eCom Logistics Podcast Fulfillment IQ, Ninaad Acharya, Dan Coll

Oana Jinga is the Chief Commercial Officer and co-founder of Dexory. Under her leadership, Dexory raised an impressive $19 million in a Series A funding round led by European VC Atomico, establishing key partnerships with logistics giants like Maersk and DB Schenker. Oana’s recent achievements include winning the ‘Tech Innovator’ Award at the Everywoman in Transport and Logistics event. She’s recently spoken at the State of Gender Diversity in European Venture initiative by Female Foundry and featured in a panel alongside influential women in tech, such as Business Insider’s Tech Editor Shona Ghosh. Dexory’s growth, from 30 to over 100 team members in 2023, highlights the company’s thriving trajectory under Oana’s leadership.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, broadcasting live from Modex 2024 in Atlanta, the hosts sit down with Oana Jinga, co-founder of Dexory, to explore innovative solutions in the logistics industry. The conversation dives deep into Dexory's journey from a retail robotics company to a logistics-focused enterprise, the challenges and advantages of AMR versus drone-based data capture, and the transformative power of digital twin platforms. Dexory's technology enables real-time inventory management, enhanced accuracy, and predictive analytics, aiming to revolutionize the logistics landscape.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:03:57] The Shift to Logistics and Inventory Management
[00:05:31] Understanding Digital Twin Technology
[00:12:51] Challenges and Innovations in Warehouse Management
[00:19:32] Safety and Efficiency of AMR vs. Drones
[00:23:37] Future of Inventory Management and RFID Integration

QUOTES

[00:06:58] The value proposition lies in real-time access to accurate inventory data, enabling operators to make informed decisions and optimize warehouse operations.

[00:08:45] Real-time data feeds from AMRs bridge the gap between physical and digital representations, offering unparalleled visibility and insight.

[00:11:09] Future advancements aim to leverage AI tools for predictive analytics and simulation within the digital twin platform, revolutionizing inventory optimization.

Find out more about Oana Jinga in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/oanajinga/
http://dexory.com/

Josh Dolan is Division President – Consumer Division for the Americas at GXO Logistics, the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider. He joined the company in 2023.

As a member of the GXO’s Americas and Asia Pacific Executive Leadership Team, Josh is responsible for deepening existing customer relationships and delivering on the company’s divisional growth targets.

Prior to joining GXO, Josh built a career of best-in-class supply chain leadership at some of the world’s leading companies. He served as Senior Vice President, Supply Chain and Global Logistics for Cardinal Health, where he led all aspects of supply chain for the Pharmaceutical Segment and integrated logistics for all business units. Before that, he held senior-level leadership roles at Fortune 500 companies, including Amazon, Target and DICK’S Sporting Goods. At Amazon, he led Global Inbound Supply Chain and Logistics and was responsible for global cross border supply chain and logistics, including product development, pricing, technology, operations, procurement and network design.

Josh is an alumnus of Penn State University and Harvard Business School. He resides in Tampa with his children, Connor and Kylie.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Ninaad Acharya and Dan Coll are joined by Josh Dolan. The discussion covers Josh's extensive career journey from UPS Supply Chain to GXO, highlighting his expertise in global supply chain operations across various sectors including retail, technology, and life sciences. The conversation delves into the expansive portfolio of GXO, featuring notable clients such as Ikea, L'Oreal, Nike, and Adidas. Josh shares insights into the challenges and innovations within logistics, focusing on the role of automation, AI, and the cultural alignment necessary for successful mergers and acquisitions. The episode wraps up with thoughts on the evolving logistics landscape and the importance of strategic partnerships and tailored solutions for clients.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:24] Josh Dolan's Journey Through the Logistics Landscape
[00:02:50] Exploring the Consumer Division at GXO Logistics
[00:13:39] The Impact of Automation and Technology in Logistics
[00:28:39] The Strategic Importance of Acquisitions and Cultural Alignment

QUOTES

[00:31:03] “It's not just about the physical distribution component. It's also about the technology to your point around visibility and then, flashing availability back of those products on those clients' sites”

[00:38:49] “If you take care of your team and you take care of the customer, everything else falls into place over time”

[00:39:49] “So the fact that there is all of this amalgamation of so many companies. I think that's pretty, interesting and just purely from a case study standpoint, something that is worth looking at.”

Find out more about Joshua Dolan in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuajdolan/
https://www.gxo.com

Andrey Bakholdin is the Chief Growth Officer at Brightpick, a leading innovator in robotic automation solutions for warehouses. With a background in finance, Andrey's career includes experience in mergers and acquisitions, as well as multi-strategy investing at Blackstone. He joined Brightpick to help scale the company after recognizing its potential during an investment evaluation. Under his leadership, Brightpick has developed cutting-edge mobile robot solutions that streamline the fulfillment process, enhancing efficiency and reliability for customers.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, we are live from MODEX 2024 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Join Dan Coll and Ninaad Acharya as they converse with Andrey Bakholdin, Chief Growth Officer at Brightpick. Andrey discusses Brightpick’s innovative mobile robot solutions designed to optimize warehouse fulfillment processes. Learn how these robots outperform traditional methods in efficiency and cost-effectiveness, and delve into the future of robotics in logistics.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:03] Spotlight on Brightpick: Revolutionizing Warehouse Fulfillment
[00:02:30] Exploring Brightpick's Unique Mobile Robot Solution
[00:14:02] The Future of Robotics: AMRs vs. Humanoids
[00:23:47] Closing Thoughts: The Evolution of Warehouse Automation

QUOTES

[00:00:27] "The innovation isn't just in the ability to stick a robotic arm on a mobile base. The innovation is in being able to do that in a cost-efficient manner, which delivers not just equivalent, but superior ROI to customers."

[00:02:54] "Our robot is the only mobile robot in the world that can robotically pick items directly in the aisles where they're stored."

[00:16:50] "80 percent of processes in a warehouse or in a manufacturing plant are standardized. For specific processes, solutions like Brightpick AutoPicker will always be more cost-efficient than a humanoid."

[00:23:01] "In what world are legs more efficient than wheels? Wheels will always be more energy-efficient, faster, and easier to maintain than feet, especially in a warehouse designed for forklifts."

Find out more about Andrey Bakholdin in the links below.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abacholdin/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit https://www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

As CEO of SVT Robotics, A.K. Schultz leads the overall company vision and go-to-market strategies. A.K. has spent his career leading the design and implementation of high-profile automation projects across multiple industries and top Fortune 500 companies, participating in the deployment of over $1 billion in automation. That experience gave him a unique understanding of the technical solutions customers need to advance their business, and it provided the foundation to launch SVT Robotics in 2018.

Nick Leonard is the SVP of Product at SVT Robotics. With extensive domain and software leadership experience, Nick ingeniously bridges the realms of business and technology, honed through his journey rising through project management and solutions architecture. At SVT, Nick shapes the overall product vision, ensuring the company remains at the cutting edge of robotic process automation. Beyond the office, Nick prides himself on being a mentor, tech enthusiast, and avid reader.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, broadcasted live from MODEX 2024 in Atlanta, the conversation dives into the heart of robotics, software, and connectivity within the logistics industry. Featuring interviews with Nick Leonard and AK Schultz from SVT Robotics, the discussion elaborates on the revolutionary software solutions SVT Robotics provides, aimed at enhancing interoperability, automating processes, and ensuring seamless connectivity across various logistic operations without needing physical robots. Their software acts as a central nervous system in logistics, enabling quick and efficient data monitoring and utilization. The episode further explores real-life applications and challenges solved by SVT Robotics' innovative connectivity solutions, emphasizing the critical role of data in optimizing logistics and the importance of easing the integration burden on IT departments and automation integrators.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:01] Meet the Minds Behind SVT Robotics
[00:01:25] Nick Leonard's Journey in Automation
[00:02:40] AK Schultz on Solving Interoperability in Robotics
[00:06:26] The Philosophy of Connectivity and Integration
[00:13:16] Customer Success Stories with SVT Robotics
[00:16:19] The Future of Automation: Monitoring and Optimization
[00:18:01] Real-Time Incident Management: A Customer Story
[00:19:42] Advanced Logging and Fault Analysis
[00:20:43] Exploring Orchestration in Robotics and Automation
[00:23:40] The Future of Open vs. Closed Ecosystems
[00:25:07] Bridging Technology Gaps with Connectivity
[00:27:18] Partnering with Tier One Systems for Integration
[00:29:11] Empowering IT and Integrators with Advanced Tools


QUOTES

[00:06:37] "The machines are really executing what the software is doing and the magic is in the software, right? And so that's number one. Number two, we connect to software or robotic software is basically automating and making things faster and it doesn't necessarily need to involve a machine. It doesn't have to have an articulated arm robot. It can just be a mechanical system, right? So really what it's about is unlocking sensor data and putting it into this, what we see is us being the central nervous system."

[00:16:39] "So the first thing I think a lot of people misunderstand is. Now we're connected. What's the next challenge we have to think about? We're going to maintain that system's health, right? Because now we're running an automation facility and you were talking about 120, 140 picks an hour from your baseline. Okay. Now I have that ROI, that clock's ticking. I need to make sure that we're at that 100 to 200, 124 picks all day long. And a lot of automation systems, it's making sure that silent failures aren't happening in your system. So a lot of times maybe you're a bad data from a wrong order structure or something like that. One system doesn't like the data that's being exchanged. A lot of times that's happened. That's silently failing in the background."

Find out more about

Padhu is the co-founder and CEO of Osa Commerce, a trailblazer cloud-based platform that powers the supply chains of logistics providers, retailers, and brands. With over 25 years of experience in digital supply chains, operations, and product development, he is an expert in creating and implementing end-to-end commerce solutions that optimize online sales and enhance fulfillment and delivery automation using artificial intelligence and data visibility.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, we feature a live discussion from MODEX 2024 in Atlanta, where we, alongside special guest Padhu Raman from Osa Commerce, delve into the intricacies of supply chain management and the revolutionary solutions Osa Commerce offers. Padhu, with a background in supply chain and e-commerce spanning 25 years, shares his journey from working at Bosch India to co-founding Osa Commerce. Osa Commerce, described as the 'Tesla of Supply Chain,' introduces an innovative SaaS platform that encapsulates the complexity of supply chain management, offering seamless integration across various systems. The platform aims to optimize inventory management, distribution, and order fulfillment processes, providing pre-integrated solutions that significantly reduce implementation time. Padhu emphasizes the importance of a modular ecosystem model in addressing the challenges of integration and change management within the supply chain.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:01:16] Deep Dive with Padhu from Osa Commerce
[00:02:40] Padhu's Journey in Supply Chain and E-commerce
[00:04:15] Building a 3PL Business from Scratch
[00:07:53] The Evolution of Osa Commerce into a SaaS Provider
[00:08:16] Exploring the Ecosystem Model of Osa Commerce
[00:12:31] Addressing Integration and Change Management in Supply Chain
[00:16:52] The Future of 3PL and Brand Operations
[00:19:47] Disruption and Innovation in the Supply Chain Space
[00:20:53] Unpacking the Unique Challenges of Osa Commerce
[00:21:45] The Tesla of Supply Chain: Innovation at the Core
[00:24:24] Redefining Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
[00:27:01] The Evolution of E-Commerce and Its Impact on Logistics
[00:32:46] The Osa Solution: Bridging Gaps in the Supply Chain
[00:33:14] The Power of Data in Optimizing Supply Chains

QUOTES

[00:07:26] "When you commit to a customer in the morning saying that we will ship 45,000 units by the end of day, and you come back and find out you only have almost one third of the people, and of one third of the people almost half leave after the lunch break. COVID was so rapid and things changed."

[00:27:48] "We created the solution based on what the need was because we were operators. So the system is built by operators for the operators who are very simple."

Find out more about Padhu Raman and his company in the link below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/padhuraman/
https://osacommerce.com/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turnkey MHE integrations.

Global Head of Essentials Operations Marv Cunningham, as Prologis' Global Head of Operating Essentials and Global Head of Workforce Solutions, oversees all aspects of Prologis’ Workforce Programs and Community Relations division, as well as Essentials platform delivering the next generation of solutions to address some of the most critical challenges fulfillment centers face today building into your business the resilience you need to innovate, grow, and thrive, encompasses the company’s Community Workforce Initiative (CWI). CWI is building a talent pipeline for customers, with an emphasis on revitalizing career pathways and creating economic opportunities in the communities where the company operates. Within Operating Essentials, Marv is centered at the core of successful fulfillment – from move-in services to forklifts and racking systems and encompassing fully automated warehouse solutions. Learn more about CWI here and more about Operations Essentials here Mr. Cunningham joined Prologis in 2023 and has 15-plus years of experience in Supply Chain and Logistics throughout the United States and Europe. Prior to joining Prologis. Mr. Cunningham was the COO/CIO for GXO, Logistics, the Chief Supply Chain Officer for Saks, Saks Off 5th & Hudson Bay, the Chief Supply Chain Officer for Rent the Runway, Vice President of Target Supply Chain, and multiple roles at Amazon. Mr. Cunningham has an MBA from Carnegie Mellon and a Bachelor of Science in nuclear engineering from Oregon State University which he completed in 3 years. He loves to ride his Harley-Davidson motorcycles on the weekend and plays basketball any chance he can.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Marv Cunningham discusses the Prologis Essentials program and its mission to provide comprehensive solutions for e-commerce logistics challenges. He shares his extensive experience in the industry, including his time at Amazon and Target, and highlights the importance of standardization, scalability, and culture in warehouse operations. Marv also emphasizes the growing role of automation and robotics in improving efficiency and reducing labor costs. Overall, this episode offers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of e-commerce logistics and how to address industry challenges.

HIGHLIGHTS

[00:00:43] The advantages of 3PLs in operating systems and driving economies of scale.
[00:13:11] Integration of AI and machine learning in providing real-time feedback for operational improvements.
[00:19:14] Factors indicating the right time for adopting automation in warehouses.
[00:23:58] Marv’s four P's approach: People, Process, Performance, and Price.

QUOTES

[00:00:27] "They can help you with either financing or RaaS. They can set up the system, they can operate it for you. You get the economy to scale and the savings base in automation."

[00:04:03] "What we're trying to do at Prologis Essentials is we're trying to also do anything inside and outside of the building. So anything from racking to fork trucks to full solution automation, to networking capacity planning."

[00:13:30] "Instead of just giving you a solution, they're giving you a solution that then starts thinking about ‘how did we do today’ and ‘what can I make a recommendation?’"

[00:19:14] "If you have a labor problem, if you're growing, and then if you really believe that you're trying to either write process units faster or in a shorter period of time with less shifts, both of those are the right time for automation."

Find out more about Marv Cunningham and his company in the link below:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marvcunningham/
https://www.prologis.com/essentials-solutions/

This episode is sponsored by G&P Construction. If you're in need of top notch, all-inclusive Material handling solutions for logistics and commercial real estate, look no further than G&P Construction. Be sure to visit https://www.gandpconstruction.com to discover your one-stop shop for turn