FabFitFun is an interesting retailer with a complex supply chain. They have assembled a set of hardware and software solutions to enable huge surges in shipping. They have been successful enough with their fulfillment capabilities that they are no longer just a direct-to-consumer retailer; they are also a third-party logistics provider. Forbes.com had a well-written […] The post The Retailer FabFitFun Excels at Logistics appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints ..read more

ARC Advisory Group does global market research on the warehouse management system market. We write about trends in this study. I am the author of this year’s study. One trend I believe is imminent is that the market appears to be poised to bifurcate in terms of functionality. There will increasingly be Tier 1 solutions […] The post What Does a Tier 1 Warehouse Management System Include? appeared first on Logistics Viewpoints ..read more

Locus Robotics Has Introduced a new Robot with a Heavier Payload Historically, a warehouse management system used slotting and waving functionality to optimize the work in a distribution center. Slotting improves picking efficiency by putting the most popular items in locations closer to the shipping docks and at a height on the rack that is easy for a picker to reach. Waving intelligently groups the tasks that need to be completed to reduce associate travel times and improve throughput. In the more manual part of a warehouse, WMS waving is the key optimization tool. In some DCs, there is a hi ..read more

Lucas Systems Offers Warehouse Optimization Warehouse management systems, once known as supply chain execution systems, have evolved significantly. They have transitioned from mere work executors to planning solutions with optimization capabilities. This transformation was brought about by the incorporation of algorithms that enhanced worker productivity. Today, for many professionals, “WMS” is synonymous with “warehouse optimization.” It shouldn’t be. Optimization is no longer limited to WMS software. Adjoining systems—like Voice Recognition, Vision-directed Workflow solutions, and Robotics s ..read more

I am coming to you from the sunny confines of San Diego, CA where I am attending the 2024 Körber Elevate conference. This is my first time attending Körber Elevate, and it did not disappoint, with over 800 attendees, 60 thought provoking sessions, and lots of networking and learning opportunities. The theme this year was “Chart Your Course” which Richard Stewart, EVP Americas at Körber Supply Chain pointed out, is all about overcoming supply chain complexities and challenges. And while the industry faced a lot of complexities and challenges in 2023, we continue to face more every day. Sean El ..read more

Over the past decade, the main battleground for China’s WMS market has been in the consumption industry; but more recently the battleground has returned to the manufacturing industry. Overseas suppliers have always ruled the top end of the market in this segment. However, local Chinese vendors have been growing rapidly over the past few years and have the potential to compete with overseas suppliers. In terms of the competitive landscape, China’s WMS market has many competitors but very little concentration. In other words, there are opportunities for every company. According to the character ..read more

Note: Today’s post is part of our “Editor’s Choice” series where we highlight recent posts published by our sponsors that provide supply chain insights and advice. This article is from Scott Mullins, EVP of Operations and COO at Lucas Systems, and looks at self-distribution in healthcare systems. Self-distribution is an increasingly popular option for healthcare systems to consider when deciding how to manage their supply chain. The challenges brought about by the pandemic made many rethink strategy when it came to inventory, stock on hand, secondary options and the ability to guara ..read more

A few weeks ago, I sat down to speak with Mike Noble, SVP of Technology and Jonathan Mitchell, Director of Software Services at Open Sky Group. In this conversation, we discussed seeing your supply chain through a new lens, and how this can help to achieve improved visibility. Specifically, I asked Mile and Jonathan to give me some background on Open Sky Group, as well as a rundown of the Kaleidoscope platform, and the different components that link the end to end supply chain. Below are some of the key takeaways from our discussion, as well as a little background on the supply chain technolo ..read more

Note: Today’s post is part of our “Editor’s Choice” series where we highlight recent posts published by our sponsors that provide supply chain insights and advice. Today’s article comes from Kyle Franklin, Senior Solutions Consultant, Lucas Systems, and looks at warehouse distribution errors. Being a veteran of the warehouse industry throughout my career has given me a unique insight into many aspects of distribution interaction. It becomes most apparent when being personally on the customer side. Three recent online buying experiences highlighted different ways inaccuracies could occur in th ..read more

I am adding the finishing touches to ARC Advisory Group’s research on the global WMS consulting market. This research is an update to the report my colleague Steve Banker developed a couple years ago. At that time, Steve also authored an article titled 20 Things to Know about WMS System Integrators. It is a great article and I recommend checking it out. I decided to focus my update to this research on the consultancies that I consider to be “WMS specialists.” I defined specialists to be those organizations that derive a substantial amount (15 percent of more) of their business from WMS-relate ..read more