Employees can wear the electronic tags on a lanyard, similar to building or equipment access cards, and are notified by a tactile buzz when other people get within six feet of them. The system offers a minimally intrusive solution that only makes its presence known when providing a proximity alert, according to Yale Materials Handling Corp. and Hyster Co., sibling companies that are both located in Greenville, North Carolina.
The solution uses ultra-wideband technology for tag-to-tag sensing and communication, avoiding the need for additional infrastructure such as Wi-Fi or cellular network coverage. And to prevent employees from selectively turning off the system to avoid social distancing enforcement, the devices require a unique, custom sequence to power down.
“The tag-to-tag solution offers a consistent method that takes the burden of requesting safe physical distance in work settings off of the individual,” Kevin Paramore, Yale’s emerging technology commercialization manager, said in a release. “This approach can help businesses build confidence among employees as they return to work, using a simple yet effective technology framework available at a competitive value.”
And in other examples of the logistics industry dedicating its assets to the coronavirus fight:
Supply chain consulting firm Tompkins International has launched a mobile smartphone app designed to help businesses ensure facility safety and compliance during the continuing Covid-19 outbreak. The SentryCheck solution allows businesses to operate safely and effectively amid the pandemic by prompting users to perform time-sensitive tasks, record critical inputs, automatically send corrective action alerts, and more, according to the Raleigh, North Carolina-based firm. “With warehouses operating around the clock to meet customer demands during the pandemic, it is more important than ever for businesses to verify that all processes and procedures are being followed to keep their facilities safe,” Denny McKnight, CEO of Tompkins International, said in a release.
Online truck brokerage Convoy is donating freight hauling services to bedding provider Tempur Sealy International to help deliver the retailer’s donation of relief mattresses and masks to healthcare, government, and charitable organizations involved in the fight against Covid-19. Tempur Sealy had donated $160,000 to charities serving affected communities as well as donating the mattresses. And Seattle-based Convoy will now arrange to hauling the mattress donations from Indiana to California’s Bay Area Furniture Bank. The partnership was created when Convoy reached out to DHL (of which Tempur Sealy is a customer) to offer its help, and DHL identified the need. Convoy is continuing to offer free trucking services for any business that is donating a truckload of products. “It has been particularly challenging for companies around the globe to effectively manage their supply chains during Covid-19,” Katie Reese, DHL Supply Chain’s transportation manager, carrier development, transportation solutions, said in a release. “At DHL, we are thrilled we could assist Tempur Sealy in helping them to locate a way to transport their very generous donation to the people who need it most with the assistance of Convoy.”
Logistics and warehousing provider Dachser Brazil has teamed with thyssenkrupp Elevadores to arrange the transport of 250,000 disposable masks which were later distributed to all of the elevator manufacturer’s employees in Latin America, providing protection measures against Covid-19. The two companies are both based in Germany, and were already partners for logistics operations in global business. The cargo handling took place between Shanghai Pudong, Frankfurt, and Guarulhos international airports. After the shipment arrived in Brazil, it was transported by road from São Paulo to the Salgado Filho International Airport, in Porto Alegre. “We are here for our customers during these challenging times. A prompt response and always meeting their demands are some of the reasons we have long-time partnerships with our clients in Brazil and worldwide,” João Paulo Caldana, managing director of Dachser Brazil, said in a release. “It was a cargo of considerable size and great importance, which needed to reach its destination as quickly as possible. For this reason, we opted for a transport route via Asia-Europe-South America, which are also areas of operation for thyssenkrupp Elevadores.”
Transportation service provider Penske Truck Leasing has introduced a remote service check-in feature through its smartphone mobile app, allowing commercial truck drivers to maximize social distancing by remotely checking-in their vehicles for scheduled preventive maintenance or repairs during the pandemic. In other new services, the Reading, Pennsylvania-based company is positioning associates outside many locations to greet and direct customers to designated parking or pick-up areas, and has made additional changes to its rental reservation, pick up, and drop off procedures. “This new addition to the Penske Driver app is part of our ongoing efforts to help keep customers and their drivers connected, safe and informed,” Sherry Sanger, executive vice president of marketing, Penske Transportation Solutions, said in a release. “Drivers will appreciate both the speed and convenience as well as the additional social distancing this new remote check-in feature affords.”
Supply chain planning (SCP) leaders working on transformation efforts are focused on two major high-impact technology trends, including composite AI and supply chain data governance, according to a study from Gartner, Inc.
"SCP leaders are in the process of developing transformation roadmaps that will prioritize delivering on advanced decision intelligence and automated decision making," Eva Dawkins, Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, said in a release. "Composite AI, which is the combined application of different AI techniques to improve learning efficiency, will drive the optimization and automation of many planning activities at scale, while supply chain data governance is the foundational key for digital transformation.”
Their pursuit of those roadmaps is often complicated by frequent disruptions and the rapid pace of technological innovation. But Gartner says those leaders can accelerate the realized value of technology investments by facilitating a shift from IT-led to business-led digital leadership, with SCP leaders taking ownership of multidisciplinary teams to advance business operations, channels and products.
“A sound data governance strategy supports advanced technologies, such as composite AI, while also facilitating collaboration throughout the supply chain technology ecosystem,” said Dawkins. “Without attention to data governance, SCP leaders will likely struggle to achieve their expected ROI on key technology investments.”
The British logistics robot vendor Dexory this week said it has raised $80 million in venture funding to support an expansion of its artificial intelligence (AI) powered features, grow its global team, and accelerate the deployment of its autonomous robots.
A “significant focus” continues to be on expanding across the U.S. market, where Dexory is live with customers in seven states and last month opened a U.S. headquarters in Nashville. The Series B will also enhance development and production facilities at its UK headquarters, the firm said.
The “series B” funding round was led by DTCP, with participation from Latitude Ventures, Wave-X and Bootstrap Europe, along with existing investors Atomico, Lakestar, Capnamic, and several angels from the logistics industry. With the close of the round, Dexory has now raised $120 million over the past three years.
Dexory says its product, DexoryView, provides real-time visibility across warehouses of any size through its autonomous mobile robots and AI. The rolling bots use sensor and image data and continuous data collection to perform rapid warehouse scans and create digital twins of warehouse spaces, allowing for optimized performance and future scenario simulations.
Originally announced in September, the move will allow Deutsche Bahn to “fully focus on restructuring the rail infrastructure in Germany and providing climate-friendly passenger and freight transport operations in Germany and Europe,” Werner Gatzer, Chairman of the DB Supervisory Board, said in a release.
For its purchase price, DSV gains an organization with around 72,700 employees at over 1,850 locations. The new owner says it plans to investment around one billion euros in coming years to promote additional growth in German operations. Together, DSV and Schenker will have a combined workforce of approximately 147,000 employees in more than 90 countries, earning pro forma revenue of approximately $43.3 billion (based on 2023 numbers), DSV said.
After removing that unit, Deutsche Bahn retains its core business called the “Systemverbund Bahn,” which includes passenger transport activities in Germany, rail freight activities, operational service units, and railroad infrastructure companies. The DB Group, headquartered in Berlin, employs around 340,000 people.
“We have set clear goals to structurally modernize Deutsche Bahn in the areas of infrastructure, operations and profitability and focus on the core business. The proceeds from the sale will significantly reduce DB’s debt and thus make an important contribution to the financial stability of the DB Group. At the same time, DB Schenker will gain a strong strategic owner in DSV,” Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz said in a release.
Transportation industry veteran Anne Reinke will become president & CEO of trade group the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) at the end of the year, stepping into the position from her previous post leading third party logistics (3PL) trade group the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), both organizations said today.
Meanwhile, TIA today announced that insider Christopher Burroughs would fill Reinke’s shoes as president & CEO. Burroughs has been with TIA for 13 years, most recently as its vice president of Government Affairs for the past six years, during which time he oversaw all legislative and regulatory efforts before Congress and the federal agencies.
Before her four years leading TIA, Reinke spent two years as Deputy Assistant Secretary with the U.S. Department of Transportation and 16 years with CSX Corporation.
Serious inland flooding and widespread power outages are likely to sweep across Florida and other Southeast states in coming days with the arrival of Hurricane Helene, which is now predicted to make landfall Thursday evening along Florida’s northwest coast as a major hurricane, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
While the most catastrophic landfall impact is expected in the sparsely-population Big Bend area of Florida, it’s not only sea-front cities that are at risk. Since Helene is an “unusually large storm,” its flooding, rainfall, and high winds won’t be limited only to the Gulf Coast, but are expected to travel hundreds of miles inland, the weather service said. Heavy rainfall is expected to begin in the region even before the storm comes ashore, and the wet conditions will continue to move northward into the southern Appalachians region through Friday, dumping storm total rainfall amounts of up to 18 inches. Specifically, the major flood risk includes the urban areas around Tallahassee, metro Atlanta, and western North Carolina.
In addition to its human toll, the storm could exert serious business impacts, according to the supply chain mapping and monitoring firm Resilinc. Those will be largely triggered by significant flooding, which could halt oil operations, force mandatory evacuations, restrict ports, and disrupt air traffic.
While the storm’s track is currently forecast to miss the critical ports of Miami and New Orleans, it could still hurt operations throughout the Southeast agricultural belt, which produces products like soybeans, cotton, peanuts, corn, and tobacco, according to Everstream Analytics.
That widespread footprint could also hinder supply chain and logistics flows along stretches of interstate highways I-10 and I-75 and on regional rail lines operated by Norfolk Southern and CSX. And Hurricane Helene could also likely impact business operations by unleashing power outages, deep flooding, and wind damage in northern Florida portions of Georgia, Everstream Analytics said.
Before the storm had even touched Florida soil, recovery efforts were already being launched by humanitarian aid group the American Logistics Aid Network (ALAN). In a statement on Wednesday, the group said it is urging residents in the storm's path across the Southeast to heed evacuation notices and safety advisories, and reminding members of the logistics community that their post-storm help could be needed soon. The group will continue to update its Disaster Micro-Site with Hurricane Helene resources and with requests for donated logistics assistance, most of which will start arriving within 24 to 72 hours after the storm’s initial landfall, ALAN said.