June 11, 2020

Covid-19, Warehouse Automation and National Security

June 11, 2020/ john mabe

One big takeaway from Covid-19, is that we have learned the lengths people will go to for a roll of toilet paper, hand sanitizer or pasta, and even gluten-free pasta. Shoppers behaving badly was mildly amusing, albeit a little sad as panic buying emptied store shelves quicker then they could be restocked. Grocery stores and supply chains in general were wildly unprepared for a pandemic and the sudden surge in demand for certain products.

November 21, 2017

This is the Exciting Future of Augmented Reality

November 21, 2017/ Rae Steinbach

This is a guest post from Rae Steinbach at Y Media Labs, an award-winning mobile strategy and application development company based in Silicon Valley. The topic, augmented reality (AR), is of particular interest to me both personally and professionally. I have written about use cases for augmented reality in logistics here, and Y Media Labs has actually developed an AR drone flight simulator app in partnership with Drone Company DJI and Epson. These guys are really plugged into the future of AR - I hope you enjoy.

September 28, 2017

Connecting the Dots on Amazon's patents in Logistics

September 28, 2017/ john mabe

I've dug into Amazon's patent filings over the last five years and mined the patent titles for keywords related to inventory and logistics. Patents range from the mundane like optimization of packaging sizes or allocating regional inventory to reduce out-of-stock costs to the more technologically advanced like autonomous vehicles, mobile ground-based fulfillment centers, and drones. At the far end of the spectrum are topics that appear to be more the realm of sci-fi fantasy like underwater warehouses, airborne warehouses, and beehive-like warehouses, but hey, who knows.

June 04, 2017

The Amazonification of Logistics

June 04, 2017/ john mabe

The evolution of eCommerce has had a dramatic impact on both retail and logistics. Much of the changes have been spearheaded by Amazon who are largely responsible for shaping customer behavior and driving customer expectations around delivery. Many customers now want their packages next-day, same-day, or even within one hour and as a result logistics networks have evolved to reflect these changing customer preferences. Amazon has had such a major impact on eCommerce...

March 09, 2017

Automation in Logistics and the Future of Work

March 09, 2017/ john mabe

Several recent studies have suggested that nearly half of all jobs are susceptible to automation in the next 20 years. Robots and artificial intelligence are poised to displace jobs in various industries, and the logistics industry is highly vulnerable to job loss. Recently notable tech leaders have made statements in regards to how to deal with automation displacing jobs. Bill Gates has argued for a robot tax to recapture money that displaced workers would have paid as income tax. Elon Musk advocates for a universal basic income...

January 11, 2017

Surging Package Volume Explains Why Drones Make Sense

January 11, 2017/ john mabe

The continued rise of eCommerce coupled with the growth of urban populations has put increased strain on last mile delivery in cities. Added to this, is the fact that a growing number of people in large cities expect to get their orders quickly - next day, same-day, or within an hour or two. And, by the way, delivery should be cheap too!

January 03, 2017

Logistics Technology Trends That Will Dominate 2017

January 03, 2017/ john mabe

Making predictions in technology, even just one year out, are generally an exercise in futility, so this really isn't a forecast for 2017, but more a list of trends that I am interested in and keeping my eye on. Technology is rarely released according to plan and surprises can come from many directions. However, it makes sense to keep tabs on what’s coming and it's also great fun to think about what’s coming next. Here's what I will be looking out for in 2017:

December 29, 2016

Amazon Patent Reveals Flying Warehouses that Send Delivery Drones to You

December 29, 2016/ john mabe

Amazon has recently made waves in the industry with a series of moves that illustrate that it is serious about getting into the logistics business. Amazon leased 20 cargo planes to deliver goods to and from fulfillment centers, registered as an ocean freight forwarder in China, and built an ‘Uber for Trucking’ app to match truck drivers with shippers. But what if all of these moves are indeed just short-term plays to add capacity to their operation and supplement, instead of replace partners like UPS and Fedex? Maybe Amazon just needs excess capacity until a fully unmanned and aerial warehousing and delivery network becomes a reality. And while that last sentence sounds awfully fantastical...

December 22, 2016

The 2016 Techgistics Year in Review

December 22, 2016/ john mabe

2016 was an incredible year for tech in logistics as companies both large and small are working on some transformational technologies not just for logistics, but for society as a whole. Here’s a few interesting tech advancements in 2016 that were important for the year, but could also point to what’s to come in the near and long-term future.

October 27, 2016

Ways to think about Last Mile Delivery

October 27, 2016/ john mabe

Last mile delivery is going to change significantly over the next few decades. A sea-change is upon the Logistics industry and as is often the case when an industry is about to be turned upside-down, there are a number of converging factors, both societal and technological, that are accelerating the pace of change.

September 28, 2016

The Future of Last Mile Deliveries: Mercedes Vision Van makes Logistics Look Cool

September 28, 2016/ john mabe

Mercedes Benz and Matternet, a drone technology start-up, have partnered to create an integrated vision of the future for urban deliveries. Mercedes showcased the concept cargo van at the IAA Commercial vehicle show in Hannover, Germany last week. The future, not all that surprisingly, is an electric vehicle with a range of 270 KMs (168 miles) combined with drones that make package deliveries.

September 03, 2016

Compelling Use Cases for Drones in Today’s Supply Chain

September 03, 2016/ john mabe

Although the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration recently announced new rules for commercial drones, there is still not a clear short-term path for mass deliveries of packages via drone. From From a regulatory perspective, the most important remaining barriers for autonomous package delivery are:

August 01, 2016

Micro Hubs and Shared Mobility: A Share Economy Concept for Same-Day Delivery

August 01, 2016/ john mabe

If you’re like me, you’re probably shopping more online - making smaller orders more often and at the same time expecting fast and free delivery, even if it’s not urgent. The growth of eCommerce has fueled increasingly challenging delivery options for both retailers and major parcel carriers alike. For consumers, tomorrow is just not fast enough and most are not prepared to pay for the true cost of delivery.

Logistics Technology