order fulfillment – OM in the News

IKEA To Decarbonize Its Last Mile Delivery

IKEA is partnering with Bolt Logistics to reach its goal of 100% zero emission deliveries by 2025 in Canada.

By using its fleet of electric trucks for last mile delivery, Bolt Logistics helps IKEA decarbonize its supply chain. The partnership demonstrates both companies’ commitment to environmental sustainability.

Video Spotlight:

Bolt Logistics and IKEA (Jan 20, 2022, Kalkine Media)
Electric vehicles and the future of deliveries (Apr 29, 2019, IKEA Australia)

This post is based on […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2022-03-01T21:35:35+00:00February 28, 2022|Tags: last mile delivery, logistics, order fulfillment, outsourcing, social and environmental responsibility, supply chain sustainability, transportation|

Shortages from Candy Canes to Chocolate Hearts

First the Grinch struck with a candy cane shortage at Christmas, and now the shortages continue for Valentine’s Day.

High commodity prices, tightened sugar supplies, labor shortages, transportation delays, and supply chain snarls have prevented candy makers from meeting customers’ demand. Despite manufacturers’ efforts (e.g., sourcing from other suppliers, pulling inventory and production forward), the candy shortage continues, leaving retailers struggling to keep favorites in stock.

Video Spotlight:

21Country: Spangler Candy Co. produces the flavor of Christmas […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2022-02-12T00:21:49+00:00February 12, 2022|Tags: aggregate planning, forecasting, inventory, labor shortage, logistics, make-to-stock, order fulfillment, sales and operations planning, seasonality, shortages, transportation|

Ottobots, Assemble! And Deliver.

Passengers at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport can now use their phones to order food and/or retail items and have their purchases delivered to their airport location by a fleet of fully autonomous robots called Ottobots.

Purchases are retrieved by customers from the robot’s secure compartment with a unique QR code that can be scanned by the robot’s camera. Contactless delivery, fueled by the pandemic, is made possible with Ottonomy’s proprietary Contextual Mobility technology. It enables Ottobots to navigate through crowds […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2022-02-07T04:47:45+00:00February 7, 2022|Tags: automation, delivery, last mile delivery, order fulfillment, robots, service processes, technology|

GXO Provides Logistics For Leading Retailers

Saks outsourced its logistics to GXO fulfillment center in Middletown, Pennsylvania to ship directly to customers nationwide.

This outsourcing move allowed Saks to meet surging e-commerce demand as the 2021 holiday season approached. The use of GXO’s collaborative robots and shared-space distribution network reduced transit times, freight costs, and supply chain congestion.

Most recently GXO announced it will handle warehouse operations for Zooplus, Europe’s leading online retailer for pet food and accessories.

Video Spotlight:

GXO: Logistics at Full […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2022-02-04T01:46:14+00:00February 3, 2022|Tags: aggregate planning, capacity, chase demand strategy, logistics, order fulfillment, outsourcing, sales and operations planning|