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Tag: warehouse automation

Automation helps Phoenix fulfil pick-to-prescription logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse automation is enabling Phoenix Healthcare Distribution to fulfil patients’ repeat prescription orders efficiently and securely from its facility in Runcorn, Cheshire. The company is using the Pack2Patient automated logistics solution developed and delivered by KNAPP, which enables single items to be processed rapidly, cost-effectively and with end-to-end traceability.

KNAPP has supplied automated logistics systems for over 80 Phoenix locations worldwide. The solution featuring five Pack2Patient lines, which was supplied to the Runcorn distribution centre in 2019, has been so successful that Phoenix recently installed an additional line at the site.

The Runcorn facility is one of the UK’s largest automated pharmacies and provides Phoenix with a ‘hub and spoke’ solution for the assembly of repeat prescriptions, with an average of 1.7 million items a month being processed for pharmacies in England, Scotland and Wales.

“We were delighted to partner with KNAPP to develop our bespoke offsite order assembly facility,” says Paul Wilkinson, Head of Supply Chain Development and Centralised Dispensing at Phoenix. “The medicines supply chain relies on automation and IT solutions to ensure patients get the medicines they need, when they need them and at the lowest cost. Centralised automated order fulfilment is vastly more efficient than pharmacy-level assembly, and through centralising repeat prescription assembly we are able to free up time for pharmacy colleagues to provide the support, advice and healthcare services that patients need from their local community pharmacies.”

The Pack2Patient solution is designed to meet all regulatory requirements, including the Falsified Medicines Directive. “Our KiSoft Vision image-recognition technology enables items to be scanned with comprehensive data capture for lot and serial number tracking,” says Phil Houghton, Business Development Director for KNAPP UK. “This forms part of our philosophy of the zero-defect warehouse to ensure quality, security and efficiency along the entire supply chain.”

At the Runcorn DC, products picked fully automatically by KNAPP’s Central Belt System (A-frame automatic picking machine) are conveyed to a workstation where an operator removes them from the tote, placing them on a conveyor belt. This feeds the items automatically into the Pack2Patient system, where smart cameras scan each item to capture information from 1D and 2D matrix codes, shape/dimensions and several other attributes. The Pack2Patient solution automatically prints and applies labels to the articles on the fly as they pass through the system.

Next is the article verification step – where the system checks that the label, information and article are correct – with any items not verified being diverted to a manual quality-checking station. The medicines are then automatically sorted into patient orders by the system via diversion into one of a series of conveyor lanes.

After an order quality check – to ensure that the correct articles are assigned to the order – the articles for a particular patient are automatically bagged and labelled for dispatch.

KNAPP also supplied ‘pick-to-light’ walls in a semi-automated Sort & Pack area, where orders for items not suitable for handling by the Pack2Patient automation are consolidated. These goods are scanned on one side of the wall and placed in the illuminated location before being picked by the worker on the other side of the wall, as indicated by light displays.

In addition to applications in the healthcare sector, KNAPP’s Pack2Patient technology is also suitable for use with veterinary products.

 

7 robotics trends & predictions for 2022

Posted on by David Priestman

Meili Robots has come up with a list of 7 of the main robotics trends and predictions for 2022.

During the last five years, we have seen robots move from a developing technology to an indispensable tool for a large number of enterprises. Moreover, over the last two years, robotic trends such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, ubiquitous IoT usage, and rapid design have intensified, while challenges such as supply chain disruptions, labour shortages, and pandemic fears all contributed to an increased demand for manufacturing robots.

Yes, it really is impossible to start an article related to trends and predictions for 2022 without talking about the Covid-19 pandemic. After all, it has permanently changed the way of business for many firms and industries all around the world. One of its biggest impacts is, in fact, related to automation. Many businesses have had to suddenly adapt to changes in the market and reshuffle their priorities. Without automation, this is highly unlikely to happen in an efficient and profitable manner.

With their ability to access and use analytics to predict and prepare for market change or the supply chain disruptions, automation programs have been increasingly adopted across a great many industries. Unsurprisingly, this shift towards automation will keep influencing and changing the way business is conducted during 2022, too — and for many years to come.

Let’s have a look at some of the biggest robotics trends and predictions for 2022.

1 – Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

As the growth of RPA is expected to accelerate during 2022, it is also estimated that it will become one of the standard technologies of businesses. RPA is commonly adopted in sectors and businesses that deal with a large number of repetitive tasks.

A good example is the healthcare sector. Many hospitals have implemented RPA to automate processes such as inventory management, invoice management, and appointment scheduling — freeing up more time for employees to focus on more important tasks.

  1. 2- Robotics as a Service (RaaS)

Some of the biggest restrictions for smaller firms to add robotics to their manufacturing facilities have been employee expertise and the high initial investment. However, with the everything-as-a-service (*aaS) trend on the rise, this issue no longer exists. Now, companies are able to enjoy RPA through Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) models.

These subscription-based models — such as Meili FMS — often include analytics, monitoring, and preventive maintenance, while also offering a wide range of benefits such as rapid scalability and the capability to continuously adapt platforms based on current needs and requirements.

  1. 3 – Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) as Data Acquisition Platforms

The demand for AMRs has been growing at an incredible rate — driven by the e-commerce growth, increasing automation in manufacturing, labour shortages, and mass personalisation of goods. In fact, even though the AMR (hardware) market was valued at only €0.88bn in 2017, it is now forecasted to hit €6.17bn in 2022.

Moreover, as AMRs are increasingly being adopted to commercial public spaces, it is expected that they will start acting more like mobile Internet of Things (IoT) hubs. In fact, it is estimated that software for mobile robots alone will add another €2.64bn to the market value of AMR hardware.

Besides their ability to carry out a wide range of tasks autonomously — such as scanning inventory levels or measuring temperatures of refrigerators — they can also provide businesses with real-time data. These insights can help managers streamline their operations, thereby increasing their efficiency, productivity, and revenue.

  1. 4 – Multi-purpose Robots & Cobots

The accelerating e-commerce growth has contributed to tremendous growth in the AMR market — particularly in the retail industry. Many retail managers are reaping the benefits of robot adoption when it comes to repetitive operational tasks such as moving inventory and cleaning the floors.

As shopping demands and expectations continue to grow, retailers are expected to add multi-purpose robots to their teams in order to carry out multiple tasks at once, while simultaneously creating an easy-to-manage digital workflow.

Cobots — also known as collaborative robots — are permanently taking over certain jobs as they tend to be faster and more efficient than human workers. As many industries continue to struggle with labour shortages, cobots are in no way cause for concern. After all, they are supposed to take over monotonous and dangerous jobs, allowing human coworkers to focus on more valuable tasks.

  1. 5 – Increased Awareness of the Lack of Interoperability

With the continuing trend of cobots in workspaces across the globe, it is no surprise that we are seeing industries such as logistics, manufacturing, e-commerce, and healthcare adopting a second or even third wave of robots. This, however, leads us to one of the major challenges in today’s robotics industry: the lack of interoperability.

Meili Robotics’ CEO, Aldus von der Burg, explains: “Interoperability is a factor that could be easily overlooked by many robot operators. It allows robots to communicate with each other and other systems to enable an efficient and safe working environment.”

He also adds to this that “if not tackled, it can be a crippling pain point that halts the productivity of the facility — or even grinding it to a halt as some, if not all, robots start obstructing or interfering with each other”.

It goes without saying that it is of the utmost importance — as well as expected — that this issue will be addressed during 2022 to promote further development and avoid stagnation in the ever-growing robotics market.

  1. 6 – Delivery Robots on the Rise

The market for delivery robots is expected to see tremendous growth over the next few years. The market was valued at €188m in 2021 and is expected to reach nearly €850m by 2026. That is, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 35.1% during the forecast period.

Key factors for the growth in this market include the reduction of delivery costs in last-mile deliveries as well as increased venture funding. In addition, there is also an increased demand for delivery robots in the retail and food and beverages industries — with the retail industry estimated to be holding the largest market share during the forecast period.

  1. 7 – Increased Robotics Demand & Abilities

Over the last ten years, we have seen the demand for robotics increase steadily across various industries. As the Covid-19 pandemic, labour shortages, and the desire to reduce carbon footprints all have a significant influence on the ability of humans to carry out tasks, the robotics market is expected to continue to grow exponentially over the next ten years as well.

As robots are increasingly becoming smarter with the help of technology such as AI, Machine Learning, and the IoT (Internet of Things), industries that have adopted robots are also becoming smarter — think about manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and distribution centres. As more of these facilities start automating their processes, industrial robots will be able to operate faster, more efficiently, and more accurately, while eliminating inconsistencies.

Whitepaper: Powering logistics digitalisation

Posted on by David Priestman

In light of the high-profile challenges faced in supply chains since March 2020, there is a growing need for digitalisation and greater automation in logistics, intralogistics and warehousing. Reliable power is critical in this, but it is something that Ultralife Corporation, a global manufacturer of batteries for many and varied industrial applications, argues is often overlooked.

The company has recently produced a whitepaper exploring the digitalisation trend in logistics, which highlights the battery requirements of popular modern logistics technologies. The whitepaper is available to download from Ultralife’s website.

Interest in logistics digitalisation has grown significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic, with labour shortages, elevated demand and component shortages putting strain on operations. Among the principal technologies gaining traction are intralogistics pick-and-place robotics, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in warehouses and asset tracking tags.

Batteries and uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are essential in modern logistics devices. However, the requirements of these components are constantly evolving, which engineers must be aware of to ensure reliable and consistent performance. Ultralife’s whitepaper aims to demystify the requirements of batteries for logistics applications, outlining the most beneficial technical specifications and chemistries for each.

“New and advancing technologies are proving invaluable in helping the global logistics industry to overcome demand pressures,” explained Robert Brown, marketing executive at Ultralife Corporation. “These technologies are designed to improve efficiency and effectiveness, but this can only be achieved with a reliable source of power. Unfortunately, the evolving state of technology means that the battery requirements continue to change, so many design engineers may not be aware of the best characteristics.

“In the whitepaper, Ultralife explores the context behind logistics digitalisation — why it is happening, what challenges are being encountered and how that is affecting robot and device design. This background ties directly into the performance requirements of applications, such as RFID asset tagging, and in turn the battery properties that are best suited.”

The whitepaper also references the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) battery ranges that have been developed by Ultralife Corporation to exceed the standard requirements of many robotics and devices. The ranges of primary and secondary batteries have been developed with the ideal energy densities, discharge profiles and mechanical properties to provide reliable power in challenging logistics environments.

“Our whitepaper highlights some of the COTS ranges of batteries that Ultralife has developed to give design engineers a strong basis to work from,” continued Brown. “However, complex applications will require batteries that are tailored to offer more unique characteristics. For example, an application may need a battery with an irregular footprint, or one that can operate at extremes of temperature.

“Ultralife has worked with engineers globally to develop bespoke battery packs and chargers that meet requirements that might not be achievable with a COTS product. This whitepaper highlights examples of applications where bespoke or off-the-shelf power might be selected.”

Design, automation and maintenance engineers that are involved in the logistics, intralogistics or warehousing sectors can download the whitepaper from the Ultralife Corporation website.

 

SICK advances mobile machine guidance

Posted on by David Priestman

With the launch of its LiDAR-LOC 2 solution, SICK has made it easy to teach mobile machines virtual paths in order to enhance, expand, or replace physical floor-based guidance systems that use taped lines or 2D-codes.

The SICK LiDAR-LOC 2 is the first step in a major upgrade programme for SICK’s LiDAR Localisation-on-Contour software, which uses data from SICK 2D LiDAR sensors or safety scanners to create a reference map based on the contours of shop floors and warehouses and guide automated transport, stacking and loading systems. The upgrade lays the foundations for users, machine builders and developers to progress from localisation, using LiDAR position and orientation data, to being able to integrate full navigation to control the movement of all kinds of automated guided vehicles, carts, forklifts, or service robots.

Virtual Line Guidance

The SICK LiDAR-LOC 2 is a virtual line guidance system designed to enhance the physical line or code-reading systems of all kinds of automated mobile robots. It creates a virtual path to bridge a gap in a broken tape on the floor, or to add a deviation from the current line-guided path without having to go to the time and expense of laying down new lines or bar codes.

Simply teach the vehicle the route by moving it along the desired path, then refine the uploaded map data using the SICK visualisation software tool via an easy-to-follow graphic user interface. The system automatically patches the existing reference map or can merge the data with the existing map.

Neil Sandhu, SICK’s UK Product Manager for Imaging, Measurement, Ranging and Systems, explained: “While the original LiDAR-LOC provided an option for expert developers and integrators to use the raw data for navigation, in addition to the localisation information, the LiDAR-LOC 2 upgrade is based on a desire to make it much quicker and easier to use data from sensors to tell a mobile vehicle how to get from ‘A to B’.

“As a result, it promises to save the development time and cost, machine space and wiring complexity involved in integrating navigation, because separate software and controls are not needed. In the case of our first LiDAR-LOC 2 release, managers of mobile vehicle fleets using line or code guidance can much more easily alter vehicle paths or optimise their routes. Stoppages because of breaks in a line can be avoided, especially in high-traffic areas.”

Increased Fleet Availability

The SICK LiDAR-LOC 2 reduces fleet downtime from vehicle stoppages due to missing lines or codes. New routes can be commissioned without stopping the vehicle. Additionally, users can use analytical functions in the system to optimise vehicle routes, for example, by detecting where tape is no longer needed and can be removed. The system also offers a progression for users to dispense eventually with floor-based guidance and adopt a completely contour-based navigation system.

Enabled by LiDAR-LOC software running on a SICK Sensor Integration Machine, the SICK LiDAR-LOC 2 can be retrofitted to already-installed scanners. It can be integrated with SICK line sensors or 2D-code readers, as well as with encoders for motion control and odometry.

Major Platform Upgrade

The upgraded SICK LiDAR-LOC 2 solution achieves improved accuracy up to ≤ 10mm. In addition to the SICK Sensor Integration Machines, it can now be installed on third party controllers with common operating systems including Windows, Linux, Ubuntu and Raspberry Pi OS Lite. New APIs for streaming and configuration have been introduced for UDP, REST and COLA2.

GXO installs multi-tiered cobots

Posted on by David Priestman

Contract logistics provider GXO Logistics says it has achieved “an industry first” by deploying 6 River Systems (6RS) collaborative robots (cobots) on multiple mezzanine floors in one of its distribution centres in Milton Keynes, England.

“This multi-tiered installation is ground-breaking for us and a first in our industry,” said Gavin Williams, Managing Director, GXO UK and Ireland. “The solution illustrates our significant investment in technology that helps us improve productivity for our customers and safety for our colleagues while optimising vertical warehouse space in Europe.”

GXO collaborated with 6RS to develop and test new features on the cobots, which automatically travel from one location to another carrying picked items, reducing employees’ walk time and helping them pick items from inventory more efficiently. At another GXO site in Stoke-on-Trent, the cobots, which are called “Chucks,” have enhanced picking accuracy by 40% and reduced new employee training time by 80% since being deployed.

“Our work with GXO at the Milton Keynes distribution centre is a prime example of 6 River Systems’ ability to meet the needs of high-volume organisations that are building multi-tiered warehouse installations,” said Jerome Dubois, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of 6 River Systems. “As businesses continue to seek automation solutions to meet increasing consumer demands, we’re innovating to equip them with technology to enhance safety and productivity.”

As part of its accelerating investments in technology and automation, GXO more than tripled its cobot count year-on-year in the quarter ending 30th September, 2021. By using Chucks and other innovative warehouse solutions, GXO achieves significant improvements in pick rates, accuracy and employee satisfaction.

SAFELOG earns Bavarian award

Posted on by David Priestman

Due to the COVID pandemic the past two years have been very challenging, not only for SAFELOG but for companies worldwide. SAFELOG GmbH was therefore all the more pleased to receive the ‘Bayerns Best 50’ award from the Bavarian State Ministry for Economic Affairs, State Development and Energy.

Disrupted supply chains, hygiene regulations, an unpredictable order situation and a shortage of resources are just some of the challenges that have had to be overcome during the pandemic. A jury of experts from the auditing firm Baker Tilly GmbH & Co. KG identified candidates who had dealt with the crisis in an impressive way from among some 8,000 medium-sized companies in Bavaria. Together with 49 other medium-sized companies, SAFELOG impressed the jury with its effective crisis management.

A decisive factor in winning this award was SAFELOG’s sustained corporate success as well as its continued growth both in terms of sales revenue and number of employees over the past five years. Despite the volatile situation, the company increased sales in the pandemic year 2020 by 12% compared to the same period in the previous year. The management considers the quick reaction to the challenges of the crisis to be the main reason for the company’s continued successful growth.

The company did not fall into a state of shock, but consistently stuck to its planned strategy under difficult conditions. The focus was on the development of new AGV models and the further optimisation of the company’s own software modules.

“This award confirms our view that you can emerge stronger from a crisis,” commented Michael Wolter, the company’s founder. “We are very proud to be among Bavaria’s best medium-sized companies thanks to the dedication of our employees and our consistent adherence to COVID rules – this is a clear sign that hard work and dedication are rewarded and that they are also noticed outside the company.”

About the awards

Entrepreneurs who seek out new opportunities for growth and employment and exploit them consistently are the backbone of the economy. They live entrepreneurship, take responsibility, and create the jobs that form the basis for the high standard of living in Bavaria.

To recognise this achievement, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy honoured the 50 fastest-growing SMEs with the BAYERNS BEST 50 award. The prize is awarded to particularly fast-growing SMEs that have been able to increase the number of their employees and their sales above average in recent years. In addition, the “Bavarian Entrepreneur of the Year” is awarded from among the BAYERNS BEST 50. The selection criteria in this case are the economic success of their company and their active role in the business.

In-company training is also central to entrepreneurial growth and sustainable economic success. At the same time, it is an expression of the entrepreneur’s social responsibility. For this reason, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy is awarding a special prize to two companies for outstanding commitment to in-company training.

Particularly in times of the COVID pandemic and its negative effects, the focus was on entrepreneurial role models who can serve as orientation for small and medium-sized businesses in a difficult environment.

DHL accelerates use of autonomous forklifts

Posted on by David Priestman

DHL Supply Chain has introduced its largest-ever single implementation of autonomous forklifts to date, with 15 embedded in its warehouse operations at Tyrefort in the West Midlands (UK).

The autonomous forklifts form part of DHL’s operation for a major customer in the automotive sector, taking over picking, put-away and replenishment of products and empty media in the warehouse. The vehicles reduce the number of manual pallet transfers without requiring significant changes in warehouse infrastructure.

The indoor robotics transporters work safely up to 11.5m high – believed to be a first in the logistics industry – easily reaching the highest warehousing racks to handle a range of pallets, stillages and waste cages. Safety features including LIDAR and camera obstacle detection, bumper tip sensors and side bumper bars, all minimise interaction with manual trucks operating in the same facility. The forklifts are fully integrated with the Blue Yonder Warehouse Management System and charge autonomously when required.

Maintaining a high quality service to the customer throughout the implementation was critical, with DHL working closely with MAXAGV to ensure the deployment was completed without any interruption to just-in-time operations in the live warehouse.

The investment marks the next step in DHL Supply Chain’s Accelerated Digitalization strategy, which seeks to roll out the most innovative technologies to benefit its customers and colleagues, while lowering the operation’s carbon footprint.

Simon Woodward, Head of Accelerated Innovation and Digitalization, DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland said: “Indoor robotics have the potential to bring huge benefits to our warehouse environments, and this is no exception. Autonomous forklifts can be safely deployed and make a difference immediately, creating capacity and increasing efficiencies. They are also helping us manage skilled worker shortages at a time when we are struggling to recruit.”

“Working closely with MAXAGV we’ve been able to seamlessly deploy a fleet of significant size with no downtime for the customer, which is testament to the strength of our partnership and the hard work of the team.  Excitingly, we’re already reaping the rewards and now plan to accelerate their rollout with more to follow in 2022.”

With 24/7 operation, DHL calculates that a fleet of just a dozen autonomous forklifts can handle more than a million pallets per year in just one facility. Automated indoor robotic transport increases efficiency and improves workplace safety by taking over the repetitive task of driving pallets around. Improvements of this kind are helping DHL to increase operational excellence for its customers while making its operations more effective.

Ferag supplies pouch sorter to Crocs DC

Posted on by David Priestman

With its highly efficient pouch sorter system, Ferag AG is helping to automate logistics processes and handle e-commerce orders at shoe manufacturer Crocs in Dayton, Ohio (USA), which also successfully operates on the European market.

The extensive project involves expanding the existing distribution centre by over 70,000 sq m and is taking place under the direction of Bastian Solutions, a Toyota Advanced Logistics company, contracted by the Swiss company for many years. In the first phase, the Skyfall system will be equipped with 33,500 pouches that act as a dynamic, constantly rotating circulating buffer thanks to the new U-turn switch. Commissioning is planned in several stages up to August 2022.

From the point of view of system integrator Bastian Solutions, the Skyfall pouch sorter from Ferag proved the best technology for helping Crocs meet its strategic business and growth plans in the coming years in combination with the upstream AutoStore system. The goal was to find a high-performance, high-precision “order fulfilment machine” that is able to reliably process up to 40,000 units per hour at peak times when complete. Furthermore, the outstanding flexibility of the system from the Swiss experts was also a decisive argument.

The Skyfall system can not only be scaled with minimal effort when required, but can also be used for processing returns, which was planned from the outset in this project. The Ferag system can also be adapted to changing buying habits, new order profiles and seasonal fluctuations without any issues. Even changes within the Crocs product line do not pose any problems. These were the main reasons why the shoe manufacturer – famous worldwide for its plastic clogs – opted for the system from Switzerland’s Zürcher Oberland.

With 18 manual infeed stations and 153 delivery stations, 736 switches and about 8km of conveyors, the latest order from the USA is one of the largest Skyfall pouch sorter projects that Ferag has implemented to date. In addition to supplying its particularly robust and fail-safe technology, the family-owned company also provided Crocs with a convincing, sophisticated concept for handling the special Jibbitz shoe charms that Crocs wearers use to personalise their shoes according to their own individual taste.

Crocs was founded in 2002. Since then, the shoe manufacturer has seen constant growth, with its bright plastic clogs in colours such as light green, turquoise or yellow quickly gaining cult status. The company now employs over 4,000 staff, with numbers continually increasing.

Photoneo raises $21m Series B funding

Posted on by David Priestman

Photoneo, the innovative smart automation powerhouse, has announced an investment of $21m from AI Capital, IPM Group, Earlybird, Venture to Future Fund, and Credo Ventures as well as all investors who participated in previous investment rounds. The newly raised capital will accelerate the 3D Sensor business and enable expansion of its fully automated fulfilment solutions for warehouses and dark stores called BRIGHTPICK.

Online shopping is booming. e-commerce, q-commerce, and e-grocery are all experiencing immense pressure, fuelled by rising customer demands and dynamic customer behaviour. These changes have been dramatic over the past two years. Additionally, a shrinking labour force and ever-increasing labour costs translate to sector demand for automated fulfilment solutions. These solutions will help e-commerce companies keep their customer commitments and keep up in the hyper-competitive landscape.

“We identified a gap in the order fulfilment sector. We combined our unique technologies to develop a first-of-its-kind end-to-end solution for fully automated fulfilment centres,” said Jan Zizka, co-founder and CEO of Photoneo. “The potential of this next-gen warehouse automation technology is immense as it is highly flexible and scalable, maximising throughput with minimum effort. It helps optimise processes, save space, and increase efficiency by 3 to 5 times compared to manual labour.”

Branching out into the logistics sector, Photoneo also announced its new Business Unit – BRIGHTPICK: a first and only fully-automated fulfilment solution for warehouses and grocers to support huge throughput via smart AMRs and AI powered robotic picking. Its modular structure can be tailored for a range of usage from Nano to Central Fulfilment Centres.

Photoneo’s futuristic vision as well as BRIGHTPICK’s successful pilot integrations have attracted a large number of investors who decided to support the company’s bold strategy through one of the largest investments into an automation startup in Europe, achieving a total of $21m.

“We are happy that our disruptive technologies and ability to spot market potential at the right time, and forecast its future developments, earned the trust of our investors, convincing them that Photoneo is primed to lead the next-generation automation of orders fulfilment,” says Jan Zizka.

The investment round was led by IPM Group, a global asset manager focusing on technology companies, together with Venture to Future Fund, Earlybird, Credo Ventures, and investors who participated in earlier rounds as well.

“Photoneo’s work and achievements are truly impressive. We believe in the company’s power to enhance logistics and transform the automation of e-commerce processes with its groundbreaking and much-needed solutions,” says Marian Bocek, Managing Partner at IPM Group. “Photoneo is already a well-established leader of smart automation solutions powered by original machine vision technology and artificial intelligence and supporting the company at this stage means helping them embrace the future of automation completely and on all fronts.”

With its relentless R&D activities and innovative spirit, Photoneo says it sets the standard in machine vision and intelligent automation solutions. Its worldwide acclaimed 3D sensing technology, proven best-in-class systems for vision-guided robotics, and novel end-to-end solutions for fully automated fulfilment centres make next-gen automation available and affordable for all customers who want to boost their processes with smart automation.

Sitma named “outstanding company” by Kotler

Posted on by David Priestman

Sitma, a specialist in designing and producing solutions for automation in the logistics industry, has been chosen as a case study for the book Essentials of Modern Marketing by Philip Kotler together with Weevo, which looked at more than 30 examples of outstanding Italian companies in different fields of production.

Philip Kotler, the father of modern marketing, chose to focus his study on such criteria as the propensity to innovate and the ability to respond to the needs of the market in a sustainable way.

The book was previewed on 26th November and contains over 30 case studies of exceptional Italian companies, making it the world’s first publication about marketing to focus on success stories in a specific country.

The SME Journal described the work as “the bible of modern marketing”, while the Daily Times defined it “the 21st century book about business, marketing and management”.

The book will be on sale on Amazon, but to avoid wasted paper and long-haul deliveries the printed version will only be available on request, for collection as near as possible to the shipping address. The presentation of the book took place at the H-Farm campus in Treviso, home to many successful companies, and among those present were Orsola Cavina and Denise Gibbin from Sitma’s Marketing department.

They offered the following comments: “Sitma was both honoured and delighted to play a role in Philip’s project. It’s a major recognition of the strategies the company has implemented in recent years. We’re convinced that Sitma’s opportunities for business are only just beginning, and that we’ll have a revolutionary and very considerable impact on the logistics market.”

Sitma says the reasons for its success (and so for its inclusion in Philip Kotler’s project) go far beyond just figures. Sitma’s main accolades have come from the market, which has recognised its inherent capacity to innovate over the years.

The company’s great strength has been its ability to reposition itself in just a few years, achieving excellent results in a totally new and constantly changing market: the field of e-commerce and logistics. It has also managed to find an effective way of relating to the various sectors in which it operates, anticipating trends and constantly supporting its customers, indeed becoming their real partner.

Sitma’s move into the world of logistics began in 2016 when it became the official supplier for Viapost, then went on to be a supplier for Poste Italiane in 2018. Sitma is now is a leading brand in the logistics sector, supplying flexible packaging and sorting systems to the world’s main e-commerce companies, 3PLs, logistics operators, and many national post offices in both Europe and North America.

People and ideas

The changes made by the company did not only concern its approach to the market. First and foremost, Sitma took a good look at itself. The business changed from an entrepreneurial to a managerial structure, introducing new job titles and new company departments, including the Operations Management team, the Marketing Department and the Project Management Department.

A new brand identity was gradually created alongside the process of company renewal, with the recruitment of new young professionals, keen to be part of the transformations in the market and in the company itself.

Sitma is actively pursuing its goal of becoming an increasingly green company. It has introduced processes for calculating its carbon footprint, updating them regularly in line with the latest regulations. The company has introduced improvements and reduced its CO2 emissions, and has also offset emissions by financing well-organised and accredited sustainability projects.

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