IT\\\


Are robotics the automatic choice?


There’s no doubt that automation is not some fancy trend, here today and gone tomorrow. Robotics are a big part of many industries already, most valuable perhaps in repetitive, fiddly or dangerous tasks – imagine today’s car industry, for example, without automated production lines. And now robots are becoming


ever-more widespread in the field of logistics. The likes of Amazon and UPS are experimenting and indeed moving ahead with drone deliveries, for example. But it is in the warehouse, perhaps, that we see the most obvious applications for robots in logistics. According to Simon Cooper (pictured right), the


business solutions sales director at Dematic Northern Europe – a supplier of integrated automated


Robots can oſten be seen


within warehouses assembling pallet loads, he notes, but Cooper


Issue 6 2017 - Freight Business Journal


giants that are interested in the technology – it’s also the retailers themselves. Cooper opines: “Robotics will soon become the key differentiator for retail businesses competing on cost- to-serve and speed of delivery for online orders. Many retailers are aiming for 15 minutes from click-to-ship – an ambitious target that can only be achieved through the use of robots. Major retailers across the globe are actively engaged in seeking solutions to these challenges.” This


growing warehouse robotics


interest is


in being


fuelled, he believes, largely by consumers’ preference to shop online, alongside a rising expectation for next-day delivery. Robots offer providers the opportunity to feed this demand without


recourse to


supply chain technology, soſtware and services – the sector is already reaping the benefits of automated technology.


Innovation in logistics


In June last year, logistics operator Kaleido and San Francisco technology campus RocketSpace announced the launch of their Logistics Tech Accelerator, which was designed to connect ‘disruptive’ start-up companies with tech-driven larger businesses and drive cross-industry innovation. The programme is intended


to combine the “unique tech ecosystem and open innovation expertise” of RocketSpace with Kaleido’s “pioneering tech approach to disruptive logistics solutions”. Those involved are expected to “rethink logistics and work hand-in-hand on a pilot programme, resulting in a go-to- market solution”. In June this year, the two


partners were able to showcase the work of a second group of ten start-up businesses within the programme. The ten start- ups – Equivvy, IAM Robotics, Freightly, OBUU, Optiply, Stowga, Trackersense,


Getvu, Sennder


and Undagrid – presented their offerings and demonstrated solutions to specific problems they are working on, together with what are being described as “future partnership pathways” they


have forged with their corporate partners met during the


programme. Kaleido Logistics chief executive


and the creator of the programme, Xoán Martínez, remarked: “It


is


very motivating to see how start- ups are bringing their technologies to the market in collaboration with the corporates, a great mix between technology, energy and experience, with the common goal of bringing out-of-the-box thinking to the logistics sector. “And it’s also great to see how


open innovation culture is shared by colleagues from the founders of the Logistics Tech Accelerator programme, the start-ups that made it onto the programme, as well as our corporate partners.” He went on: “The objective


Freight intelligence Also at the June showcase was a start-up member of the first programme launched as part of the Logistics Tech Accelerator, CargoSteps.


It and its corporate


partner, Kaleido, demonstrated how they had jointly developed an air freight track and trace tool for manufacturing industry called Freight Intelligence. Freight Intelligence is designed


to give shippers complete visibility and control over their air freight supply chain. It is an easy to use tool that delivers precise


also points out that the use of robotics for ecommerce order fulfilment is “something new”. It’s not just the logistics


open a new period in logistics. “The latest event shows


that joining the Logistics Tech Accelerator programme is a great opportunity to explore and experiment with a diverse group of industry leaders, opening the door for new applications of technology and potential long-term partnerships,” Martínez added.


huge numbers of new staff. Cooper warns: “Perennial


fears over the loss of some manual warehouse tasks to robots could possibly stand in


include: general shipment status; an inventory of all the shipments’ air waybills (AWBs), whether still en route or having been delivered, with filters by status, airports, dates and so on; specific information from each AWB with full history; business intelligence apps to evaluate correlations and trends for better decision-making; all the information is presented in one customised dashboard, and can also be integrated within the client’s internal management system; and integration with airline systems is also possible (indeed, the system has been integrated with a large number of carriers worldwide already). The system is already in and,


operation according to


RocketSpace, is an offering that all involved hope will “transform the global logistics industry”. Applications for the third group


of start-up businesses to join the Logistics Tech Accelerator programme have meanwhile been made.


25


overall prospect for jobs remains positive going forward, although some roles may change.” For Cooper, “the Holy Grail


is warehouse automation.” Undoubtedly, he says, the most difficult challenge to date has been found in the use of robots for single-item picking and the robots being developed today are, Cooper says, now able to deal with picking of individual pieces for onward delivery. Technological leaps have


the way of a sensible solution to the problems of scale of demand and cost.” However, he believes the benefits will outweigh any possible hazards, and in fact the labour issue should not be regarded as significant. “Robotics and automation radically improve productivity and through these gains, businesses grow and develop, requiring more people to maintain systems and run the newly developed channels of growth. Thus, the


helped in other areas, too. “Robotic solutions have become


viable only through


recent advances in artificial intelligence,” Cooper considers. “They are now far more cost- effective and are able to quickly identify, verify, pick-up and place single items at speed. These are complex problems that are being solved, here and now. Robots are no longer science fiction; they are fast becoming a very real part of the contemporary warehouse.”


FedEx counts the cost of TNT cyber-attack


FedEx revealed further information on the cyber attack that hit its newly acquired TNT subsidiary in June in its 2017 annual report for the US Securities and Exchange Commission. It said that its worldwide operations were significantly affected by the NotPetya virus which was spread through a Ukrainian tax soſtware product. While TNT operations and communications were significantly affected, no data breach or data loss to third parties is known to have occurred. FedEx said its IT teams have


recovered critical systems, along with finance, back-office and secondary business systems, but added: “We cannot yet estimate how long it will take to restore the systems that were impacted, and it is reasonably possible that TNT will be unable to fully restore all of


the affected systems and recover all of the critical business data that was encrypted by the virus.” The financial impact of the


attack is likely to be material, it adds, and FedEx does not have cyber or other insurance. The company said that although it cannot


currently quantify the


amount, it had lost revenue due to decreased volumes at TNT and the cost of implementing contingency plans and the remediation of affected systems. Meanwhile, the Federation of


Small Businesses (FSB) said in July that it still had “serious concerns” about the TNT NotPetya attack and is effect on its members. It said that while the attack


occurred four weeks ago some small firms remain in the dark over when and if they can expect their goods to be delivered.


Your International Freight Forwarding Partner Africa – Middle East – Asia


behind the creation of the Logistics Tech Accelerator programme is to allow stunning technologies that are ready to go to market to work with corporate collaborators to


information about location and status of a shipment. Customised ad hoc notifications can also be built in as the customer requires, but the key features of the system


Oil, gas and power our speciality Call us on 0774 8505350


info@skyswiftuk.com | www.skyswiftuk.com


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