The federal government may have been slow to react, but logistics industry players were quick to step in to help victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. What follows is a partial list of companies that have contributed generously to the relief efforts. Dollar amounts represent company and employee donations.
APL Logistics FedEx HK Systems/Irista Ryder System Inc. Saddle Creek Corp. | Schneider National Toyota Motor Sales USA UPS |
Amazon package deliveries are about to get a little bit faster—thanks to specially outfitted delivery vans and the magic of AI.
Last month, the mega-retailer introduced its Vision-Assisted Package Retrieval (VAPR)solution, an AI (artificial intelligence)-powered system designed to cut the time it takes drivers to retrieve packages from the back of the van.
According to Amazon, VAPR kicks in when the van arrives at a delivery location, automatically projecting a green “O” on all packages that will be delivered at that stop and a red “X” on all other packages. Not only does that allow the driver to find the right package in seconds, the company says, but it also eliminates the need to organize packages by stop, read and scan labels, and manually check the customer’s name and address to ensure they have the right parcels. As Amazon puts it, “[Drivers] simply have to look for VAPR’s green light, grab, and go.”
The technology combines artificial intelligence (AI) with Amazon Robotics Identification (AR-ID), a form of computer vision originally developed to help fulfillment centers speed up putaway and picking operations. Linked to the van’s delivery route navigation system, AR-ID replaces the need for manual barcode scanning by using specially designed light projectors and cameras mounted inside the van to locate and decipher multiple barcodes in real time, according to the company.
In field tests, VAPR reduced perceived physical and mental effort for drivers by 67% and saved more than 30 minutes per route, Amazon says. The company now plans to roll out VAPR in 1,000 Amazon electric delivery vans from Rivian by early 2025.
We are now into the home stretch of the holiday shopping season—the biggest retail bonanza of the year. By now, many shoppers have already made their purchases and are putting the final touches on their gifts. Some of us procrastinators have not even started. Isn’t that why online shopping was invented?
Here are some interesting facts about Americans’ holiday shopping patterns. The National Retail Federation estimates that consumer spending for the holidays will average $902 per person. Some $641 of that will be for gifts, with the remainder spent on food, decorations, and other holiday items.
Many of those purchases will be online, where more than 21% of all consumer transactions now occur. A recent report from DHL eCommerce reveals that 61% of U.S. shoppers buy online at least once a week, and 84% browse online one or more times a week.
We also buy a range of goods that way—63% buy clothing and footwear through e-commerce sites, according to the DHL report. Next most popular were consumer electronics at 33%, followed by health supplements at 30%.
That first category is interesting, because apparel and footwear are also among the most widely returned items, especially when bought as gifts. Either they don’t fit properly, or they aren’t quite what the recipients had in mind—which means that each January, retailers must cope with a flood of returns.
Of course, returns are not a seasonal phenomenon; consumers return goods—particularly those bought online—year round. Between 25% and 35% of all goods purchased via e-commerce are returned, depending on whose figures you believe. By comparison, only 8% to 9% of products bought in stores, where we can see the actual items and try on clothing and shoes, end up being returned.
Try-ons are not possible with apparel sold online, which leads to the common practice of “bracketing,” where customers order an item in multiple sizes, pick the one that fits best, and send back the rest. The seller typically absorbs the reverse logistics costs—and those costs can be significant. The retail value of returned consumer items totals around $745 billion each year. According to Narvar, a company that helps retailers manage the post-purchase customer experience, more than 90% of returned products have nothing wrong with them. They simply weren’t wanted or needed.
So as you make those final holiday selections, help your fellow supply chain professionals. Choose your gifts wisely to reduce the chances they’ll be returned. And remember, gift cards are always nice.
Funds are continuing to flow to companies building self-driving cars, as the Swiss startup Embotech today said it had raised $27 million to expand autonomous driving solutions for logistics in Europe and beyond, including U.S. operations by the end of 2025.
The Zurich firm said it would use the new funding to help the company scale up its Automated Vehicle Marshalling (AVM) and Autonomous Terminal Tractor (ATT) solutions in Europe, and ultimately in the United States, Middle East, and Asia.
Embotech—which is short for “embedded optimization technologies”—says it has already secured multi-year rollout contracts for its AVM solution in finished vehicle logistics and for its ATT solution for port and yard logistics applications.
Specifically, Embotech began rolling out its AVM solution in 2023 with automaker BMW. The technology guides new BMW vehicles along a one-kilometer route between two assembly facilities, through a squeak and rattle track, and to the finishing area – with no driver needed at any stage of the journey. That will now expand under a multi-year contract to install the AVM solution in six additional BMW passenger car factories worldwide by the end of 2025, including BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
And for its ATT business, Embotech is gearing up for a major rollout to haul shipping containers at Europe's largest port, the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, with 30 units set to be deployed over the next 2 years. The electric ATTs are equipped with Embotech’s Level 4 Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Kit, which enables them to operate autonomously in complex, mixed traffic situations. Embotech’s autonomous tractors use a combination of LIDAR, cameras, and GPS to detect obstacles in all weather conditions and achieve localization accuracy of less than 5 cm.
According to Embotech, its autonomous driving solutions deliver benefits such as increasing operational efficiency through 24-hour operation, flexible peak handling, and improved transparency with digital integration.
The “series B” round was led by Emerald Technology Ventures and Yttrium, with additional funds from BMW i Ventures, Nabtesco Technology Ventures, Sustainable Forward Capital Fund, RKK VC and existing investors. “Embotech impressed us with their unique, highly adaptable autonomous logistics solution,” Axel Krieger, Partner at Yttrium, said in a release. “The company tackles the global logistics challenge for both commercial and passenger vehicles. With a strong orderbook as well as proven industry partnerships, Embotech is uniquely positioned to lead the market. An investment that aligns perfectly with Yttrium’s goal to empower tomorrow’s B2B technology champions."
The private equity-backed warehousing and transportation provider Partners Warehouse has acquired PSS Distribution Services, a third-party logistics (3PL) provider specializing in warehousing, distribution, and value-added services on the East Coast, the company said today.
The move expands Partners Warehouse’s reach from its current territories, which stretch from its Elwood, Illinois, headquarters to its two million square feet of warehousing and rail transloading facilities across eight locations in Illinois, California, and Dallas.
In addition to adding East Coast operations to that footprint, the move will also strengthen Partners’ expertise in the food and ingredients sector, enhance its service capabilities, and improve the business’ capacity to support existing and new clients who require a service provider with a national footprint, the company said.
From its headquarters in Jamesburg, New Jersey, PSS brings experience across industries including food, grocery, retail, food service, direct store distribution (DSD), and e-commerce. The company is known for its state-of-the-art facilities and food-grade warehousing options.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Partners Warehouse has been owned since 2022 by the investment company Red Arts Capital, a venture capital and private equity firm with a history of investing in the logistics and warehousing space. Red Arts’ other recent acquisitions of logistics providers include the 3PL Flex Logistics and the contract packaging services provider Coregistics.
“This acquisition marks a significant milestone in Partners Warehouse’s expansion strategy,” Nick Antoine, Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Managing Partner of Red Arts Capital, said in a release. “The addition of PSS enables us to grow our capacity and broaden our service offerings, delivering greater value to our clients at a time when demand for warehousing space continues to rise.”
Think you know a lot about manufacturing? Your hard-won knowledge might be about to pay off in the form of a brand-new pickup truck. No, you don’t have to physically assemble the vehicle. But you could win a Ford F-150 by playing an industry-themed online game.
Dubbed the Manufacturing Challenge, the game was launched during the Association of Equipment Manufacturers' (AEM) national Manufacturing Express tour this summer. It challenges participants to test their knowledge by answering a series of trivia questions related to the equipment manufacturing industry. Do well enough, and your name will be entered to win the grand prize.
The organization says the game is available to anyone in the continental U.S. who visits the tour’s web page, www.manufacturingexpress.org.
The tour itself ended in October after visiting 80 equipment manufacturers in 20 states. Its aim was to highlight the role that the manufacturing industry plays in building, powering, and feeding the world, the group said in a statement.
“This tour [was] about recognizing the essential contributions of U.S. equipment manufacturers and engaging the public in a fun and interactive way,” Wade Balkonis, AEM’s director of grassroots advocacy, said in a release. “Through the Manufacturing Challenge, we’re providing a unique opportunity to raise awareness of our industry and giving participants a chance to win one of the most iconic vehicles in the country—the Ford F-150.”
