The Material Handling Blog

For years, logistics consultants, material handling engineers , and supply chain execution providers have been slicing-and-dicing warehouse statistics in a quest to enhance employee performance for the ultimate purpose of bringing profitable dollars to the bottom line. While having tangible statistics and historical records of warehouse operation is important, I suggest that these benchmarks alone will not drive peak employee or warehouse performance.

This supply chain evolution has created the need for hyper-local fulfillment, which also comes with its own challenges. Customers expect things like free or low-cost shipping, same or next day delivery, hassle-free returns and inventory to be always in stock, just to name a few.

Bastian Solutions’ Supply Chain Explained: LIVE webinar series continued with Robert Humphry, manager of systems sales taking a look at the complicated industry of frozen and refrigerated goods.

Our second webinar of the Supply Chain Explained: LIVE series featured advice from Bastian Solutions’ Director of Consulting, Jason Tenorio, on challenges everyone in the B2B warehousing world is facing. The country has seen a large increase in onshoring due to international transportation issues, along with shutdowns or extreme volume losses in the food service, retail and entertainment industries. In some situations, B2B warehouses are being converted to ecommerce shipping sites, and are being asked to drop-ship direct to consumer orders. We’ve also seen an increase in labor shortages and turnover rates – making it that much harder to meet demand.

In the first installment of our Supply Chain Explained: LIVE webinar series, Director of National Accounts Matt Kuper discussed the massive impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the ecommerce supply chain. With retailers shifting to more online sales, grocers managing more buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) orders, and supply chain interruptions across the globe hindering the ability to order parts or products, we saw a major shift in buying patterns for both B2B and B2C.

The two weeks at the beginning of a project take just as long as at the end of a project. The difference between the beginning and end, is that the beginning is usually less stressful than when a project is getting close to a deadline or a hard Go Live date. It can be easy to let precious time slip! By being efficient during the negotiation stage and clearly communicating the project timeline and milestones at the beginning of the process, you can help your projects run smoother.

Ever wondered what Bastian Solutions interns are up to during their programs? Bastian Solutions makes every effort to ensure each intern goes back to school or out into the industry with valuable skills necessary for success. From controls to software and systems, our interns had a diverse experience this year, and even with the challenges presented with COVID-19, they each flourished and brought great value to our teams!

Without a doubt, microfulfillment is one of the hottest trends in supply chain. The ability to get products into consumers’ hands quicker than your competitors is the ultimate leg up, so not only is it a trend, but it’s a strategy enabling today’s retailers to decentralize fulfillment, create a better customer experience and redefine the retail landscape. So, what is it?

In the spirit of Canada’s National Engineering Month back in March, and as we welcome a new wave of grads into the workforce, we’re sharing our top tips for inspiring students and young engineers to join the engineering field, stay motivated, and find the community they need to feel sense of belonging. In light of COVID-19’s isolation measures, there’s no better time to connect with community members for a video call to discuss their goals and how you can support them.

Graduating from university is an exciting and meaningful milestone for many. Following shortly after is a huge leap into the first full-time position of your career

At Bastian Solutions' R&D branch, we have seen many intern candidates and interested students apply, all hoping to get into robotics. Here are three characteristics that we look for. They may not be what you think!

While most of our projects are successful, there is always the occasional project that didn’t go as planned. Here are some lessons learned from a recent project involving timing belt transfers and styrofoam coolers. Read: Lessons Learned: Styrofoam Coolers and Timing Belt Transfers