Technology

Walmart offers its omnichannel capabilities to other businesses

The retailer has partnered with Adobe to give small and mid-sized retailers access to its pickup and delivery technology.

By Maria Monteros • July 29, 2021

Tesla works with suppliers to source alternative chips amid semiconductor shortage

The approach helped the automaker produce and deliver 200,000 vehicles in Q2, but it warned the workaround could be difficult to sustain.

By Max Garland • July 28, 2021

Explore the Trendline➔

Trendline

Warehouse automation

Robotics, conveyor belts and software become staples of the warehouse as e-commerce grows. 

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Instacart collaborates with Fabric to offer automated fulfillment service

The partnership is the first phase of the e-commerce company's “next-generation fulfillment initiative” that moves order picking and packing out of store aisles and into dedicated spaces.

By Jeff Wells • July 22, 2021

Walmart plans to automate 25 distribution centers with Symbotic

The retailer aims to improve the storage density, pallet density, throughput as measured in cases per hour, system availability and order accuracy of its replenishment system.

By Matt Leonard • July 20, 2021

TSMC says semiconductor capacity will remain tight into 2022

The manufacturer has been investing in expanded capacity with a goal of increasing production by 60% YoY in 2021, but high demand will continue to test semiconductor orders.

By Matt Leonard • July 19, 2021

Opinion

Using a new supplier can be risky. Traceability can help.

The supply chain is its own complex ecosystem that requires tracking and documenting products from raw materials to finished goods, writes Brian McCaffrey, production operations manager at Rockwell Automation.

By Brian McCaffrey • July 08, 2021

Ahold Delhaize embraces wearable lifting tech for distribution center workers

When wearing the "exosuit" an item that weighs 22 pounds feels like it's 14 pounds.

By Sam Silverstein • July 06, 2021

Walgreens plans 9 more micro-fulfillment centers for prescription delivery

The facilities will use automation to save pharmacists time and help Walgreens speed its prescription fulfillment process, according to executives.

By Edwin Lopez • July 06, 2021

Sponsored by Kinaxis

Human intelligence is what drives digital supply chains

Technology should empower people, not replace them. Because at their heart, supply chains are human.

By Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer, Kinaxis • July 06, 2021

Zebra to buy Fetch Robotics as interest in warehouse automation grows

The companies worked together in the past on integrations that would synchronize human-robot processes for replenishment workflows.

By Matt Leonard • July 02, 2021

Flexport, Convoy integration enables automated transloading

All shippers have to do is select their origin and destination, and the Flexport platform handles the rest, the company said.

By Matt Leonard • June 30, 2021

Mondelēz's Triscuit is the latest brand to embrace traceability

The snacking giant said the transparency pilot, allowing consumers to follow white-winter wheat from fields in Michigan to the bakery, is the first of its kind for the company.

By Christopher Doering • June 30, 2021

Is micro-fulfillment tech living up to the hype?

MFC vendors say all systems are go, but industry observers say grocers are having trouble making the economics of scaled-down automation work.

By Jeff Wells , Sam Silverstein • June 29, 2021

Hapag-Lloyd, ONE complete integration with Maersk's TradeLens

The carriers have finished the pilot, but it could take up to 10 months to provide all of the milestone updates associated with TradeLens' visibility platform, a Hapag-Lloyd executive said.

By Matt Leonard • June 28, 2021

FedEx to add 16 automated facilities ahead of peak season

Technology enables FedEx to adjust to volume fluctuations, but the logistics provider may struggle to hire enough package handlers.

By Matt Leonard • June 25, 2021

Ahold Delhaize will insource 85% of distribution by 2022 in supply chain overhaul

The chain says it's on track to control its entire U.S. grocery supply chain by its 2023 deadline.

By Jeff Wells • June 23, 2021

Albertsons strikes deal with DoorDash as it pares down delivery fleet

The deal to outsorce delivery comes after Albertsons found insourcing its last-mile delivery fleet was not profitable in all markets.

By Jeff Wells • UPDATED: June 22, 2021 at 11:12 a.m.

Kroger opens 2 cross-dock facilities to boost reach of automated fulfillment centers

The grocer will use warehouses, which require 60% of the capital and labor of stores, to meet the rising demand for delivery.

By Edwin Lopez • June 21, 2021

Column

Patent Pending: Walmart's idea for just-in-time, FourKites' plan for predictive visibility

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny.

By Matt Leonard • June 18, 2021

FedEx, Nuro sign multi-year deal to test autonomous last-mile delivery

The partnership gives FedEx a last-mile solution to complement its other investments like drones and delivery robots.

By Edwin Lopez • June 16, 2021

Cluster analysis can help determine where to store inventory, reduce split shipments

A recent paper looked at using a clustering algorithm with product categories to decrease the number of warehouses needed to fill each order.

By Matt Leonard • June 15, 2021

Opinion

It's time to use a wealth of available data to push sustainability forward

The data from digitization efforts can be used to find opportunities to accelerate progress on key sustainability targets.

By Lisa Wee • June 15, 2021

Robotics efforts from Amazon, Alibaba highlight e-commerce's automated future

Amazon's new robots increase automation within fulfillment centers while Alibaba is focused on last-mile delivery as they look to optimize operations.

By Edwin Lopez • June 14, 2021

UPS adds dynamic routing to ORION, saving 2-4 miles per driver

The upgrade is already being used by 97% of the van fleet that uses ORION, with the remainder expected to be deployed by July.

By Matt Leonard • June 11, 2021

Column

Are Zoom negotiations here to stay? Here's 3 tips to prepare.

The power of in-person visits cannot be understated, but buyers can use many of the same tactics to negotiate effectively over Zoom.

By Rich Weissman • June 10, 2021