warehouse automation

In this episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast, I had the pleasure of diving deep into the world of warehouse robotics with Andy Williams, the EVP of Sales for ExoTec.

Ever wondered how robotics is reshaping the supply chain landscape? Andy gives us a front-row seat into the transformative power of automation. We chat about everything from the Skypod system, a game-changer in warehouse operations, to the pivotal role of software in orchestrating the flow of goods.

One of the most intriguing parts? The discussion on the flexibility that modern robotic systems bring. Gone are the days when businesses had to predict their needs with pinpoint accuracy. Today's systems adapt, scale, and evolve with the ever-changing demands of the business world.

We also touched on the potential of AI and machine learning in the warehouse space. Imagine a world where robots learn, adapt, and optimize operations on the fly. It's not sci-fi; it's happening now!

And for those curious about the human aspect, we delve into how workers perceive and interact with these robots. Spoiler: It's not what you might think!

Want to know more? Dive in and join our conversation. And if you're as fascinated by ExoTec's innovations as I am, Andy has generously shared how you can get in touch.

Don't forget, you can check out the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/z6ogKSBmLhk

Thanks for tuning in, and as always, keep innovating and stay curious! 

Podcast supporters
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous supporters:

• Lorcan Sheehan
• Krishna Kumar
• Olivier Brusle
• Alicia Farag
• Joël VANDI
• Luis Olavarria
• Alvaro Aguilar

And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Digital Supply Chain episodes like this one.

Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!

Finally
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn.

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.

Thanks for listening.

Welcome to another exciting episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast, where today we're diving into the world of retail automation with my special guest, Jonathan Morav, Head of Product Strategy at Fabric. In this conversation, we explore the challenges grocers face and how Fabric is revolutionizing the industry with their cutting-edge micro-fulfillment solutions.

In our discussion, Jonathan explains the complexities of the grocery industry, including the unique challenges they face, such as the range of items, perishability, and the need for effective inventory management. We also touch on the importance of understanding the pain points of grocers and how Fabric's approach combines innovative technology with real-world grocery experience.

We delve into the differences between the North American and European markets, and Jonathan shares his insights on key factors retailers should consider when deciding whether to adopt micro-fulfillment and automation technologies. Plus, we discuss the future of Fabric and their plans to further optimize grocers' operations through software solutions and robotic advancements.

Lastly, we explore the potential for achieving margin parity between in-store and digital sales, and the role of ecosystem solutions like autonomous vehicles in optimizing the last mile of delivery. Jonathan also emphasizes the importance of working with a company that truly understands the grocery industry when adopting automation technology.

Don't miss this fascinating conversation with Jonathan Morav, and make sure to check out Fabric's website at www.getfabric.com to learn more about their innovative solutions for the grocery industry.

As always, thanks for tuning in, and if you'd like to see the video version of this podcast, it is available at https://youtu.be/ygtYGwI3fb8.

Podcast supporters
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous supporters:

• Lorcan Sheehan
• Krishna Kumar
• Olivier Brusle
• Alicia Farag
• Joël VANDI
• Luis Olavarria
• Alvaro Aguilar

And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Digital Supply Chain episodes like this one.

Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!

Finally
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn.

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.

Thanks for listening.

Robots are becoming increasingly prevalent in Supply Chains. More so lately in the warehouse.

To look more into this I invited Richard Kirker Global Solution Manager for Warehouse Management at SAP to come on the podcast to talk about what he's seeing.

We had a fascinating conversation, where Richard told me robots are the new hotness now at warehouse management events, some interesting use cases he has seen for their deployment, and what the future of warehouse management looks like.  I learned loads, I hope you do too...

If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to leave me a voice message over on my SpeakPipe page or just send it to me as a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn. Audio messages will get played (unless you specifically ask me not to).

If you want to learn more about how to juggle sustainability and efficiency mandates while recovering from pandemic-induced disruptions, meeting growth targets, and preparing for an uncertain future, check out our Oxford Economics research report here.

And if you want to read up on our Industry 4.0 blueprint repost, head on over to https://www.sap.com/cmp/dg/intro-industry40/index.html, and if you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks.

And remember, stay healthy, stay safe, stay sane! 

Podcast supporters
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous supporters:

• Lorcan Sheehan
• Krishna Kumar
• Olivier Brusle
• Alicia Farag
• Joël VANDI
• Luis Olavarria
• Alvaro Aguilar

And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Digital Supply Chain episodes like this one.

Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!

Finally
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn.

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.

Thanks for listening.

As the battle for convenience continues to escalate the supply chain is becoming far more hybrid in nature and retailers are challenged to able to create a flexible--and profitable--solution for last-mile delivery.

To unpack the evolution of the space and the exploding world of micro-fulfillment we're excited to interview Elram Goren, Co-Founder & CEO at Fabric a pioneering robotics firm and retail micro-fulfillment tech provider.  It's a fascinating discussion on the process of innovation, where on-demand delivery is headed and how retailer's can address the daunting profitability challenges of online grocery and other low margin categories.

But first we discuss Steve's triumphant return to the big stage in Dubai and share a bit of new about Season 3's final guest (spoiler alert: it's Scott Galloway). Then we dig into the top retail stories that caught our attention this past week, including what the (mostly) strong earnings reports from legacy retailers and the largely profitless prosperity evidenced by disruptor brands suggests about retail's future. We also discuss reports of the potential profit squeeze being felt by Amazon marketplace sellers (something we worried about on in an earlier podcast episode).

McKinsey Online Grocery Article

Bain Online Grocery Article

Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus  Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  ,      The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and now in its second season, Conversations with CommerceNext!  You can learn more about Michael   here  or on     LinkedIn. 

Be sure and check out Michael's latest venture for fun and influencer riches - Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

About Us

Steve Dennis is a strategic advisor, board member, and keynote speaker focused on strategic growth and transformation and the impact of digital disruption. He is the author of the bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption and the forthcoming Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption , which will be published in April 2024 and is now available for pre-order at book retailers everywhere. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on social media..

Don't forget to join Steve's new Linked Group for his new book.

Michael LeBlanc  is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice, a keynote speaker around the world and consumer growth consultant.   He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,   The Voice of Retail, plus  Global eCommerce Leaders podcast, and The Food Professor , Canada's top food industry podcasts and one of the top management podcasts in the nation according to Apple, with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.    You can learn more about Michael  on  LinkedIn. 

Be sure and check out Michael's Last Request Barbecue,  his YouTube BBQ cooking channel!

In this episode of the Digital Supply Chain podcast I spoke to Steve Shebuski. Steve is VP Digital Strategy for Blue Horseshoe.

We had an excellent conversation around the latest trends in supply chain covering the rise of control towers, warehouse automation, and supply chain flexibly and resilience.

Oh, and this is one of the first podcast episodes that I have created chapters for. If you find them useful, do let me know (tom.raftery@sap.com) and I'll make the effort to do it more often!

If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to leave me a voice message over on my SpeakPipe page or just send it to me as a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn. Audio messages will get played (unless you specifically ask me not to).

If you want to learn more about how to juggle sustainability and efficiency mandates while recovering from pandemic-induced disruptions, meeting growth targets, and preparing for an uncertain future, check out our Oxford Economics research report here.

And don't forget to check out the 2021 MPI research on Industry 4.0 to find out how to increase productivity, revenues, and profitability for your operations. This global study examines the extent to which manufacturers deploy Industry 4.0 in their business and the benefits it brings.

And if you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it. Thanks.

And remember, stay healthy, stay safe, stay sane! 

Podcast supporters
I'd like to sincerely thank this podcast's generous supporters:

• Lorcan Sheehan
• Krishna Kumar
• Olivier Brusle
• Alicia Farag
• Joël VANDI
• Luis Olavarria
• Alvaro Aguilar

And remember you too can Support the Podcast - it is really easy and hugely important as it will enable me to continue to create more excellent Digital Supply Chain episodes like this one.

Podcast Sponsorship Opportunities:
If you/your organisation is interested in sponsoring this podcast - I have several options available. Let's talk!

Finally
If you have any comments/suggestions or questions for the podcast - feel free to just send me a direct message on Twitter/LinkedIn.

If you liked this show, please don't forget to rate and/or review it. It makes a big difference to help new people discover it.

Thanks for listening.

Throughout the on-going journey to improve warehouse operations, organizations can take incremental steps to experience substantial productivity gains.

In this episode, Todd Greenwald, GM, Heartland, and Mark Wheeler, Senior Director Supply Chain Solutions, Zebra Technologies, discuss the Warehouse Maturity Model and how it can positively impact your operation, with technology solutions from traditional warehouse management systems to the implementation of real-time location services, AI and machine learning.

Gain valuable insights on mobile worker productivity from Honeywell’s Senior Project Manager, Doug Brown. Honeywell's Operational Intelligence help provide a wide range of tasks - including improving worker safety, robust asset management insights and the ability to diagnose network issues from a viewpoint never before possible.

OpTech Insights is dedicated to helping you get more out of your supply chain floor.

Click here - For access to your free Operational Intelligence trial.

StayLinked CTO, Justin Griffith, shares how you can maximize the mobile technology user experience by replacing the outdated terminal emulation technology with intuitive and flexible interfaces. Leverage StayLinked's powerful platform to reduce training time and enable a wide range of options covering everything from safety reminders to future capabilities.

Host: Todd Greenwald
Guest: Justin Griffith

Distribution centers are a dynamic part of every operation. When not properly planned, worker productivity can be greatly impacted on the floor.

Hear from Wireless Guru  and Certified Network and Productivity Engineer, Andy Rehm, as he discusses the 5 best things to consider when planning your wireless network - ensuring reliability of the network and ultimately, improved productivity.

Host: Todd Greenwald
Guest: Andy Rehm

Seconds count in your supply chain operation. Optimizing technology can make the difference between getting it right or getting left behind. OpTech Insights host Todd Greenwald talks about the options and opportunities that can take your business to the next level.

Host: Todd Greenwald

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Show Notes

• 01:52 – David can see clearly now, just in time to admire the cracked screen of his smartphone
• 02:42 – Blake's upping his skills game at Jirav, learning financial modeling
• 03:08 – Blake's second webinar - Webinar Recording: How to Build a Financial Model for an Accounting Firm | Jirav
• 04:25 – The most effective way to master a new tool or software is to use it for yourself, or a client
• 05:24 – Is there life after The Cloud Accounting Podcast? Blake reveals his retirement plan
• 06:57 – Side hustles can help you understand your clients' pain points
• 07:42 – American remote-worker ranks have nearly tripled in the past two decades!
• 08:02 – Business on top, PJs on the bottom - just one of the reasons why remote work rules! 
• 08:18 – Reviews! Thank you, I <3 smilies, Aassas, and Glafollette!  
• 13:43 – Visa changes it stripes, with some $5.3 billion Plaid | Bank Innovation
• 14:30 – Is data the new oil? 
• 15:46 – Everything old wants to be new again, when it comes to fintechs, at least | Advisorhub
• 16:30 -- Visa's Acquisition of Plaid Presentation | Visa
• 17:42 – No QuickBooks Online Advance? No ChronoBooks for you! | Intuitive Accountant
• 19:16 – Perhaps Intuit killed the wrong tool? The ChronoBooks backlash begins
• 23:38 – Who needs a one-percent reward, when you can boost your Karma with every purchase? | Expensify 
• 27:12 – Dave Barrett makes a case for Karma | Expensify
• 27:23 – Do you Concur? Emburse wants to change your mind! | Accounting Today
• 29:19 – Google ups its productivity game with the acquisition of AppSheet | AppSheet 
• 31:16 – Stand up and shout  - FASB is the villain! | Accounting Today
• 33:02 – While it might delight CPAs and auditors, this 10,000 page codification, for mere accounting mortals, is a bit much
• 33:28 – The End of Accounting by Baruch Lev and Feng Gu | Amazon
• 34:32 – There's really no place for GAAP-basis financials in a subscription economy
• 37:11 – The CCPA implementation comes with a pretty hefty price tag - $55 BILLION |The Hill
• 39:11 – Could the CCPA be more trouble, and new risk than it's actually worth? 
• 41:00 – Email still poses the biggest security threat for small businesses | PYMNTS
• 42:17 – Deepfake audio fraud is the new risk in town | Axios
• 43:28 – Are Google and Facebook too big to fail? Apparently not when it comes to invoicing scams | Fortune 
• 44:19 – While paper check usage declines, check fraud continues to rise | WSJ
• 45:09 – UK small businesses are just not that fond of open banking |  PYMNTS
• 46:29 – Be afraid; be very afraid of the Buffett Indicator | CCN
• 47:05 – Mr. Buffett buys low, and sells high, or holds ... Be like Mr. Buffett! 
• 49:41 – Time to move to Finland? | Quartz at Work
• 51:44 – Eliminating useless and constant meetings might be even more useful than a four-day workweek
• 52:28 – Who needs humans when you can hire an Alphabot? Walmart's trying to stay in the game with warehouse automation | Gizmodo

Get in Touch

Thanks for listening and for the great reviews! We appreciate you! Follow and tweet @BlakeTOliver and @DavidLeary. Find us on Facebook and, if you like what you hear, please do us a favor and write a review on iTunes, or Podchaser. Interested in sponsoring the Cloud Accounting Podcast? For details, read the prospectus, and NOW, you can see our smiling faces on Instagram!  

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