MIT CTL’s Rodrigo Hermosilla and Willem Guter are researching the collective intelligence of AMRs as part of the collaboration between MIT and Mecalux. The new control algorithm they are developing will increase AMR efficiency and enable these robots to further optimise their processes.
Vikram Agarwal oversees Danone’s supply chain and brings over 30 years of leadership experience from roles at Unilever, Avon and Dole. Radu Palamariu and Knut Alicke interview Agarwal in From source to sold: Stories of leadership in supply chain, where each chapter is devoted to an industry professional.
KPMG finds that 77% of executives believe that GenAI is the emerging technology with the greatest potential to boost productivity and enhance collaboration. The consultancy has identified three common use cases among companies specialising in supply chain management.
Lighting typically accounts for 65% of warehouse energy demand, significantly impacting both operational costs and carbon footprint. Smart lighting systems can reduce energy consumption in logistics facilities by up to 87%.
Experts at McKinsey Technology highlight that companies now expect CIOs, CTOs and CDIOs to turn the promise of tech into business value. Chief technology officers must take on the roles of orchestrators, builders, protectors and operators to meet these expectations.
Researchers Diego Augusto de Jesús Pacheco, Daniel Møller Clausen and Jendrik Bumann study how to improve efficiency in a distribution warehouse. Implementing a warehouse management system (WMS) significantly changes the performance of a distribution warehouse.
Alicia Martínez de Yuso, a Project Manager at the Zaragoza Logistics Center, analyses how businesses need effective solutions to prevent supply chain disruptions. Companies need a resilient and sustainable supply chain, adopting innovative practices and leveraging technology.
A report by the consultancy Capgemini argues that a new era is emerging where retail sales will become increasingly immersive. The aim is to make users feel as if they have entered a different dimension and to build stronger relationships between customers and brands.
Virginia Fani, Ilaria Bucci, Romeo Bandinelli and Elias Ribeiro da Silva analyse the sustainability of returns and reverse logistics. The strategic decentralisation of warehouses and stores dedicated to returns balances lead time and sustainability.
Sarah Schaumann (MIT CTL) leads a project on prescriptive intelligence as part of the MIT–Mecalux research collaboration. Optimising order distribution with self-learning AI models aims to help companies select the ideal shipping points for their goods.
Mecalux uses simulation software to create virtual replicas of its clients’ warehouses and optimise operations. The software generates a digital twin, a virtual representation that employs real data to predict system performance.
AI‐enabled analytics will be part of all businesses. But this integration will depend on the type of business and what each executive knows and understands about AI. Implementations are just scratching the surface, underlining the chasm between early adopters and the rest of the pack.
Interview with Eva Ponce, research scientist and Director of MIT CTL’s Omnichannel Supply Chain Lab, on the evolution of the omnichannel customer experience. According to Ponce, automation will drive warehousing, one of the supply chain areas most impacted by the growth of e-commerce.
According to Capgemini, GenAI, quantum computing, semiconductors, batteries and space tech will play a significant role in the near future. Business leaders will be impacted by these transformative technologies aimed at improving energy storage and data collection.
Researchers Alinda Kokkinou, Hans Quack, Ondrej Mitas and Albert Mandemakers analyse the effects of incentives on online shopping processes. Charging customers for next-day delivery was the most effective way to stimulate them to choose the more sustainable option.
According to Gartner experts, business leaders can already implement five strategies to attract the increasingly numerous custobots. These AI-driven programs are capable of buying and selling products automatically.
More and more organisations are incorporating a Chief Data Officer (CDO) in their strategies to leverage big data and artificial intelligence (AI). A study explores the profile of these professionals tasked with spearheading their companies’ digital transformation.
Guy Treguer is the Managing Director of Schaal Chocolatier, a leading producer of high-end chocolate and a benchmark in the sector. Treguer explains how the company enhanced the quality of its products by insourcing their storage and keeping them at a constant temperature.
Low-code programming systems are taking off among businesses interested in customising their software. A quarter of the companies surveyed by KPMG have already implemented low-code programming processes, and 19% expect to do so in the coming year.
Beatriz Royo, an Associate Professor at the MIT-Zaragoza Program, analyses how technology enhances supply chain resilience. Businesses must be able to operate in VUCA environments, and the response to these challenges lies in strengthening the resilience of manufacturing companies.
Careers
