Warehousing as it is today is headed for a metamorphosis. Startups come with new innovations as they want to bring a different vibe to the business world. While giants such as Walmart and Amazon have paved the way with techno-savvy advancements to the supply-chain, it is the startups that have our attention.
Many warehousing activities are still performed manually. Problems arising from this include wrong products being picked as well as shipping delays. Advances in technology are bringing much-needed transformations in this instance.
There are certain startups that are set to change the face of warehousing as you know it. The products and services offered by these startups attract funding that will dictate what they become in the days to come.
Startups to Look Out for
The following startups are bound to see warehousing go through a variety of transitions.
Warehouse and Inventory Management Software
These companies are usually cloud-based and offer the software as a service. They provide services such as management and inventory tracking solutions. They attract a large amount of funding. Temando is one such company which leads in this category with a funding of $50M.
Another is Peoplevox which is located in the United Kingdom. It works with SaaS to offer warehouse-optimisation solutions and attracts a $6M funding.
Warehouse Robots
Vision-guided automated vehicles have transformed the way materials are handled in the warehouse. Seegrid has made quite a splash in this respect and has attracted a $63M funding because of their innovative technology. They count companies such as Boeing and Amazon among their clients.
Wearables
Smartglass was developed by GetVU because they saw a void that needed filling in picking. The aim was to make picking accurate and they have been credited with a 99.99% reduction in errors by automating pick and pack processes.
Atheer is also a startup worth mentioning for their contributions to hands-free computing. This has been made possible by their AiR smart glasses.
Worker safety has been a concern for Kinetic especially with regard to lifting. Any workers get injured while picking heavy items and messing their backs or having the items fall on them. There is more information at Smart Space UK on warehouses and worker safety.
The company came up with a device worn on the belt that shows when a worker is lifting correctly or incorrectly. It uses some sophisticated algorithms which work in tandem with sensors to provide feedback.
Packing
Robots have revolutionised packing in the warehouse. With last minutes requests from customers to modify items, co-pack them or customise, warehouses can find themselves overwhelmed.
QubeVu is making packing more manageable with their 3D technology. The technology offers welcome solutions to industries that include retail, distribution as well as logistics.
Warehousing On-demand
Seasons come with demand for various products and warehouses often deal with limited space. Additional warehousing is needed to meet with additional products.
Flexe fills this void by providing solutions such as matching retailers with who need the extra warehousing with warehouses that can store their added inventory. They work in cooperation with an online marketplace to provide this service.
Conclusion
These startups are set to revolutionise warehousing thus making it more manageable and helping to reduce error. Advancements in technology will go a long way in ensuring that warehousing is more efficient.
