The logistics-focused private equity firm Open Road Ventures (ORV) this week acquired Double-Stack Logistics, a Dallas-based intermodal freight broker that says it provides cost-effective rail transportation to shippers and manufacturers searching for affordable alternatives to moving goods over the road.

Double-Stack calls itself an asset-based Intermodal Marketing Company (IMC) that owns and operates more than 150 rail containers.

“We have our own fleet of containers that move on the rail, and that’s pretty unique for a company our size,” Double-Stack Founder & CEO Joe Kolb said in a release. “You've got some very large, billion dollar-plus companies that own equipment, but for a mid-sized company like Double-Stack to have our own equipment is a testament to the strength of our brokerage. We will only be stronger as an ORV company.”

According to Double-Stack, the company generates about half of its revenue from standard over the road (OTR) and traditional intermodal freight, and the other half from over the road conversions. “We take items that typically don't ship intermodal and work with the railroads to come up with a plan to shift and move that product from over the road to intermodal,” Kolb said. “That’s one of our sweet spots and what we're really good at.”

The deal marks Valparaiso, Indiana-based ORV’s first acquisition, but the firm said that more will follow. “Our goal is to bring like-minded business owners together who possess unique logistics tools so that each one of these entities can benefit from each other's expertise,” said Mike Riccio, Founding Member of Open Road Ventures and Founder of More Than Miles Consulting. “We have a series of acquisitions in the works and look forward to bringing new partners onboard in the coming months.”

The trucking sector continues to show signs of recovery from more than three years of a freight rate recession, as an index of industry conditions for April rose to its strongest reading since February of 2022, according to transportation industry analyst firm FTR.

FTR today said that its Trucking Conditions Index (TCI) jumped to 11.6 in April, which is the strongest reading for the index in more than four years. Fuel costs again were a negative for the TCI although a far smaller one than in March, which registered a TCI reading of -1.1.

All key market factors were more favorable for carriers in April than they were in March, as improved freight rates and capacity utilization were by far the largest contributors.

“While surging fuel costs in the past couple of months obviously created cash flow crunches for many operations, tight capacity and surging freight rates are more than offsetting that challenge, broadly speaking,” Avery Vise, FTR’s vice president of trucking, said in a release

“For the overall market, the missing element needed to continue the acceleration in market conditions is freight volume, which is growing but not especially strongly. The demand picture varies quite substantially by sector, however. For example, flatbed operations are benefiting both from capacity constraints and strong freight volume, which appears to be tied to a combination of data center construction and a recent modest recovery in manufacturing activity.”

“We expect overall trucking conditions to peak this summer, but our TCI forecast remains solidly favorable for carriers over the two-year forecast horizon,” Vise said.

The TCI tracks the changes representing five major conditions in the U.S. truck market: freight volumes, freight rates, fleet capacity, fuel prices, and financing costs. Combined into a single index, the number indicates the industry’s overall health, according to whether it is positive or negative.

Kevin P. Knight, a co-founder of Knight Transportation and the longtime chairman and CEO of Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings Inc., is retiring from the company, Knight-Swift said today.

In his stead, the Knight-Swift board of directors has appointed Lead Independent Director David Vander Ploeg as its new chairman. And Knight has agreed to continue serving as a consultant for a period of two years following his retirement.

Knight was a driving force in the 2017 merger between Knight Transportation and Swift Transportation, which formed what it calls the industry's largest full truckload company; operating with a fleet of roughly 19,000 tractors, 58,000 trailers, and employing 24,000 people.

Knight served as CEO of that company from 1994 to 2014 and as executive chairman of the board of directors.

“As I have been approaching this transition in recent years, I knew this bridge would have to be crossed at some point,” Knight said in a release. “For me, our merger with Knight and Swift was our greatest collective achievement. The reunification of the Swift and Knight families, combined with timing, diligence, operational improvements, and significant financial returns, enabled us to achieve everything that followed. I am deeply grateful to everyone whom I have had the opportunity to work with.”

For more than 70 years, the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) has served as the leading voice for powered industrial truck (PIT) manufacturers and suppliers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Representing makers of over 85% of all powered industrial trucks sold in North America, our association carries both a significant responsibility and an unwavering commitment to advancing safety and innovation.

In the material handling industry, terms like “training requirements” and “standard operating procedures” are familiar and essential. They form the baseline of a safe workplace—but they are only the beginning. True safety demands more than compliance; it requires a deeply embedded culture of safety. This means fostering a shared mindset where every individual, at every level of an organization, takes ownership of safety as a core value.

Our industry’s deep commitment to this principle will be the main focus on June 9, 2026, when ITA will host the 13th annual National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD). NFSD is a key industry moment dedicated to elevating awareness around safe forklift operation and the critical importance of comprehensive operator training.

Collaboration has long been central to our progress on improving forklift safety. For decades, ITA has worked alongside organizations such as the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation (ITSDF) to develop and harmonize safety standards. These efforts have delivered meaningful results: Despite significant growth in the number of forklifts in operation, accident rates have been considerably reduced over the past 25 years.

Innovation has also played a critical role in advancing safety. Beginning in the late 1950s and early 1960s, manufacturers introduced features such as load backrests and operator cages—once optional, now standard. The early 1980s saw the widespread adoption of operator-restraint systems, followed by continued advancements, including speed control, enhanced visual training tools for multilingual operators, and telematics technologies such as operator-access control, performance monitoring, and impact detection, to name just a few.

Today, the powered industrial truck industry continues to evolve with the integration of pedestrian-detection systems and AI-powered monitoring tools. While these technologies represent important progress, they are designed to support—not replace—the human responsibility at the heart of safe operation. No matter how advanced the equipment becomes, effective operator training remains the cornerstone of a safe work environment.

The material handling industry is a powerful contributor to the U.S. economy, generating an estimated $36.6 billion in annual GDP impact and supporting more than 257,000 jobs. Yet our most important measure of success is far simpler: ensuring that every worker returns home safely at the end of each day.

ITA’s National Forklift Safety Day program will feature informative updates and presentations on safety best practices by respected experts in government, industrial safety, and the forklift industry. We invite you to join us on June 9, 2026, from 9 – 11 a.m., either in person at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., or via our global livestream (www.indtrk.org/national-forklift-safety-day), as we continue advancing this important shared mission.

Sincerely,

Brian Feehan
President, Industrial Truck Association

What a difference a year can make! In 2024, supply chain salaries salaries were on the rise—up 17% over the previous year’s average—but fast forward to 2025, and the story is very different. As companies struggled to adjust to on-again/off-again tariffs and rising inflation, they clamped down on hiring and spending, which resulted in wage reductions and increased responsibilities for many supply chain professionals. Given all that, it’s probably no surprise that our annual Salary Survey showed a decline in job satisfaction among these professionals—the percentage of respondents who said they were satisfied with their career in logistics dropped to 85% this year from 91% the previous year.

The survey, which is prepared by SDC Velocity in conjunction with the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and DCV’s sister publication, Supply Chain Xchange, is conducted among CSCMP members and readers of DC Velocity and Supply Chain Xchange each spring. This year’s edition included responses from 100 participants from across the U.S. and abroad.

IT development teams have accelerated their delivery of new software products through the wider adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past year, but many organizations are struggling to maintain confidence in software quality as increasing scale and complexity introduce new risks, according to a study from Texas software firm Tricentis.

“Accelerating business transformation initiatives is one of the top priorities for today’s C-suite and AI has the potential to help software development teams move faster than ever before,” said Kevin Thompson, CEO of Tricentis. “However, with increased speed comes increased risk. When software quality processes fail to keep pace with development speed, organizations often respond by taking shortcuts that materially degrade or reduce confidence. Our research highlights the growing pressure teams are facing to balance speed, quality, and control as software development accelerates.”

The report found that 6 in 10 organizations in 2026 report deploying untested code, which is consistent with the 63% reported last year. However, organizations in 2025 largely attributed this to accidental quality slips (40%). Now, organizations admit that they are knowingly deploying untested code, largely driven by leadership pressure to prioritize speed over quality (32%), and the sheer volume of AI-generated code becoming too overwhelming for teams to test fully (30%).

One reason for that behavior is a gap between executive optimism and operational realities; what’s considered AI progress in the boardroom may feel more like operational friction to software teams. More than four in five CEOs (81%) report high confidence in AI-driven systems and tools, compared to just 56% of QA and DevOps professionals. Similarly, 44% of C-level executives believe their business is very prepared to operationalize, govern, and scale AI agents across the SDLC, compared to just 23% of QA and DevOps professionals.

Those numbers come from Tricentis’ “2026 Quality Transformation Report,” based on a survey of over 2,500 global CEOs, CIOs, CTOs, VPs of engineering, DevOps and quality assurance (QA) leaders, and software developers across various industries, including manufacturing, energy and utilities, retail, financial services, and the public sector.

As manufacturers accelerate investments in AI and advanced analytics, many encounter unexpected barriers rooted in their existing IT and operational technology (OT) environments, according to an analysis by E Tech Group, an Ohio provider of industrial automation and systems integration.

Specifically, challenges related to data quality, system integration, and infrastructure readiness remain key obstacles. And issues such as unstable network architecture, fragmented systems, inconsistent data, and gaps in historian strategy can significantly limit the effectiveness of AI-driven solutions.

“Manufacturers are under pressure to adopt AI, but many are trying to build on a foundation that isn’t ready,” said Matt Wise, CEO of E Tech Group. “Without a secure, well-architected IT/OT environment, organizations risk stalled initiatives and missed ROI.”

To help manufacturers address their foundational challenges before they derail AI initiatives, E Tech Group is hosting an online training session to help attendees understand the risks and take a more strategic approach to AI readiness.

“Manufacturers need a clear picture of how their systems, networks, and data environments are performing and where vulnerabilities exist,” said Eric Medecke, Director of IT/OT Solutions at E Tech Group. “By identifying gaps in cybersecurity, network design, and system integration, organizations can prioritize improvements that reduce risk and create a scalable foundation for AI and other advanced technologies.”

Logistics giant DHL Group has launched the DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics (DAHL), a global training initiative designed to equip humanitarian organizations and local responders with practical logistics knowledge and skills, allowing them to better prepare for and respond to crises.

The program will kick off in Sub-Saharan Africa with a launch event in Johannesburg, DHL said in a statement Wednesday. The event will bring together humanitarian organizations for an in-person session focused on core logistics disciplines, including customs, dangerous goods handling, packaging, and safety.

DAHL converts DHL’s logistics expertise into practical, pro bono training for nonprofit organizations, with a focus on local and regional responders. The program is designed to help humanitarian organizations strengthen operational readiness, reduce delays, and improve the efficiency of aid delivery before emergencies occur, the company said in the statement.

“Humanitarian needs are becoming more complex and more frequent, driven by a combination of climate-related events, protracted crises, and evolving risk environments,” Christoph Selig, vice president sustainability communications and programs at DHL Group, said in the statement. “At the same time, the humanitarian system is shifting toward more anticipatory approaches and stronger local ownership. In this context, logistics plays a central role in enabling aid to move efficiently and reach those who need it most. With the DHL Academy of Humanitarian Logistics, we are building on our experience in disaster response and preparedness to strengthen practical capabilities across the sector and support more effective, locally driven operations.”

DAHL is the third pillar of DHL Group’s GoHelp program, which has supported disaster response and preparedness efforts worldwide for more than 20 years. Those include Disaster Response Teams, which deploy trained DHL experts to support logistics operations in the immediate aftermath of disasters, and the Get Airports Ready for Disaster initiative, which strengthens airport preparedness in high-risk regions.

DAHL builds on that foundation by helping humanitarian organizations manage logistics more independently and efficiently. The program has already been piloted around the world, with more than 650 participants from over 80 NGOs (non-governmental organizations) trained across multiple sessions.

The official launch in Johannesburg marks an important step in scaling the program globally, according to DHL.

“Sub-Saharan Africa presents both significant logistical challenges and some of the most resourceful and adaptive response environments,” according to George Wood, director customer operations Sub-Saharan Africa at DHL Express and DHL GoHelp volunteer. “We consistently see how local humanitarian organizations innovate and respond under pressure, often with limited resources. By further equipping these organizations with practical, hands-on logistics knowledge, we can help strengthen preparedness and improve the efficiency of response operations on the ground.”

The program’s rollout in Sub-Saharan Africa will include a series of training sessions across multiple countries this year, including South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, and Nigeria.

The third party logistics provider (3PL) WWEX has completed its planned merger with shipping and fulfillment solution provider Auctane in a move first announced in March by the financial backer of the deal, the investment firm Thomas Bravo.

Both Dallas-based WWEX and Dallas-based Auctane are conglomerations of several previously existing logistics firms that were bought up and merged by Chicago-based Thomas Bravo.

By completing the combination of all those original companies, Thomas Bravo said it has created a company called ShipStation Global that unites WWEX Group’s freight brokerage platform and network of more than 2,300 sales professionals with Auctane’s AI-powered shipping software, global carrier connectivity, and automation capabilities.

Altogether, ShipStation Global now serves more than 3 million customers and moves over 3 billion shipments per year, leveraging a partner network of more than 75 less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers; 350 regional, national, and international carriers; 600 technology partners; and 45,000 truckload carriers. The company connects logistics across parcel, LTL, truckload, and global shipping all in a single, integrated platform.

“Small and mid-sized businesses have been forced to stitch together multiple tools and relationships just to keep up,” said Tom Madine, CEO of ShipStation Global. “ShipStation Global changes that. We’re combining the best AI-powered shipping software in the market with one of the country’s most powerful freight networks — and we’re building it specifically for the businesses that need it most. Today is the start of something that’s been a long time coming.”

According to Thoma Bravo, it made the merger because the gap between large enterprises and growing businesses continues to widen as technology advances and supply chains grow more complex. The newborn ShipStation Global was built to close that gap by giving small and mid-sized businesses the data, intelligent automation, and expert support they need to remain nimble and unlock value across the entire supply chain.

Mega retailer Target Corp. on Monday opened its newest and largest food distribution center, launching a 529,000-square-foot facility in Thornton, Colorado, that represents a $367 million investment and will serve 129 stores.

The facility opens as Target’s food & beverage shoppers are seeing more newness and wellness in the assortment than ever before, and are browsing remodeled stores with more space dedicated to fresh and frozen products, pantry staples, and trending snacks and beverages for the family, the company said.

According to Target, the chain is building out a fresh supply chain network across the country that allows it to position products closer to shoppers as well as be more flexible and efficient in how it moves inventory. The Thornton building marks the ninth food distribution center at Target, its fourth in just three years, and its first with consolidation capabilities.

Target said the building serves as a connector between vendors and its other food distribution centers with a dedicated section to combine separate shipments from different vendors into trucks that then go fully loaded to a designated destination. This consolidation reduces the volume and cost of transportation across its network and streamlines arrivals to other facilities.

Less than truckload (LTL) carriers will soon have a way to compare shipper performance on critical metrics affecting truckers, bringing transparency that can help eliminate the operational blind spots that affect freight rates and accessorial charges, according to Cleveland-based startup FreightFacts.

The scoring methodologies measure shipper performance according to 24 metrics, including dwell time, appointment compliance, payment timing, accessorial frequency, and damage claims.

“For years, shippers have rated their carriers’ performance, but the LTL industry has lacked a common, data-driven way to assess shippers’ behaviors,” said Lance Healy, Co-Founder and CEO of FreightFacts. “By transforming carrier operational data into Shipper Score reports, we enable shippers, carriers, and 3PLs to reduce unnecessary LTL freight costs through better intelligence and collaboration.”

The reports are released only with the shipper's authorization, and no personal, product, or pricing data is shared. To participate in the program, shippers do not need system integrations or software implementations, as FreightFacts relies exclusively on operational data authorized by carriers.

According to Healy, the platform will also help shippers themselves, allowing them to improve efficiency and increase negotiating power by providing visibility into dock operations at their own facilities and those of their suppliers and customers. That’s an important tool at a time when LTL carriers are raising rates and scrutinizing costs, he said.

“When speaking with a carrier, a shipper who says, ‘We improved our score from 500 to 780 this year,’ has far more negotiating leverage than one who says, ‘Trust us, we’re a better customer now’,” Healy said.

In an effort to streamline the messy proliferation of apps on the handheld computers that warehouse employees use to scan barcodes and manage tasks, Zebra Technologies Co. today launched a platform that serves as a single “super-app,” uniting them all in a single window.

The “Zebra Workcloud Sync” product supports synchronous, real-time collaboration, allowing frontline workers to effectively communicate and seamlessly work together, the company said during its annual Zone user conference for customers and partners, held this year in Nashville.

In addition to providing communications, collaboration, and task management, Workcloud Sync is also expanding to include additional workflows such as cycle count and scheduling & timekeeping, Suresh Menon, Zebra’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Software Solutions, said in a session at the show.

According to Suresh, Zebra customers have been complaining that their workers can accumulate dozens of apps on each devices, snarling employers’ efforts to simplify workflows. While those apps provide valuable information—such as data from warehouse and retail automation platforms, or from enterprise resource planning (ER) and customer relationship planning (CRP) platforms—the sheer number of them forces users to flip through screens and waste time searching for specific data.

“To truly empower the frontline, organizations need to ensure information flows seamlessly from their core systems to their teams where the work gets done,” Menon said in a release. “Our new Workcloud solutions provide that critical link, giving leaders insights to plan effectively and frontline teams the orchestrated workflows to execute flawlessly.”

In related launches, Zebra also announced an expansion of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered capabilities on its handheld computers, including Workcloud Business Intelligence (Workcloud BI), which delivers real-time, AI-powered insights to frontline workers through role-based mobile dashboards. And Workcloud Integration & Orchestration (Workcloud IO) serves as the central nervous system for data flow, providing a standardized integration layer that connects Workcloud solutions to core business systems like point of sale.

The launch of Workcloud BI and Workcloud IO comes as retailers are piloting and using AI across critical workflows—such as inventory optimization (51%), cost optimization (45%), and demand accuracy (37%)—according to Zebra’s study with Oxford Economics.

Carl Modesette, chair of the Industrial Truck Association’s 2026 National Forklift Safety Day, is director of Logisnext Americas’ Americas Design Center in Houston. His position encompasses new-product design, customizations, sustained engineering (product and manufacturing updates and solutions), validation, and standards compliance for the company’s brands: Jungheinrich, UniCarriers Forklift, Cat Lift Trucks, and Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks. Safety, he says, is an integral part of all aspects of his team’s scope.

Like many forklift industry executives, Modesette is at heart an engineer. The Houston native has a degree in mechanical engineering from nearby Texas A&M University. As a student, he interned at Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift Americas (MCFA), Logisnext’s predecessor organization. While his original interest was automotive engineering, he says that “anything with an engine” appealed to him, and working for a local company that was developing engine-powered material handling equipment turned out to be a perfect fit. Modesette enjoyed the hands-on and data analysis work he experienced as an intern in MCFA’s design and test labs, and he joined the company after graduating, in 2002. Since then, he has held positions in product engineering, design, testing, and management as well as in corporate strategy and communications. The latter included several years in Japan as a liaison between company headquarters and regional business units—an experience he credits with giving him a valuable global perspective on the company’s business. After returning to Houston, he was named director of the Americas Design Center in 2020.

In his role as National Forklift Safety Day chair, Modesette spoke with DC VELOCITY about incorporating safety into every aspect of forklift design, manufacturing, and operation. He also shared some thoughts on opportunities for further enhancing forklift safety. (The interview has been edited for clarity and length.)

Q: Your career path encompasses “two sides of the brain”: product engineering, design, and testing on one side, and communication on the other. How have those seemingly opposite skills helped you in your career

A: I find that they build upon and enhance one another. Engineering is fundamentally about solving problems, and communication is fundamentally about telling the story. Many engineers struggle with distilling very complex topics into their core elements and communicating them to non-technical audiences. My varied experiences have taught me how to do this better and to help my team improve their skills as well.

I’m thankful that a mentor encouraged me to broaden my experience within the organization beyond engineering. It allowed me to leverage my technical expertise in a totally new way to help people better understand and sell our products.

Q: What aspect of the forklift industry do you find most rewarding?

A: When we partner with our customers to offer real-life solutions to meet their needs and help them address their challenges. Each application is unique, and each lift truck is customized to meet those needs. Most importantly, focusing on operator and workplace safety is the foundation of everything we do, so it’s a guiding principle as we move through the design process. We are always thinking about safety—not just from the operator’s perspective but also from the perspective of the assemblers who manufacture the trucks.

Q: Do you think forklift safety has improved in recent years?

A: During the past 60 years in particular, forklift safety has significantly improved. From OSHA [the Occupational Safety and Health Administration] establishing new forklift operator safety training requirements back in 1999, to changes in forklift design that have helped improve workplace safety, there have been significant advancements in forklift safety over the years. By definition, design safety is evolutionary; we necessarily build upon the experiences and insights of our engineering predecessors.

In our company, we are committed to being open-minded about innovative ideas, and we always strive to “do it better.” That is our mission.

Q: Are there any safety areas you think may need special attention from fleet operators?

A: Second to ensuring that all forklift operators are trained, qualified, and authorized to operate a particular forklift, one important area to think about relates to customers making changes to a truck. For example, they might want to add object-detection technology or other systems or devices that they assume will enhance workplace safety. That is their decision to make, but it’s recommended that they always consult and partner with the OEM [original equipment manufacturer] before adding new technology or making other kinds of modifications. This is to ensure that the new system or device is correctly installed and, if appropriate, integrated into the vehicle. If a technology or modification, especially something that affects control of the truck, hasn’t been fully vetted and validated by the OEM, it could inadvertently compromise the safe operation of the forklift and workplace safety. It is therefore essential that any modification to a lift truck be approved by the OEM.

We take this very seriously. Our product-design mission is to design an industrial tool that minimizes the overall operational risk to trained operators and to those working near the forklift. Accordingly, we have the responsibility to assess the effect of any design addition or change in real-life warehousing and other applications, and we must be assured that it does not pose hazards in a given application.

OSHA recognizes that the employer/customer is uniquely positioned to determine how to customize a lift truck to suit its needs. At the same time, the employer can, and by law must, ensure that its lift truck operators are thoroughly and properly trained in how to safely operate the lift trucks they will be using.

Q: What areas of forklift safety might see additional development in the near future?

A: One that I think is ripe for further development is the transfer of automotive technology that can be adapted to forklifts. Because of its scale and volume, the auto industry is where new vehicle technologies tend to be introduced and matured, making them more practical for other industry applications, including the forklift space. Some examples include lane-departure systems, object- and pedestrian-presence detection, and operator awareness systems.

Another area with great potential is visibility. As forklifts become more connected, facilities will be able to visualize a warehouse’s layout and see where the vehicles are as they move around. That would help to identify high-traffic areas and hot spots where incidents happen more often. With that information, fleet managers would be able to put mitigations in place, like rerouting lift trucks to avoid congested areas. Similar technology already exists for AGVs [automated guided vehicles], but it may become more accessible for traditional forklifts as more of them are connected with their operating environment.

Q: Finally, what sources of information and guidance would you recommend to end-users who want to improve operator and pedestrian safety?

A: OSHA says it best: 29 CFR 1910.178 lays out in detail what an employer MUST do to ensure that its operators are properly trained. Fleet operators can also leverage the support and resources of equipment OEMs and the Industrial Truck Association to build a robust safety program that is tailored to their unique applications.

Medusa Distribution calls itself “the cannabis accessory industry’s one-stop shop.” Founded in Roseland, New Jersey, in 2015, the business supplies both retailers—think smoke shops, gift stores, and dispensaries—and consumers with a wide array of items, from ashtrays and incense burners to vaporizers, battery chargers, rolling papers, and water pipes.

What began as a one-person operation just over 10 years ago has grown into a thriving enterprise that employs more than 175 people. The company now fulfills more than 100,000 direct-to-consumer orders each year and serves 10,000 business-to-business (B-to-B) clients from its warehouse in New Jersey. The facility manages more than 9,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) in total.

But with that expansion has come a growing need for better logistics tools to help the distributor maintain its reputation for precision, speed, and customer satisfaction. Specifically, Medusa’s rapid growth exposed inefficiencies in its paper-based order picking process and dependence on “tribal knowledge,” meaning critical know-how that experienced team members carried around in their heads as opposed to being codified in standardized systems. Those challenges were amplified when handling large wholesale orders with thousands of SKUs and items, particularly when late-day orders demanded same-day shipping.

Recognizing that the facility’s manual processes could no longer keep up, Medusa’s leaders began searching for a scalable solution that would streamline order processing, support faster onboarding of new employees, and enable efficient, accurate picking and packing at scale. They eventually found what they needed in a system that includes three integrated technologies.

ADDING A SPARK OF AUTOMATION

As the first major step in its transformation journey, the company implemented a warehouse management system (WMS) from Atlanta-based software developer Deposco. That move enabled it to replace its legacy paper-based picking process with a location-based inventory system powered by RF (radio-frequency) scanners, giving staffers better visibility and data on product movement. The WMS streamlined both order management and the carton selection process, laying the groundwork for more agile fulfillment.

However, as order complexity and volume continued to grow, it became clear that Medusa needed additional intelligent systems to optimize packing, reduce waste, and increase flexibility.

To address these challenges, Medusa turned to warehouse technology company Lucas Systems for warehouse execution software (WES) that included voice-directed picking and dynamic workflow optimization capabilities. It also added Perseuss, AI (artificial intelligence)-powered cartonization software for parcels and pallets developed by a New Jersey tech firm to help warehouses reduce shipping costs and maximize space.

Together, the integrated systems have taken the guesswork out of Medusa’s packing operations. The Perseuss software pulls order data directly from the Deposco WMS and then communicates with Lucas’s Jennifer orchestration engine to determine optimal box sizes, required stickers, and labeling details. This integration ensures that each order is packed efficiently, with minimal air in boxes, and meets carrier and customer requirements automatically, Lucas says. Once orders are packed, Perseuss triggers label generation and final shipment processing through Deposco, creating a seamless, closed-loop system from pick to ship.

THE GLOW OF SUCCESS

As for the results, the new Deposco, Perseuss, and Lucas Systems technologies have transformed Medusa’s operations from the ground up, according to the companies. The distributor now reports a 99.99+% order accuracy rate, verified through internal audits and customer feedback. Productivity has surged thanks to features like the Lucas warehouse execution system’s dynamic pick route optimization capability, the developer says. On top of that, it adds, intelligent packing logic has led to seven-figure annual savings and a 30% to 35% reduction in cost per unit.

A report on material handling business dynamics showed a “significant improvement” in May from the weakness reported in April, according to a monthly measurement from Prestige Economics.

That report came from the forecasting firm’s “MHI Business Activity Index,” which found that business activity, inventories, and future new orders remained in expansion territory, while new orders and unfilled orders rebounded sharply from contraction into expansion. Capacity utilization, shipments, and exports contracted, although shipments improved from April.

More specifically, the most encouraging developments in May were the substantial rebounds in the categories of new orders and unfilled orders. New orders rose from 29% in April to 68% in May, while unfilled orders increased from 43% to 63%. According to Prestige Economics, these improvements suggest that the weakness reported in April was likely an outlier rather than the beginning of a sustained downturn.

Future new orders remained exceptionally strong at 84%, indicating that respondents continue to expect healthy demand growth over the next twelve months, despite ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty.

However, that uncertainty continues to weigh down sentiment, as shown by the measurement that May qualitative responses were generally negative despite the improved data. Respondents cited their top concerns as: tariffs, trade uncertainty, the war with Iran, higher fuel costs, and commodity price volatility.

Still, hiring conditions remained favorable in May, with 74% of respondents reporting easier hiring conditions. Although this was down from 81% in April, it remained well above the breakeven level of 50, suggesting labor availability continues to improve and supporting stronger candidate quality in hiring pipelines.

Drive near any major city and close to half the billboards along the major arteries promote personal injury attorneys. It is human nature that when something bad happens, we have to find someone to blame. Lawsuits are big business, and the lawyers are there to make sure someone pays.

Of course, it is fair and just for someone to be compensated when an accident occurs. However, determining whom to blame can often be problematic. Take the world of intermediary brokers. They act as middlemen, contracting with carriers to haul freight for their clients. If they contract with a carrier, are they legally responsible for the carrier’s actions or are they simply matchmakers who align needs with resources?

This is a question that the U.S. Supreme Court addressed last month in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II LLC. The court ruled in a surprisingly unanimous vote that brokers can indeed be held liable for the carriers they hire. In this particular case, the court ruled that, since Caribe had a “conditional” safety rating due to violations, the broker, C.H. Robinson, was liable for hiring it.

It will take some time to determine how all this shakes out for the industry. We have already seen higher spot rates, and insurance premiums are likely to rise. Costs will only increase as brokers invest more to qualify carriers. Capacity will tighten as carriers with spotty safety records exit the industry.

But what role does the government play in all this? After all, it is a government agency—the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)—that registers and grants operating authority to the nation’s truckers. If a carrier is not qualified, should it be registered and allowed to operate?

But neither the FMCSA nor most brokers have the resources to properly vet carriers to weed out the bad actors. With nearly 1 million independent drivers out there, that is a monumental task. It has been reported that there are currently some 300,000 trucks operating with conditional safety ratings. How do you determine which of these poses real liability concerns if hired?

Getting back to who should pay, attorneys typically go for the deeper pockets. Independent drivers don’t have the resources to pay out big judgments, unless their insurance pays. But large brokers are easy targets for lawsuits, and so are some shippers.

Aside from cases where a broker knowingly contracts with a carrier that has proved to be unsafe, I question whether others should be held responsible for third parties they hire but do not control or directly supervise—especially when the government has already “qualified” those carriers by granting them operating authority.

Hair accessories company Durham Brands has transformed its warehouse operations thanks to a partnership with supply chain technology firm Infios. Together, the companies oversaw a systems overhaul that has helped the fast-growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) firm scale rapidly, improve accuracy, and deliver record-breaking peak-season performance.

All it took was a new warehouse management software (WMS) system. Durham Brands, which goes to market as Gimme Beauty, implemented Infios Warehouse Management (WM) last year, upgrading from a legacy system that relied heavily on manual processes. The transition has helped the company keep pace with its double-digit growth rates of the past five years and position itself for even more growth ahead.

“This strategic move was more than a system upgrade; it was a meaningful shift in how we operate,” Jeff Durham, CEO of Durham Brands, said in a statement describing the project. “We scaled through our biggest volume surge in company history without adding labor, and we improved accuracy and created opportunities to promote from within. The impact continues to compound across the business.”

PICKING UP THE PACE

Durham Brands is a Salt Lake City-based, family-owned business that specializes in hair accessories—bands, brushes, clips, curling products, and the like. The company has experienced more than 30% year-over-year growth for the past several years, supplying major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Kroger, and Ulta Beauty. As the company’s order volumes, SKU (stock-keeping unit) complexity, and warehouse footprint expanded, it outgrew its legacy warehouse management system, which relied on manual processes and disconnected workflows across picking, packing, and shipping, according to company leaders.

As one company manager described it, Durham Brands needed a user-friendly, world-class solution that “could grow with us.”

By switching to Infios WM, Durham Brands was able to introduce system-directed workflows across picking, license plating (a system that assigns a unique identifier—a license plate number or LPN—to a group of items in a container, pallet, or box), lot control, and scanning—all within a unified fulfillment environment. These capabilities eliminated manual steps, reduced the risk of mis-ships, and improved real-time visibility across the company’s warehouse operations.

Specifically, the change allowed Durham Brands to:

• Nearly double facility throughput from 10,000 to 19,000 cases per full-time employee;
• Achieve 98.5% inventory accuracy;
• Record zero audit errors for the first time;
• And reduce a full week’s worth of work to just three days.

The peak-season results were especially gratifying, according to Debbie Johnson, Durham Brands’ vice president of finance, who describes the switch to Infios as “a positive move for the company.”

“We ended up finishing the month at 170% over forecast—the biggest month in the history of the company,” Johnson said in a video case study describing the project. “Realistically, we could not have done it without Infios being implemented at that point.”

What’s more, the system’s intuitive workflows and NetSuite integration have empowered employees across the operation—including a hearing-impaired team member who speaks only Mexican Sign Language (MSL), who now independently manages e-commerce fulfillment, according to both companies.

The system has also enabled better, more strategic decision-making across the business: Durham Brands strengthened inventory control and financial performance by moving to continuous cycle counting and improving lot visibility, enabling more strategic sourcing decisions and generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in tariff savings.

“Durham Brands’ results demonstrate how intelligent supply chain execution can unlock new levels of performance at scale,” Tim Moylan, Infios’ chief growth officer, said in the statement. “The team is now completing a full week of work in just three days while maintaining exceptional accuracy and throughput. This is exactly the kind of continuous optimization and agility modern supply chains require to keep pace with growth.”

Now with a scalable, modern warehouse management platform in place, Durham Brands is positioned to sustain its rapid growth while maintaining high service levels, operational efficiency, and workforce productivity, according to the partners.

And Durham Brands’ automation journey isn’t over yet. Company leaders say they plan to continue investing in automation, data visibility, and scalable infrastructure to support the company’s next growth phase.

The Industrial Truck Association (ITA) will livestream its 13th annual National Forklift Safety Day program from 9 to 11 a.m. Eastern on Tuesday, June 9. Anyone who is interested in advancing forklift safety is invited to watch this FREE program to learn about best practices from forklift and industrial safety experts.

• Brian Feehan, President, Industrial Truck Association
• Jim Mozer, ITA Chairman of the Board and Senior Vice President, Crown Equipment Corp.
• David Keeling, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Carl Modesette, Director – Americas Design Center, Logisnext Americas Inc.
• Bill Sims, President, The Bill Sims Company, Beyond Zero Injuries

The event is free, but advance registration is required. Click here to register for the livestream. For more information, contact ITA at (202) 296-9880.

The Industrial Truck Association represents manufacturers of lift trucks, AGVs, and similar equipment in North America. The organization promotes standards development, advances engineering and safety practices, disseminates statistical information, and holds industry forums.

The power balance in global logistics real estate is shifting from renters to landlords, due to a combination of tight supply, rising costs, and structural uncertainty, according to a report from industrial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.

An analysis of 135 global logistics markets shows that the proportion experiencing tenant‑favorable conditions is expected to fall from 52% in 2026 to 33% by 2029 as vacancy tightens and supply remains constrained, Cushman & Wakefield said in its “Waypoint 2026” report.

That shift will see 39% of markets experiencing landlord-favorable conditions in 2029, up from 26% in 2026. And the trend occurs as global logistics rents already sit 36% above 2020 levels and operating costs continue to rise, prompting occupiers to make strategic decisions to secure critical locations.

One reason for the change is that demand for higher‑quality, strategically located assets is being reinforced as businesses redesign their networks to reduce exposure to geopolitical, trade, and climate disruption, which are becoming structural factors, rather than episodic disruptors.

“The next phase of the logistics cycle will be defined by preparedness,” report author Sally Bruer of Cushman & Wakefield said in a release. “Businesses that embed resilience into their real estate strategies, through smarter use of technology, automation and energy‑secure assets, will be far better placed to navigate disruption and capture long‑term growth.”

The pace of change varies among global regions, but the Americas face the most abrupt shift towards landlords. Current tenant‑favorable conditions in 53% of markets are down sharply from 72% a year ago as vacancy has stabilized. By 2029, landlord‑favorable markets (17% today) are expected to rise to 46%—the most pronounced regional shift globally.

“The Americas are moving back to a landlord-led market faster than any other region. In the U.S., we are already seeing supply and demand rebalance, while nearshoring into Mexico continues to drive new demand. For occupiers, that means the cost of waiting is rising quickly, especially for well-located, high-quality space,” Jason Tolliver, President, Americas Logistics & Industrial Services, Cushman & Wakefield, said.

Known for its consumer and e-commerce package carrying network, parcel delivery giant UPS Inc. in now growing its capabilities in the business to business (B2B) sector, investing $50 million to increase its U.S.-Mexico air freight capacity for customers in the North American automotive and industrial manufacturing sectors.

Atlanta-based UPS said the expansion would add network capabilities and dedicated industry teams to help manufacturers operate with greater resilience and precision. That extra support is needed so UPS can help customers navigate growing complexity as supply chains face ongoing pressure from automation, geopolitical shifts, and evolving regulatory demands.

Specifically, UPS announced the expansion of its North American Air Freight capabilities – introducing time-definite heavy air freight service to and from Mexico for the first time and extending coverage across North America to better support production-critical supply chains. Unlike fragmented, multi-carrier models, UPS says it can integrate transportation, brokerage, and warehousing into a single solution, reducing handoffs and simplifying cross-border shipping.

Beginning in August, UPS will offer 1-, 2- and 3-day service options to and from Mexico that help manufacturers move high-value, time-sensitive parts with greater speed and predictability. For its customers, this means fewer delays at the border, improved visibility from origin to destination and greater confidence in keeping production lines running.

“Our automotive and industrial customers want an easy button for logistics,” said Matt Guffey, UPS chief commercial and strategy officer. “They need reliability, visibility and a partner that understands their supply chains – end to end, today and tomorrow. We have made strategic investments to build the team and the network that meets their needs unlike any other in the industry.”

The cold chain solutions provider RealCold is expanding into pharmaceutical logistics, announcing Wednesday that it had acquired SCL Cold Chain, a Dallas-based, CEIV-certified logistics company known for its temperature-controlled expertise across specialized sectors including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, wine, and boutique foods.

Lakeland, Florida-based RealCold said it has built its national reputation on engineering bespoke cold chain solutions for the food sector including producers, retailers, and distributors across the country. And the new deal marks its strategic entry into chain-of-custody logistics while significantly expanding the services available to its customers.

SCL's team brings domain expertise in pharmaceutical cold chain logistics, including rigorous continuous temperature monitoring, FDA-registered facilities, and end-to-end cold chain custody, RealCold said. It also delivers regulatory bona fides such as being named a CEIV (Center of Excellence for Independent Validators) Pharma-certified partner, and an FDA-registered and Bonded CFS (Customs Freight Station) facility.

Those credentials complement RealCold's existing FSMA and SQF certifications across its network of over 61 million cubic feet of temperature-controlled space spanning more than 180,000 pallet positions across the United States.

According to the two companies, customers of both organizations stand to benefit from the acquisition. Pharmaceutical customers gain access to RealCold's national footprint and logistics infrastructure, enabling faster, more resilient delivery of temperature-sensitive medications, biologics, vaccines, and clinical trial materials across the country. And food, produce, wine, and specialty product customers gain access to a growing multi-temperature warehousing network, value-added services, e-commerce fulfillment capabilities, and dedicated customer success teams.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but SCL will continue to operate under its existing corporate identity, now as part of RealCold.

The Japanese manufacturing company Misumi Group Inc. has launched an American division that will provide standard, configurable, and custom fabricated parts for engineers and manufacturers, the company said today.

Launched today, Misumi Americas says it is a specification-driven global manufacturing and supply chain company that is positioned to accelerate U.S. manufacturing by combining Japanese operational precision with American digital innovation. It combined those two capabilities when its parent company, Misumi Group, in 2025 acquired Fictiv, a San Francisco-based custom manufacturing service provider.

The company is now planning to expand Misumi’s role from a trusted component supplier to a comprehensive digital manufacturing and supply chain partner. That means that engineering, procurement, and supply chain leaders will gain access to a single provider to launch their entire mechanical bill of materials (BOM), including standard, configurable, and custom mechanical parts, the company said.

Misumi Americas will target users in the sectors of factory automation, robotics, aerospace, eVTOL, satellites, medical devices, and factory automation. Those customers will gain access to a resilient global manufacturing network, with hubs in the U.S., Mexico, China, Japan, and India.

"By combining Misumi’s decades of precision and reliability with Fictiv's AI-powered digital manufacturing platform, we're transforming static supply chains into living, self-optimizing production systems, empowering innovators to move from design to production faster and with greater confidence," said Dave Evans, CEO of MISUMI Americas.

The California drone firm Matternet, which calls itself an autonomous aerial logistics technology company, today said it has raised $33 million and taken the company public.

Matternet said it intends to use the proceeds to launch its next-generation drone delivery platform and expand commercial operations across food, retail, and healthcare.

The deal was structured as a “go-public reverse merger transaction” with Los Altos Ventures Corp., which has been renamed Matternet, Inc. and will continue the historic business of Matternet. It was financed by new investors, including Ed Eisler of EE Holdings and Mark Tompkins of Montrose Capital Partners, as well as several existing investors.

“Drone delivery is a magical way to move things from A to B. Instead of sending a two-ton car across town to deliver a meal or retail item, a small, electric, autonomous aircraft can move it through the air faster, more efficiently, and at lower cost,” Matternet’s founder and CEO, Andreas Raptopoulos, said in a release.

“As we enter the era of physical AI, we believe 2026 is the inflection point for drone delivery in the United States,” Raptopoulos said. “With recent regulatory advances and growing enterprise adoption, we believe the category is entering a phase of exponential growth. With this financing, we are accelerating the development and deployment of our next-generation drone delivery platform to power instant, autonomous delivery for restaurant, retail and healthcare leaders.”

The New York venture capital and private equity firm TMV has launched a $200 million venture fund dedicated to maritime and logistics innovation and safety.

The new “TMV Logistics” will back startup firms as they mature from pre-seed through Series A levels, backing companies that are rebuilding the core infrastructure of maritime, shipbuilding, ports, and intermodal logistics.

Specifically, it will invest across five core technology themes:

• Industrial-grade autonomy and operationally resilient systems
• Verticalized robotics for real-world deployment
• Operational AI for decision-making and orchestration
• Maritime dual-use technologies
• Energy transition and next-generation fuels

According to the new fund, it is launching now because across the global maritime industrial base, a generational shift is underway. Policy intent has moved into execution, with governments and industry aligning around the strategic importance of shipbuilding, shipping, and maritime infrastructure.

In the U.S., federal shipbuilding investment is scaling rapidly, rising from $33.35 billion in FY2024 to $47.3 billion in FY2026, with a proposed $65.8 billion for FY2027. This mirrors a broader global trend, as leading maritime nations commit capital to modernize yards, expand fleets, and strengthen supply chains, TMV Logistics said.

And at the same time, ports and intermodal logistics networks face growing pressure to increase capacity amid geopolitical disruption, energy volatility, and labor constraints. These dynamics are accelerating adoption of automation, AI, robotics, and alternative energy systems, reshaping how global supply chains operate.

TMV Logistics is backed by financing from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a provider of classification and technical advisory services, and by Prologis Ventures, the strategic investment arm of logistics real estate company Prologis.

“With a global footprint across logistics real estate, we see firsthand how constraints at ports and along maritime corridors ripple through the entire supply chain,” said Will O’Donnell, MD, Global Corporate Development; Growth, Prologis Ventures. “Investing in maritime innovation is a natural extension of our work to improve flow, visibility and efficiency from port to warehouse at global scale.”

Global shipping industry group the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has launched an international framework to regulate autonomous ships operating with little or no human crew.

According to IMO, the new International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) will support the safe integration of AI-enabled and remotely operated commercial ships into global shipping.

The new framework will ensure that remotely controlled or autonomous ships:

• are designed and operated to a level of safety, security, and environmental protection that is expected of a conventional ship
• comply with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and other applicable mandatory IMO instruments.

In IMO’s definition, a ship is considered autonomous if such shipboard technology is designed and verified to control actions without human intervention. While the number of fully crewless or remote-operated ships are currently limited, a growing number are being successfully trialed internationally, IMO said.

Accordingly, the MASS Code introduces new requirements for the design, approval, and operation of these ships, including in key areas such as navigation, connectivity, remote operations, fire safety, and search and rescue. It places strong emphasis on risk assessment, robust system design, cybersecurity, and the integration of Remote Operations Centres (ROCs). And it underscores the importance of human oversight, with the master retaining overall responsibility for the ship at all times – even if not on board the ship.

Parcel delivery firm DHL eCommerce will use the United States Postal Service (USPS) as its exclusive provider of last-mile delivery service, under a “multi-year,” $10 billion agreement announced today.

Specifically, the deal will see DHL eCommerce continue to handle nationwide pickup, sortation across its 19 fully automated hubs, and linehaul on its air and ground network before partnering with USPS to complete the final mile for all deliveries. Through that approach, DHL eCommerce will tap into USPS’ final-mile network, which reaches more than 41,550 ZIP Codes and more than 170 million delivery points six days a week.

The exact length of the deal was not disclosed, but the deal marks an extension of the 25-year partnership between Florida-based DHL eCommerce and USPS.

According to DHL eCommerce, strengthening that relationship with USPS will help it capitalize on accelerating e‑commerce trends, and expand in the U.S. market over the next several years through its domestic and international services. More specifically, in its efforts to keep up with e-commerce growth rates, the firm intends to double its parcel business by 2030, Scott Ashbaugh, the CEO of DHL eCommerce Americas, said in a video press conference.

But to reach that goal, the firm needed a dedicated last-mile service provider. As the business to consumer (B2C) parcel arm of German logistics giant DHL, Ashbaugh said that DHL eCommerce Americas had three options for obtaining that service: building the network itself, acquiring an organization to provide the service, or partnering with an existing last-mile company. Today’s announcement means it chose the third option.

USPS Postmaster General David Steiner described the deal as a “win-win” move, saying that DHL didn’t want to spend the “massive amount of capital” it would cost to build out its own last-mile network, so it turned to USPS’ existing network instead. Those USPS operations include 160,000 street corner mailboxes, 230,000 delivery trucks, 170 million delivery addresses across the country, and 620,000 employees, Steiner said.

Federal transportation regulators have rolled out a new registration system for truck drivers, school bus operators, and other motor carriers, saying the “Motus” tool replaces a decades-old network of loosely connected applications that allowed too much fraud.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administrator (FMCSA), the previous system allowed fraudulent carriers applying for a federal trucking registration number to easily hide their identities. But the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will now use biometrics and data analytics to ensure that applicants are who they say they are, and that the businesses they represent are legitimate, legal entities.

“FMCSA’s registration modernization effort represents a major advancement in how the agency oversees and supports the commercial motor vehicle industry,” FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs said in a release. “This system improves efficiency for legitimate carriers while strengthening FMCSA’s ability to detect fraud, improve data quality, and identify unsafe operators.”

In a release, FMCSA said that legacy oversight of commercial trucking had required just an email, name, and physical address in order to register as a motor carrier. That approach allowed bad drivers and fraudulent companies to easily shed their negative safety records, spin up new corporate identities, and evade federal oversight. Calling them high-risk "chameleon" and reincarnated carriers, FMCSA said those companies allowed unsafe trucks onto American roadways and exposing the public to preventable risk.

“Dangerous foreign drivers and the shell companies who employ them have been taking advantage of this lax, decrepit federal registration system for years. The lack of accountability is disturbing, and it’s killed American families on our roads,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. “Thanks to President Trump, we are delivering a new registration system that will stop fraud dead in its tracks and strengthen oversight on shady carriers.”

Within the supply chain, there’s a clear optimism hovering around artificial intelligence (AI). Even grizzled veterans who have lived through less-than-stellar implementations of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and RFID seem almost giddy about the technology’s potential.

For example, Korhan Acar, a partner at the analyst firm Kearney, has firmly stated that the technology is “for real” and “going to solve a lot of our problems.” Speaking during a panel discussion at last year’s press conference on the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals’ annual “State of Logistics Report,” Acar related that while studying for his master’s degree, he wrote an algorithm to efficiently schedule dock doors at less-than-truckload terminals. According to Acar, it used to take two days to run the algorithm and get results. “Just out of curiosity, I used AI to solve the same problem a couple of months ago, and it took it three seconds,” he said.

Outside the corner office, however, there’s a growing distrust of AI—among workers and among the public at large. Americans in general are skeptical that AI will benefit everyone equally and are worried that it will steal jobs and have a negative effect on society.

These diverging viewpoints can be seen when comparing the “2026 MHI Annual Industry Report,” based on a survey of more than 500 supply chain leaders, with results from a May 2026 poll from YouGov and The Economist, based on a survey of more than 1,500 U.S. adults.

The Annual Industry Report, which is produced by the industry association MHI and the consulting firm Deloitte, found that 61% of respondents believe AI will either transform the supply chain or drive major improvements. For example, nearly a third of respondents have high hopes that AI will enhance demand/inventory optimization, while 30% believe it will improve predictive maintenance/equipment reliability, and 27% hope to use it to automate operational decision-making. In a time when many companies are delaying supply chain tech investments due to an uncertain economic outlook, 65% of surveyed companies are planning to invest in AI. Indeed, 41% say they are using AI today, and another 47% predict they will adopt AI in five years.

Contrast that with the views expressed in the YouGov/Economist survey. A little more than half of respondents said they are pessimistic about the long-term impact of AI on society, while 25% said they were optimistic, and 24% said they were not sure. More than 70% of respondents believe that the pace of AI development is too fast. On top of that, 63% say that it is unlikely that AI will produce economic gains for everyone, and 51% are very worried or somewhat worried that AI will replace jobs.

Clearly, two different stories are being told about AI. The same technology that supply chain leaders see as an enabler for resilience, cost control, and safety is something the public associates with job loss and unfair economic gains. In other words, the people deciding to buy AI are far more optimistic than the people who will have to live with its consequences.

It would be easy to shrug off this difference and say it doesn’t apply to your plans for implementing AI in your fulfillment or logistics operations. But the reality is that your employees and partners don’t leave those headlines at the door; they bring their concerns into your warehouse.

And that means you have to acknowledge and address those concerns or else risk having your implementation fail. To succeed, you need to be explicit about where AI will and will not replace tasks and offer an open and honest assessment of the prospects for job losses or gains. You should also share how productivity gains will be reinvested—whether that’s in increased safety, higher wages, or new opportunities. Employees need to know how the technology will benefit them, not just the company’s bottom line. Most importantly, front-line employees need to have a voice in where and how AI is deployed.

The gap between the two stories about AI isn’t just a media narrative problem—it’s a management problem. If you ignore it, you will pay for it when it comes to adoption, trust, and retention.

It’s an unusual name for a company, but it’s one that has served Big Ass Fans well over the years. So when we recently spoke with Brian Hilander, the company’s vice president of engineering and operations, we had to ask him about it. He was happy to satisfy our curiosity.

In his current role, Hilander oversees operations, supply chain, product and software engineering, and installation services for the company, which makes industrial fans and other high-impact airflow solutions. In total, Hilander’s career spans more than three decades in operational leadership across complex manufacturing, service, and engineering environments, including stints at Schneider Electric and Emerson Automation Solutions. In that time, he has led global initiatives in product development, supply chain optimization, and field service execution, while helping organizations improve efficiency, resilience, and the customer experience.

Q: How would you describe the current market for high-volume, low-speed (HVLS) fans?

A: The HVLS market continues to evolve as facilities place greater emphasis on employee comfort, energy efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. We’re seeing strong interest from distribution, manufacturing, and commercial environments that are looking for reliable, low-maintenance solutions to improve air movement at scale.

This is a transformational time for air movement and heat, and we are shifting to help customers and answer their needs. By owning our mission to keep the world safer, healthier, and more productive, and by focusing on solutions to business and customer problems, we have the opportunity for significant growth.

Q: Could you tell the story of how your company went from cooling cows to cooling distribution and manufacturing facilities?

A: We discovered high-volume, low-speed fans being used to cool cattle in California, and we knew this technology would work to cool people. We purchased the rights to build HVLS fans and pioneered their use in industrial settings. This required new engineering, design, and construction, using high-quality, durable materials and adding safety features. We changed the design and construction of HVLS fans to meet the requirements of industrial applications and government safety regulations, even going beyond the requirements. Our design and construction are patented, so other companies cannot match the total performance of our fans.

Q: Can you share how your company came up with its rather unusual name and peoples’ responses to it?

A: We’ve heard everything—from people assuming we’re in the entertainment business to thinking we manufacture something entirely unrelated to air flow. We changed our name from The HVLS Fan Company to Big Ass Fans after listening to our customers. When people would call us, our team answered the phone, “HVLS Fan Company,” and there would be a pause. Then they’d ask, “Are you the company that makes those big ass fans?” It took us a while to recognize the genius in the phrase, but we embraced it and changed the name to Big Ass Fans.

Q: What are the performance benefits of keeping employees comfortable?

A: Studies have shown that worker productivity decreases when the effective temperature exceeds 77 F. In addition, OSHA recommends that a work/rest schedule be implemented when the heat index exceeds 90 F. Using elevated air speed to cool occupants can recapture 15% or more of that lost productivity and reduces the need for heat stress-related breaks.

This has shifted the focus of our conversations with facility managers to how HVLS fans can help with employee retention, reduce absenteeism, [boost] productivity, and prevent health issues related to heat stress. With CFOs, [we explain how] Big Ass Fans can help their bottom line with increased energy savings and creating a competitive advantage by maintaining a comfortable work environment. This leads to higher productivity and lower employee turnover rates. These types of benefits affirm the total cost of ownership and bottom-line value provided to the organization, what we call “Return on Air.”

Q: How can large fans lower facilities’ energy costs?

A: We implement our fans in two main applications: buildings with air conditioning and buildings without conditioned air. Our fans can reduce the energy consumption of buildings’ HVAC systems. In the cooling season, elevated air speed generated by the fans allows for higher thermostat setpoints. In typical applications, the thermostat setpoint can be raised, which equates to energy savings for our customers.

In the heating season, the ceiling fans can run slowly to circulate hot air from the ceiling down to the occupant level. By mixing the air in the space and reducing building heat loss, the heating system will run less frequently, resulting in savings as well.

Q: Could you address the widespread belief that fans should be reversed in the winter to push warm air to the floor?

A: The idea of reversing fans in winter is rooted in good intentions but often leads to unintended consequences. The goal is to mix warm air without creating a draft—which is achievable without reversing the fan. Modern HVLS fans are designed to move air gently enough in the forward direction to bring warm air down from the ceiling without discomfort. Reversing air flow can disrupt the natural circulation pattern and reduce effectiveness. Importantly, the airfoils on our HVLS fans are optimized to operate in the forward direction. The key is proper speed control, not direction.

Q: What are the most significant technology advancements you’ve seen in your market in recent years?

A: We’ve seen meaningful progress in motor efficiency, controls integration, and data-driven facility management. Brushless motor technology has improved reliability and reduced energy consumption. Smart controls allow fans to integrate with building management systems, enabling automated adjustments based on occupancy, temperature, or workflow patterns. As facilities become more connected, customers increasingly expect equipment that can provide insights, not just air flow.

Q: How do you see the role of air flow evolving in industrial and commercial facilities?

A: Air flow is becoming a strategic component of facility design rather than an afterthought. As organizations focus on sustainability, workforce retention, and operational resilience, they’re recognizing that environmental quality directly influences performance. We expect to see greater integration between airflow systems, sensors, and building automation—creating environments that adapt dynamically to the needs of people and processes. The future isn’t just about moving air; it’s about using data and intelligent systems to move it with purpose.

Today’s third-party logistics service providers (3PLs) rely on automation to provide clients with efficient and cost-effective warehousing and fulfillment solutions—a factor that’s becoming more evident as momentum behind the automation movement builds and advanced technologies become more accessible, easier to integrate, and more customizable.

Just ask Omer Rashid, vice president of operations development for contract logistics specialist DHL Supply Chain. Rashid points to the Covid-19 era as the launching point for today’s warehouse technology revolution, which he says is hitting its stride as solutions become more intelligent, affordable, and flexible.

“Covid highlighted the need for automation,” Rashid says, pointing to labor shortages the pandemic exposed and that continue to plague warehousing and logistics businesses nationwide. “Now we have affordable technology and automation solutions to continue to build off of that.

“The intersection of software, AI, [and] analytics capabilities with physical robotics and automation … is really exciting. I think we’re hitting that inflection point where you can bring intelligence into those physical solutions that we’re putting into our sites and really see tremendous benefit.”

That means early adopters like DHL Supply Chain are hitting the sweet spot in their automation strategies while smaller players are getting in on the game by adopting tested technologies that provide a good return on investment (ROI). These 3PLs are focused on two key areas as they build those capabilities: matching the right technology to the customer’s business model—and not the other way around—and focusing on flexible solutions that can scale up and adapt to shifting demands.

FITTING THE PROFILE

Automating your warehouse is no easy task, especially for 3PLs that serve multiple clients within a single facility. California-based DCL Logistics is in that camp, providing e-commerce fulfillment services to consumer electronics, health and beauty, and other consumer packaged goods (CPG) businesses. Company President David Tu says the key to maximizing automation in multitenant facilities is to home in on your ideal customer profile (ICP).

“I think the first thing a 3PL has to do is focus on a particular ICP,” Tu explains, noting that DCL serves customers that ship a low mix but high volume of small items. “Ninety percent of our customers [ship] smaller products with higher velocity—and there are not a lot [with high] SKU [stock-keeping unit] counts.”

That customer profile makes it easier for DCL Logistics—which operates seven warehouses nationwide—to adopt and apply automated equipment and systems, Tu explains. DCL includes automated packaging systems and robotic inventory-tracking solutions among its warehouse automation offerings.

“At a high level, automation thrives on repeatability. Low-mix, high-volume businesses naturally have that,” Tu says. “When you’re shipping a small number of SKUs over and over at high velocity, you can design very tight, optimized workflows around a narrow set of behaviors. That makes it much easier to justify and implement automation.”

Tu points to other conditions that make low-mix, high-volume environments good automation candidates as well: inventory slotting is stable and optimized for throughput; pick paths are consistent; item dimensions and handling requirements are understood and uniform; and demand is concentrated, so that systems stay highly utilized.

“All of that reduces complexity and increases the ROI of automation,” Tu says, noting that DCL seeks a one- to three-year ROI on any automation investments it makes. “Whether it’s conveyance, goods-to-person systems, or robotics, you’re solving the same problem repeatedly at scale.”

High-SKU environments add variability and complexity to the equation. Tu points to the apparel industry as an example, noting that a single T-shirt design can have many SKUs.

“That variability makes it much harder to standardize workflows. Automation systems either become underutilized or overly complex, or they require frequent reconfiguration, which erodes the return,” he says. “So it’s not that automation doesn’t work in high-SKU environments. It just requires more flexible solutions and a much more thoughtful design. That’s where you start to see the shift toward technologies like AMRs [autonomous mobile robots] and software-driven orchestration, rather than rigid, highly specialized systems.”

The point, Tu emphasizes, is to focus on what your ideal customer looks like.

DHL’s Rashid agrees that the customer profile always leads the way in applying automation. He says DHL Supply Chain takes a tailored approach to automating its more than 600 sites across the United States and Canada, most of which are dedicated facilities serving one particular client.

“Essentially, what always drives the decision-making is the data and the profile of the business we’re looking at,” Rashid explains. “We want to let our customers’ profile drive what we need to install. There is never a one-size-fits-all approach to automation.”

STAYING FLEXIBLE AND INTEGRATING WITH EASE

Understanding the customer profile will help determine whether fixed solutions—such as conveyors and sorters, and traditional automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS)—or more flexible options, such as AMRs, are the right answer to automating a facility. And though either path can yield positive results, the experts say flexibility is becoming more important as a way to help customers navigate future demands.

“More and more, especially in shared-use [facilities], customers don’t have sight to where their business will go five to 10 years out,” Rashid says. “So what’s really important is to bring in flexible automation [that] will allow you to adjust as your profile varies over time.”

Rashid says DHL Supply Chain has deployed thousands of robots at its facilities around the world, including AMRs that move product around facilities and interact with humans and other equipment on the warehouse floor. One of the 3PL’s most recent flexible automation projects grew from its partnership with AMR developer Locus Robotics, which recently launched Locus Array, a robots-to-goods (R2G) solution. DHL is using the solution at a facility in Columbus, Ohio.

Array is a fully autonomous fulfillment system that combines mobile robotics, an integrated robotic picking arm, and AI (artificial intelligence)-powered perception with autonomous execution to complete tasks without manual intervention. The tower-style AMR moves autonomously through warehouse aisles, using the robotic picking arm to pick and place items stored in traditional warehouse racks. The solution is powered by the LocusOne AI-driven orchestration platform and operates as part of a unified fleet alongside the company’s other fulfillment robots: its Origin collaborative AMR and its Vector heavy-duty AMR.

DHL is using all three solutions at the Columbus facility. Rashid explains that Array fills a critical gap by automating piece-picking of high SKU-count items in a dense area (the system works in very narrow aisles), while the work that falls outside of those parameters can be handled by Origin or Vector robots.

“Array is really excellent for us because it is combining multiple technologies in a single solution,” Rashid says. “It is also still a flexible solution—there are not a ton of bolts in the ground. You can move it, and it doesn’t take a long time to set up.”

It also incorporates the intelligence that Rashid says is becoming such a game-changer in warehouse automation today.

“I’m really excited about where we’ve arrived with the affordability of automation solutions, enabled by [artificial intelligence and software systems],” he says, adding that 3PLs like DHL Supply Chain are poised to continuously push the industry forward. “We’re there, and we’re trying to go fast.”