On June 8 and 9, 2022, Ship Occasion came about in Amsterdam. This occasion gave us the chance to fulfill and change with logistics options from all around the world.
On this context, I had the chance to change with Jan Heijblom, Gross sales Supervisor at GreyOrange. Jan and I had been in a position to focus on numerous subjects, corresponding to automation and warehouse processes:
Are you able to introduce your self and your background?
I’m Jan Heijblom, I work with GreyOrange which is about robotics for logistics. I’ve a warehouse administration background which is sort of near this enterprise.
And might you inform us extra about GreyOrange?
As I mentioned, GreyOrange is about robotics for logistics, both in a warehouse or in a retailer. I’ll be trustworthy with you, most of our clients are in a warehouse. We manufacture robots however are additionally a reseller of different robots. We at the moment have like 10 robots en the market (1 is manufactured by us).
In logistics, you possibly can discover a rise of the robotization of multiple course of step. It may very well be selecting, packing or transport.
The extra steps you robotize, the bigger the significance of software program will get. As a result of in case you choose at twice the speed, you need the packing course of to be synchronized to keep away from any type of disturbance. Then, you may want to regulate that transferring individuals from the selecting course of to the packing one, leaving solely robots behind. Because of this the software program is so vital. That is GreyOrange.
You discuss providing a number of robots and automation methods available on the market. How do you adapt to the calls for of your clients?
We nearly all the time go on website and have a chat with the individuals accountable for the warehouse about the place his points are, the place his challenges and ache are. Then, we attempt to determine which of those robots can be the very best relevant to unravel the problems recognized.
Typically they transfer to a B2B solely mannequin to including a B2C stream. Your gadgets are then stocked a bit in another way. You then begin a giant mission, the place you go from bigger pallet sort of storage to choose storage for B2C orders.
Then, we introduce both one of many robotics options. It actually will depend on the setting: we do an interview, we go there, we speak with the workers working within the warehouse, after which we work out what’s the finest for them.
You helped H&M with its deployment within the USA. Are you able to inform us extra about this consumer case?
In just one website, the west coast one, we’ve 760 robots working. That is actually big. That is our showcase from a measurement perspective. That is precisely the place the significance of the software program performs a giant function. It’s a must to guarantee that these robots don’t stumble upon one another and nonetheless run an honest job, provide you with a superb throughput. 760 robots suggest a totally totally different problematic.
Certainly, you have to have the proper software program. The platform used is similar as WhatsApp. It’s actually serving to us deal with massive volumes of processes.
What had been the challenges you confronted through the sanitary state of affairs of the previous couple of years?
We had extra calls for. The impact was large as a result of it made lots of people conscious that they wanted to purchase on-line. Even in some nations the place individuals are nonetheless used to prioritize conventional shops to buy. Certainly, you need to adapt and buy groceries on-line.
COVID truly helped our clients with digital transformation.
What errors do you normally determine when visiting your clients?
I believe a lot of our clients wrestle with easy methods to deal with B2C. Lots of our clients are used to work in a business-to-business stream. B2C implies a special distribution line, a special community. How do you try this? That is the problem.
We’re not the entire answer, additionally they want a special transportation mannequin going from a B2B to a B2C mannequin.
Did you determine logistics developments for the subsequent 5 years?
What you’ll see an increasing number of is that you simply not solely go for one robotized answer, however for just a few. That is the place synchronization is available in. The pattern is that you simply not solely wish to retailer them, but additionally choose them the place they’re sorted.
Individuals may also are inclined to undertake utterly robotized transport, from selecting to packing. It’s already there, however not many firms do it. That is going to develop with time as a result of it is a scalable answer. That is the fantastic thing about robots, when you have the best software program.
We’re on the Ship occasion in Amsterdam. How did the occasion go for you? Is it your first?
It’s the second Ship we attend. It was actually good. I actually preferred it final 12 months. This 12 months is significantly better since I believe, with COVID, all people desires to go to a commerce present and to be there.
Will you come to the subsequent editions?
Sure, US and Europe, 100%.