Strategy and Sustainability

Dollar General Dual DC To Serve 1,000 Stores

In Blair, Nebraska, Dollar General has opened its first dual distribution center.

At full capacity, the DC will supply traditional and fresh produce to 1,000 Dollar General stores. The discount retailer expanded fresh produce options recently at its stores.

This site was chosen for its central location, quality roads, and hard-working labor. The Blair DC will serve as a hub for distributing products across stores in the U.S.

Video Spotlight:

How Dollar Stores Quietly Consumed America (Sept 7, 2023, […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-09-20T10:11:48+00:00September 20, 2023|Tags: distribution centers, location planning, logistics, perishable inventory management|

Boosting Fruit-Picking Productivity: Tevel’s Flying Robots

Israel is abuzz with news about Tevel’s fruit-picking, AI robot.

The Flying Autonomous Robot™ (FAR) can autonomously harvest crops normally picked by hand or other equipment. It can also mimic the activities of bees, pollinating the crops.

Israel has become a hub for over 500 agri-tech companies that call it home.

Interested in learning more about use of drones in agriculture? See the post, New Buzz on Drones.

Video Spotlight:

The Future of Harvesting: Fruit-Picking Flying […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2023-09-01T19:08:41+00:00September 1, 2023|Tags: agriculture, automation, climate change, drones, efficiency, labor shortage, location planning, productivity, robotics, sustainability|

Alef’s Flying Car Almost Ready for Lift-Off

Alef is a step closer to making flying cars a reality since its recent receipt of a Special Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration.

The idea of a flying car was conceived in 2015, by Alef’s founders. A prototype was launched in late 2022.

The certificate allows Alef to test fly the electric car. Alef will start production and delivery of flying cars in late 2025.

Video Spotlight:

Alef flying car evtol sertification [sic] (June 28, 2023, FLYING […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-08-06T03:07:29+00:00August 6, 2023|Tags: automation, idea generation, innovation, new product development, prototyping, technology|

Amazon Adds More Electric Delivery Vehicles in Europe

To help deliver more packages in a sustainable manner in Europe, Amazon has deployed 300+ Rivian-made electric delivery vehicles (EDV) in Germany, adding to its existing fleet of 1,000 electric vans.

The EDVs are part of Amazon’s $1.09 billion climate pledge to reach the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Video Spotlight:

Amazon Rivian (July 4, 2023, Amazon.de)

This post is based on the Inside EVs article, Amazon Starts Operating Rivian EDV 500 Electric […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-07-30T03:56:32+00:00July 30, 2023|Tags: cradle-to-grave assessment, service design, social and environmental responsibility, strategy, sustainability|