20 DC VELOCITY APRIL 2018 www.dcvelocity.com
newsworthy
HighJump: Voice systems will unify future DC technologies
The “warehouse of the future” may rely on robotics and
other advanced technologies to boost productivity in fulfillment operations, but the familiar tool of the voice-directed
system will continue to be the foundation of DC work for
years to come, according to executives with HighJump
Software Inc.
Logisticians are looking to technology for ways to
increase their productivity, weighing options like robotics,
augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI),
HighJump CEO Chad Collins said at the company’s annual
Elevate user conference in Dallas.
Businesses are pressured to find new solutions as they
struggle with a tight labor market where unemployment is
low, wages are rising, and fewer people want to work in a
warehouse, Collins said. The most effective solutions will
come from a combination of various solutions operating in
concert, not layers of different technologies replacing each
other, he said. For now, the conductor will be voice technology, according to Collins.
“As we move forward, there will be fewer
and fewer people working in warehouses. The
approach of expanding the capabilities of a
warehouse by adding more people to the operation is at its peak,” he said. That approach will
soon be replaced by a combination of mobile
devices, robotics, fixed automation, and people, according to Collins.
To make it all work, “we need a strong foun-
dation in voice,” he said. “Because with fewer
people in the warehouse, voice is how people
will interact with the computer system, how
they will interact with the automation system,
and how they will interact with the overall flow
of goods.”
Another reason that voice technology will
endure is that while many advanced automa-
tion platforms are excellent at supporting large
volumes and fast throughput, voice-directed
work is the best way to train new hires to use
other powerful technologies, HighJump said.
MIXING IT UP
HighJump says it is preparing for the scenario
of mixed technologies in the DC by building
warehouse management system (WMS) platforms that enable voice control as well as using
automation control features borrowed from
other firms owned by HighJump’s corporate
parent, the German logistics technology provider Korber AG.
The Minneapolis-based firm has grown through a series of
acquisitions, and it is continuing that approach. HighJump
has launched WMS products that include some automation
control elements absorbed from its sister company Inconso,
a German software vendor, and plans to make future integrations with Magazino, a European robotics company
focused on the logistics sector, in which Korber purchased
a minority stake in February, Collins said.
In addition, HighJump is leveraging technologies from
Vitech Business Group Inc., the Bellingham, Wash.-based
voice-directed picking technology vendor it acquired in
2017.
“Some customers say voice is old-fashioned, that robots
and AR are the next wave,” Collins said. “And robotics are
likely to come soon, frankly. But voice is a proven tech with
strong [return on investment] and a proven way for workers to interact with systems.”
—B.A
At its annual convention in January, third-party logistics service
provider Unishippers Global Logistics LLC honored eight carrier
partners for ongoing service excellence. The award recipients
include YRC Freight, Saia, Estes, Southeastern Freight Lines,
Reddaway, A. Duie Pyle, Holland, and Frontline Freight. …
OnTrac, a logistics company specializing in delivery services in the
Western U.S., was named Best
Regional Transportation Partner
by Newegg, a U.S. electronics-fo-cused e-retailer, at the 14th annual
Eggie Awards gala in January. …
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce
has named systems integrator Bastian Solutions to its 2018 list
of “Best Places to Work in Indiana.” … DHL Supply Chain, the
contract logistics arm of Deutsche Post DHL Group, has received
Top Employer certification across five countries, including the
U.S., Brazil, China, Spain, and the U.K. Together, these markets
represent 54 percent of the division’s full-time work force. …
MHI, a trade association representing the material handling,
logistics, and supply chain industry, has chosen Elokon’s forklift
anti-collision system, ELOshield, as an Innovation Award finalist in
the “Best Innovation of an Existing Product” category. The product is one of just four finalists in its category. … Julianna Marler,
chief executive officer of the Port of Vancouver USA, has received
Clark College’s Iris Award, which honors accomplished women in
Southwest Washington.
accolades
ONTRAC
