July 6 - The healing powers of warehouse tech

Exosuits for grocery picking? As labor shortages persist, companies look to warehouse tech as a remedy. View online | Sign up | Forward

Weekly edition | July​ 6,​ 2021 Your Guide to Operations By Edwin Lopez   BROUGHT TO YOU BY — FourKites Volvo, Qualcomm & Zebra on Yard Visibility Need to alleviate resource drain and future-proof your operations? Register to see how yard management systems prepare you for disruption and reclaim peace of mind. Register now.   Exosuits for grocery picking? As labor shortages persist, companies look to warehouse tech as a remedy. (Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here.) Exosuits get a nod Warehouse work can be hard and strenuous. But does it have to be?  Ahold Delhaize spent a year testing exosuit technology, produced by Verve Motion, in an attempt to make the work easier. What it found? The exosuits helped decrease soreness, improve posture and reduce strain on workers' backs by roughly 30%. The results led the grocer to announce last week it would roll out 250 exosuits at its distribution centers. Read more. Zebra goes to the market, plays Fetch In a $290 million move, Zebra Technologies last week announced it would purchase the remaining 95% of Fetch Robotics, joining the two warehouse technology companies.  The deal provides Zebra with new capabilities, such as improved integrations between cloud platforms and hardware. But it also symbolizes a broader shift in the warehouse technology space: demand is sky-high at the moment. "We talk to customers that have said to me flat out, 'I don't care if it has no ROI, I am just desperate to find an alternative, to be able to have a way to supplement the people that I have because I simply can't hire enough people,'" Jim Lawton, a VP at Zebra, said of the demand. Read the full story. Stat of the week The results of SKU rationalization at Bed Bath & Beyond 95% The in-stock level Bed Bath & Beyond achieved after shifting its inventory strategy. It's "one of our highest statistics in many years," according to CEO Mark Tritton. Get the details. For Ford, one SKU is causing major problems You guessed it: it's semiconductors. A shortage of the chips is forcing Ford to alter its production schedule at eight facilities, from Dearborn, Michigan, to Hermosillo, Mexico. In some, a few lines have been halted. In half, production is down altogether. In total, Ford expects to lose 1.1 million units of production. It's a cautionary tale of what can happen as a result of structural supply challenges. And it's not the first time this has happened. Read more. Opinion Poll             In the past six months, did your company invest in warehouse technology? Yes, we invested in warehouse tech because of the labor shortage Yes, we invested in warehouse tech, but not because of the labor shortage No, we have not invested in warehouse tech in the past six months Other — hit reply and tell us! Have a poll question you’d like to suggest? Let us know!   Last week's results are in! We asked: Which cost was the primary reason your company increased prices? 40% said (A) supplier price increases; 22% said (B) increased transportation costs; 11% said (C) cost of increasing capacity; 17% said (D) higher labor costs; and 11% said (E) other.                     Results do not add to 100% due to rounding             Quick Hits Food Dive The pandemic has worsened what has been a long-running labor deficit in the meat processing industry. Supply Chain Dive For certain industries, the choice is between paying millions to settle a criminal extortion or allowing a catastrophic supply chain disruption. Supply Chain Dive Walgreens Boots Alliance plans to operate 11 micro-fulfillment centers in the U.S. by the end of 2022, its CFO said. Reuters Germany's car industry on Monday slashed this year's production growth forecast as manufacturers battle supply-chain disruptions. Bloomberg As Vietnam battles a resurgence of Covid-19, thousands of workers sleep on factory floors to minimize disruption. Parting thought Sunday was Independence Day in the U.S., and fireworks were blazing. And if you've ever wondered how the fireworks supply chain works … we've got a story for you. If you had Monday off, I hope you got to rest! Edwin Lopez Senior Editor, Supply Chain Dive Twitter | elopez@industrydive.com

More Than A Newsletter Related Publications Retail Dive | Transport Dive Connect With Us Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Editorial Contact an editor | Meet the team Advertising Contact our team About Supply Chain Dive Supply Chain Dive provides in-depth journalism and insight into the most impactful news and trends shaping supply chain management. The newsletters and website cover topics such as logistics, freight, operations, procurement, regulation, technology, and more. Supply Chain Dive is a leading publication operated by Industry Dive. Our business journalists spark ideas and shape agendas for 10+ million decision makers in competitive industries. Sign up for the newsletter This email is optimized for display on mobile phones. Supply Chain Dive: Operations is a product of Industry Dive, Inc. 1255​ 23rd Street NW, Suite 550, Washington,​ DC 20037. We value your privacy. We won't share your email address with anyone else without your permission. This message was sent to edwardlorilla1986.acciyo123@blogger.com. You can unsubscribe anytime. See our full privacy policy.

Sign up | Manage subscription | Advertise with us | Submit story tip