Month: January 2019

Amazon Built an Electronic Vest to Improve Worker/Robot Interactions

January 20, 2019

TechCrunch released on Friday 1/18/19 that Amazon has developed a vest for warehouse associates that alerts robots of their human positioning. The article highlights are:

  • Over the course of the last year, Amazon began rolling out a new worker safety wearable to 25+ sites.
  • Robotic Tech Vest is really more like a pair of suspenders attached to an electronic utility belt. It looks like: amazonpng
  • The Amazon Robotics-designed product was created to keep workers safe when they need to enter a space in order to fix a robotic system or retrieve fallen items.
  • Built-in sensors alert Amazon’s robotic systems to the wearer’s presence, and they slow down to avoid a collision.
  • Porter, Amazon Robotics VP, notes that tests with the vest have a “huge success,” with “more than one million unique activations” having been recorded with the systems it’s deployed thus far.

Read More: https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/18/amazon-built-an-electronic-vest-to-improve-worker-robot-interactions/

 

UPS launches Saturday pick-up service for U.S exporters

January 18, 2019

UPS announced today that businesses will be able to schedule a Saturday pick-up from the U.S to 57 key international markets. Shipments will be processed and shipped on Saturday with delivery as soon as the following Monday; one day faster than previous UPS time-in-transit. The destination counties are:

ups

According to Nando Cesarone, President UPS International: “One day makes a big difference when it comes to your international customers deciding to place an order.” Saturday shipping will enable businesses to add a sixth day to ship internationally, providing an opportunity to turn inventory faster, utilize space more efficiently, and increase productivity. With 95% of consumers located outside the U.S., there is a vast untapped market that is ripe for new entrants.

More information on press. release: https://www.pressroom.ups.com/pressroom/ContentDetailsViewer.page?ConceptType=PressReleases&id=1547470377335-519

UPS appoints Gilbert President, Supply Chain Solutions

January 17, 2019

Looks like we have a new appointee to the UPS Management Committee. UPS announced that Philippe Gilbert was hired as the President, Supply Chain Solutions. Gilbert will report to UPS Chief Operating Officer, Jim Barber, and will be based out of HQ in Atlanta.

This is a new role for UPS and in such, Mr. Gilbert will be responsible for Global Logistics and Distribution, Global Freight Forwarding, UPS Freight as well as the technology-driven truckload freight brokerage business at Coyote.

More information about the appointment:  https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/16/1696786/0/en/UPS-Appoints-Philippe-Gilbert-President-Supply-Chain-Solutions.html

More information about Mr. Gilbert: https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippe-gilbert-718315/