Intelligrated InSights
Intelligence, news and insight from Intelligrated
The following is excerpted from a Q&A with Chris Cole,
CEO of Intelligrated, which is featured on the Intelligrated
InSIGHTS blog. This post is the first in a series of quarterly
Executive InSIGHTS.
Q: Looking ahead Chris, what big opportunities do you see
on the horizon?
Chris Cole: If I had to boil it down, I would say that the
demand for material handling automation presents the
single greatest opportunity in the years ahead.
Q: Why is there a demand for automation, especially in
2011 and beyond?
Chris Cole: While the overall 2011 outlook is uncertain,
retail sales are showing promise. We believe that as the economy recovers, manufacturers and
distributors will need to scale quickly to increase capacity and meet pent-up demand. This is going
to drive demand for automation.
boardroomoutlook
We are also seeing the ROI for automation move beyond the four walls of the DC and manufacturing
facility to the cost to serve the consumer. Companies are really looking at how automation can keep
them competitive and delight their loyal customers with in-stock, undamaged products.
Additionally, an increase in demand for smart controls and software will also be paramount in
2011. Our innovative systems provide actionable intelligence back to facility staff and supply chain
professionals, allowing them to make quick decisions on the fly or track facility and equipment
histories for inventory planning and auditing purposes.
Finally, on the legislative front, the extension of the bonus depreciation deduction under code
section 168(k), 100% depreciation deduction for capital investments, and the passage of S.510,
the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, will push more investment into facility upgrades and
automation. Our experience with traceability requirements in the pharmaceutical industry has given
us some valuable background pursuant to meeting new FDA tracking requirements, and we are
committed to providing smart solutions to meet these track-and-trace challenges.
Q: Thanks for that insight, Chris. Any closing comments?
Chris Cole: We look forward to another exciting year. I hope to see many friends and colleagues
at both RILA in February and at ProMat in March. And I would particularly like to thank our clients
for their continued support. On behalf of the entire Intelligrated executive team, I wish everyone a
healthy, prosperous and happy new year.
To read Chris Cole’s blog post in its entirety, visit www.intelligrated.com/blog.
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