be a challenge for manufacturers and retailers of all sizes. Finding the right space, running an effective order fulfillment system and sourcing great talent are just some of the many challenges facing operations managers. And besides, how many growing companies have the deep pockets to fund these expenditures or even the in-house expertise to get a warehouse up and running? That’s where third-party logistics providers come in. Commonly known as 3PLs, these are businesses that specialize in providing outsourced logistical support. Used effectively, a 3PL provider can be an inv ..read more

Technology is such a constant force for change that we tend to look at new technological innovations as almost normal — or at least par for the course. But the fact remains that technological advances are regularly disruptive to old methods and approaches. If your business is going to keep pace with its competitors in such a rapidly changing world, it’s going to need to embrace and integrate as much technological innovation as it can. In e-commerce, fulfillment is the bridge between your product and your customers. Without it, your inventory stays on the shelf, and your customers look elsewher ..read more

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs), like 6 River Systems’ (6RS) Chuck, continue to gain widespread adoption by automating fulfillment operations with a focus on each-picking optimization. Oftentimes, the operation’s SKUs are small enough to fit onto the vendor’s picking AMR platform and the aisles are wide enough for AMRs to travel – making it easy to migrate the entire pick operation over to AMRs. However, some logistics providers may encounter constraints when exploring the implementation of AMRs for picking that are related to product attributes (size or weight) or the operating environment (a ..read more

Savvy business owners and logistics providers are adjusting their processes and testing out various fulfillment processes, workflows and strategies (including omnichannel fulfillment) to accommodate and effectively meet the demands of an informed consumer base. To help you scale, stay ahead of the competition and cope with growing consumer expectations, let’s explore what omnichannel fulfillment is and why it is important. What is omnichannel fulfillment? Omnichannel fulfillment is a centralized strategy that enables businesses to streamline and seamlessly execute the order fulfillment proces ..read more

At the beginning of 2023, labor shortages are still impacting many industries. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the labor force participation rate in the United States as of March 2023 was only 62.6%. For warehousing and logistics, workers are increasingly hard to find with 488,000 job vacancies as of February 2023. Lack of skilled labor makes it challenging to meet growth and performance targets when you can’t find the people you need. In addition to finding labor, retaining labor is also a challenge. Warehouse jobs are often physically demanding with long hours and overt ..read more

When you outsource one or more parts of your logistics process, such as warehousing, inventory management or order fulfillment, you’re utilizing a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. It’s an increasingly popular option for retailers and e-commerce businesses, making it possible to focus on your company’s core competencies while taking advantage of the efficiencies and expertise of a third-party company that specializes in logistics. In this article, we’ll review what third-party logistics is, the various types of outsourced logistics and what to look for in a 3PL. What is third-party logist ..read more

Efficient, streamlined logistics operations play a critical role in meeting consumer demand, increasing customer satisfaction and ultimately, reducing operational costs. In today’s competitive retail sector, optimizing logistics processes enables retailers to gain an advantage. In this article, we’ll discuss four ways to improve retail logistics to reduce operational savings, including: Implement resilient strategies Outsource to trusted third-party providers Leverage the right tools and technology Using predictive analytics We’ll discuss these ideas in more detail later in this article, bu ..read more

E-commerce is here to stay and continues to impact consumer expectations and buying behavior. As the number of buying channels, online shoppers and customer orders continue to rise, companies need to deploy solutions, strategies and innovations to better manage their fulfillment process. While still adapting to the reverberating effects of the pandemic on global supply chains, brands need to meet customer expectations. Otherwise, they risk losing their customers to more agile competitors. A great way to achieve this while remaining profitable is by improving fulfillment management operations ..read more

With the advent of consumerization and the growing number of online shoppers and e-commerce outlets, it is increasingly difficult for retailers to satisfy their customers time and again. Competitive pricing no longer cuts it; savvy retailers today do all they can to stand out from the competition through service differentiation. The best way to do this is to streamline the retail fulfillment process. In today’s consumer-focused marketplace, optimizing the retail fulfillment process is a great way to reduce costs and bottlenecks, improve customer satisfaction and boost your bottom line. In rec ..read more