Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

XPO to build highly automated DC in U.K.

The warehouse will open in 2020 and handle consumer packaged goods for Nestle as well as testing new technologies.

Transportation and logistics provider XPO Logistics Inc. said Monday it will partner with Swisslog Logistics Automation to build a highly automated warehouse in the U.K. that will use sorting systems and robotics to handle inventory for the food and drink giant Nestle.

Scheduled for completion in 2020, the 638,000-square-foot distribution center will be located at the SEGRO East Midlands Gateway Logistics Park in Leicestershire, U.K., near highway, airport, and rail terminal facilities, XPO said.


XPO did not disclose the cost of the project.

Greenwich, Conn.-based XPO plans to use the facility predominantly for Nestle's consumer packaged goods business, but it will also serve as a "test bed" environment for new technologies and prototypes before XPO releases them to other warehouses around the world, the firm said. XPO plans to operate the facility as an innovation lab where it can try out new supply chain technologies by launching pilot tests in real-world situations, the company said in a statement.

Fulfillment technologies expected to be installed when the facility opens include collaborative robots, indoor drones, and advanced sortation systems, developed in collaboration with warehouse automation equipment vendor Swisslog, XPO said.

In addition, XPO will use proprietary algorithms to forecast Nestle's customer demand, then meet that demand with smart robots that will take products from storage and build mixed pallets with a range of case sizes and brands, according to the company. XPO also plans to deploy gantry robots to build what are known as "rainbow pallets," which feature multiple layers of different Nestle products.

The project is XPO's latest investment in warehouse robotics, following its use of an articulated robotic arm made by the French automated handling and storage systems maker Alstef Automation S.A. at a facility in France that XPO manages for snack-food giant Mars. Also in 2018, XPO launched a cloud-based warehouse management system (WMS) platform called "WMx" that the company says will support the quick launch of robotic DCs.

Recent

More Stories

photos of white house and a loaded containership

Supply chain groups push back on Trump tariff plan

Industry groups across the spectrum of supply chain operations today are pushing back against the Trump Administration plan to apply steep tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, saying the additional fees are taxes that will undermine their profit margins, slow their economic investments, and raise prices for consumers.

Even as a last-minute deal today appeared to delay the tariff on Mexico, that deal is set to last only one month, and tariffs on the other two countries are still set to go into effect at midnight tonight.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

reagan national DCA airport photo

Reagan National airport plans to reopen today after deadly crash

All flights remained grounded this morning at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) following the deadly mid-air crash last night between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter.

In a statement, DCA airport officials said they would open the facility again today for flights after planes were grounded for more than 12 hours. “Reagan National airport will resume flight operations at 11:00am. All airport roads and terminals are open. Some flights have been delayed or cancelled, so passengers are encouraged to check with their airline for specific flight information,” the facility said in a social media post.

Keep ReadingShow less
NMFTA to release proposed freight classification changes this week

NMFTA to release proposed freight classification changes this week

The less-than-truckload (LTL) industry moved closer to a revamped freight classification system this week, as the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) continued to spread the word about upcoming changes to the way it helps shippers and carriers determine delivery rates. The NMFTA will publish proposed changes to its National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) system Thursday, a transition announced last year, and that the organization has termed its “classification reimagination” process.

Businesses throughout the LTL industry will be affected by the changes, as the NMFC is a tool for setting prices that is used daily by transportation providers, trucking fleets, third party logistics service providers (3PLs), and freight brokers.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jump Start 25 conference opens in Atlanta

Jump Start 25 conference opens in Atlanta

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the economy were hot topics on the opening day of SMC3 Jump Start 25, a less-than-truckload (LTL)-focused supply chain event taking place in Atlanta this week. The three-day event kicked off Monday morning to record attendance, with more than 700 people registered, according to conference planners.

The event opened with a keynote presentation from AI futurist Zack Kass, former head of go to market for OpenAI. He talked about the evolution of AI as well as real-world applications of the technology, furthering his mission to demystify AI and make it accessible and understandable to people everywhere. Kass is a speaker and consultant who works with businesses and governments around the world.

Keep ReadingShow less
trends in robotics

IFR: five trends will drive robot growth through 2025

As the global market value of industrial robot installations passes its all-time high of $16.5 billion, five trends will continue to drive its growth through 2025, according to a forecast from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

That is important because the increased use of robots has the potential to significantly reduce the impact of labor shortages in manufacturing, IFR said. That will happen when robots automate dirty, dull, dangerous or delicate tasks – such as visual quality inspection, hazardous painting, or heavy lifting—thus freeing up human workers to focus on more interesting and higher-value tasks.

Keep ReadingShow less