iTWire - Manufacturing Technology

Empowering Tomorrow: Manhattan Associates Unveils Industry-First Innovations at APAC Exchange 2024

2024-08-30T13:06:51+10:00

Cutting-edge innovations in supply chain planning and generative AI took centre stage at annual Manhattan Exchange event

Manhattan Associates (NASDAQ: MANH), a leading provider of supply chain and omnichannel management software, hosted its 10th APAC Exchange Conference at the Grand Hyatt in Melbourne. This premier event attracted over 200 representatives from the retail, logistics, and supply chain sectors, offering an unparalleled platform to explore the latest advancements and strategies shaping the industry.

The conference, themed "Make the Impossible, Possible," immersed attendees in discussions on supply chain innovation, customer engagement, unified commerce, and automation. Sessions highlighted how emerging technologies are empowering businesses to meet consumer demands for faster and more flexible fulfillment and more personalised shopping experiences.

Continuing its legacy of industry leadership and technological innovation, Manhattan Associates introduced two groundbreaking solutions at the event: the Manhattan Active Supply Chain Planning Solution and Manhattan Active Maven.

The Manhattan Active Supply Chain Planning Solution, the industry’s first unified business planning platform, enables bi-directional collaboration between supply chain planning and execution systems. This allows planners to evaluate all operational factors in real-time and align systems, inventory, and resources with a common business objective.

In addition, Manhattan Associates unveiled Manhattan Active Maven, a specialised Generative AI (GenAI) solution designed specifically for customer service. Alongside Manhattan Assist, this innovation integrates cutting-edge GenAI capabilities into all Manhattan Active solutions, setting a new standard for customer service excellence.

Raghav Sibal, managing director for Australia and New Zealand at Manhattan Associates, stated, "Hosting the APAC Exchange Conference allowed us to showcase innovations that truly redefine what’s possible in supply chain management. With the introduction of these groundbreaking solutions, we’re not just closing gaps in supply chain intelligence – we’re setting new benchmarks for efficiency and innovation that will drive the industry forward."

Sibal added, "Attendees had the unique opportunity to explore and interact with our Omni solutions at the Exchange Pop-Up Store, offering a firsthand look at the technologies shaping the future of retail and supply chain management."

A key highlight of the conference was the insightful presentations from prominent customer speakers, including Matt Hassall, General Manager of Omni Fulfillment at Super Retail Group; Olivia Vincent, Supply Chain Director at L’Oréal; and David Brennan, General Manager of Supply Chain at Chemist Warehouse.

Dematic launches new vision picking solution to the Australian and New Zealand supply chain industries

2024-08-27T13:58:22+10:00

Dematic, a leading global supplier of integrated supply chain and warehouse automation technologies, software, and services, is excited to announce the launch of its innovative Vision Picking Solution in Australia and New Zealand. This advanced solution is designed to optimise warehouse worker productivity and enhance supply chain processes by integrating vision-assisted picking with real-time logistics solutions.

“In today’s fast-paced supply chain environment, it is vital to always know where your stock, orders, people, and equipment are. Dematic’s mobility and productivity solutions empower supply chain operators with key information whenever and wherever it is needed. This leads to enhanced decision-making, optimised service levels, and reduced costs,” says Lee Koutsos, Director of Real Time Logistics and Colby Storage Solutions ANZ at Dematic.

The Dematic Vision Picking Solution incorporates a small heads-up display (HUD) that improves the warehouse picking process by providing visual confirmation of instructions. This hands-free technology works seamlessly with vision-picking software, which can be applied to any vision glasses technology and can also work in tandem with voice-picking technology. By displaying the items to be picked (including images for fast identification) along with their quantities and locations (including check digits to ensure the right location is selected), the solution ensures smoother and more accurate picking.

The Dematic Vision Picking Solution offers numerous key benefits, including:

Enhanced efficiency: Hands-free picking and better spatial awareness.

Increased Accuracy: Visual confirmation reduces picking errors.

Reduced Training Times: Intuitive design simplifies onboarding.

Improved visibility: Real-time data provides up-to-date information on stock and asset traceability as well as stocktake.

Optimised Workflows: Improves overall warehouse operations.

“The Dematic Vision Picking Solution addresses key challenges currently faced by the supply chain industry, including the high cost of labour, labour shortages and turnover, and the need for faster order fulfilment. By integrating advanced technologies into warehouse operations, Dematic is helping businesses overcome these challenges, improve accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency,” continues Koutsos.

The solution is ideal for various warehouse applications such as picking cases from pallet racking, picking eaches from cartons in shelving, replenishment, stocktaking, and maintenance and inspection tasks. The solution is also ideal in temperature-controlled environments (where staff typically wear gloves) and supports multiple languages, making it suitable for a diverse workforce.

To further boost productivity, the Dematic Vision Picking Solution includes gamification features. Staff can engage in competitive activities and achieve targets, with rewards for meeting activity-based goals.

“The new Dematic Vision Picking Solution is available through our Real Time Logistics division in Australia and New Zealand. It was developed from our deep global experience and rigorous in-house testing, and it is supported by our large Australian team of engineers, project managers, and software developers. We provide ongoing support from a large customer service team with a 24/7 contact centre and in-house repair centre,” concludes Koutsos.

Dematic to Exhibit its latest Advanced Logistics Solutions AT CeMat Australia 2024

2024-07-04T13:10:55+10:00

GUEST EVENT: Dematic, a leading global supplier of integrated supply chain and warehouse automation technologies, software, and services, is set to showcase its wide range of advanced solutions at CeMAT Australia in Melbourne, 23-25 July.

“With supply chain and warehousing challenges around labour, land availability and increasing customer service levels, Dematic will be focusing on the latest technologies that maximise productivity, storage and throughput capacity, speed and accuracy, while providing flexibility and agility,” says David Rubie, ANZ Sales Director Integrated Systems and Mobile Automation at Dematic.

Visitors to the Dematic stand, located right at the entrance to the exhibition, will experience the Dematic Virtual Hub, an interactive 3D warehouse visualisation. This will see attendees navigate through virtual warehouse environments, see Dematic automation solutions in action, and learn how Dematic customers from around the world are utilising automation technology and software to optimise their supply chains. A Dematic expert-led guided tour of the Dematic Virtual Hub will run twice daily throughout CeMAT.

Dematic will also feature equipment displays on the stand, including an Eaches Picking showcase with the full range of leading goods-to-person (GTP), high-efficiency item-picking solutions, including Dematic Multishuttle-based and Autostore GTP systems, and for the first time in Australia, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) for picking.

“Excitingly, 2024 sees the first appearance of Colby Storage Solutions by Dematic at CeMAT. Visitors will be able to see up-close the design features that make Australian-made ColbyRACK pallet racking the best in the industry for safety, strength, and lowest overall lifetime costs,” says Lee Koutsos, Director Real Time Logistics and Colby Storage Solutions ANZ at Dematic.

Dematic will also showcase its Mobile Automation and Real Time Logistics solutions, with a Vision Picking demo, Voice and RF Handheld devices on display, and a new “follow-me” AMR solution in action on the stand. Visitors can also see the latest freezer-rated Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) from Dematic, which includes new safety features added to meet the new Australian AGV standards.

Alongside the Dematic exhibit, visitors can attend the Knowledge Theatre session with Pas Tomasiello, Vice President Sales — APAC, Dematic, on the topic of navigating the complexity of order fulfilment automation. The session will be held on day three of CeMAT (25th July at 10:15am).

“CeMAT Australia provides Dematic a premier platform to engage with industry leaders and showcase how Dematic technology can drive efficiency and growth for businesses across Australia. Dematic has been a strong supporter of CeMAT Australia since its first year in 2015,” adds Rubie. “The continuing presence of Dematic at CeMAT Australia underscores its commitment to delivering advanced solutions and intelligent software that empower companies in ANZ to meet the evolving demands of local and global markets. With a legacy of over 200 years in the material handling industry globally and over 50 years in Australia, Dematic continues to lead the way in providing a comprehensive range of flexible, adaptable solutions that address the challenges of today and tomorrow.”

CeMAT Australia will be held from July 23-25 at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Join Dematic on stand 200 for the Virtual Hub Experience with guided tours each day at 11 am and 2:30 pm and get a barista-made coffee on the house!

Dematic Completes First Deployment of New End-to-End Automation Solution for the Meat Processing Industry

2024-07-02T09:39:22+10:00

COMPANY NEWS: Dematic, a leading provider of intelligent warehouse solutions, has developed a new end-to-end automation solution with its first roll-out at a leading Australian meat processing facility.

The first-of-its-kind deployment combines a Dematic Multishuttle Meat Buffer system with a pallet automated storage and retrieval system that features the first installation of Dematic’s newly freezer-rated, high-reach automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The solution is managed and controlled by Dematic software.

“Meat processing facilities in Australia are currently faced with a range of challenges stemming from the fact that cold storage facilities are harsh environments for workers, leading to the risk of worker injuries, difficulties in sourcing labour, and time lost in managing complex occupational health and safety issues,” says Soeren Schauki, Business Development Manager at Dematic. “Our new end-to-end automation solution offers the meat processing industry an answer to overcoming these challenges, with equipment that is rated for around-the-clock operation in cold storage environments and presents minimal risk to workers.”

The Dematic Multishuttle Meat Buffer system operates in both frozen and chilled environments and allows for the transfer of product cartons between aisles without the use of a traditional conveyor system, which increases flexibility and throughput.

It is a high performance, accurate, safe, and cost-effective automated order fulfilment and dispatch processing system. It limits labour intensive manual handling and offers unlimited order assembly flexibility. The solution can pick multiple SKUs concurrently within a single aisle, while providing high throughput, order flexibility, and accessibility to stock.

The system eliminates many potential occupational health and safety hazards associated with the manual handling of heavy cartons and errors associated with incorrect picking. Dematic software provides full track-and-trace capabilities for every carton of every SKU.

Dematic recently released its third generation high-reach AGVs, and they are now all rated for deployment in freezer environments. Designed and built in Australia (and currently available only in the Asia-Pacific region), these Dematic AGV systems limit occupational health and safety risks and increase productivity by operating full-time in temperatures down to -25°C – picking and transporting product.

The advanced, self-charging AGVs feature high-precision laser guidance and the latest safety technology, including a 360° safety scanning system with automatic slowing and stopping, easily accessible emergency-stop buttons, and visual and audible warning and alarm lights. They improve operational efficiency and accuracy, and they can operate 24/7 year-round.

Dematic is Australia’s only manufacturer of freezer rated AGVs, and its fleet of AGVs were recently updated in line with Australian Standard - AS 5144-4, (equivalent to international standard - ISO 3691-4).

“Meat processing facilities are ideal candidates for full automation, not only to address labour challenges in cold storage and freezer environments, but also to enhance accuracy, traceability, and control of perishable food products,” says Tony Raggio, General Manager Sales – Dematic ANZ Mobile Automation. “As a result, Dematic is experiencing increased demand for comprehensive solutions that incorporate multiple automation technologies. Our new end-to-end automation solution, which combines the Dematic Multishuttle Meat Buffer system with our freezer-rated AGV-based storage and retrieval system, has been developed to meet this demand in the Australian market.”

Manhattan Associates named a Leader in 2024 Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for both Transportation and Warehouse Management System

2024-05-20T23:50:16+10:00

COMPANY NEWS: Manhattan Associates Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH), a global leader in supply chain commerce solutions, proudly announces its dual recognition as a Leader in both the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). This marks the sixth consecutive year Manhattan has been recognised for TMS and the sixteenth consecutive year for WMS, highlighting the company’s sustained excellence and leadership in supply chain technology.

Manhattan Active® Transportation Management (TM) has been praised for its comprehensive capabilities and robust performance, ranking among the top three vendors in Level 3, Level 4, and Level 5 Complexity Use Cases in the Critical Capabilities Report. As supply chains become increasingly complex, enterprises seek solutions that can seamlessly orchestrate transportation and distribution processes. Manhattan Active TM stands out with its cloud-native technology architecture and unified supply chain platform, which breaks down execution silos to provide real-time visibility, predictive analytics, and automation capabilities. This innovative approach enables companies to eliminate inefficiencies and make data-driven decisions, a crucial advantage in today's fast-paced business environment.

Bryant Smith, Director of Product Management for Manhattan Associates, expressed his enthusiasm about the recognition, stating, "We are delighted to be recognised by Gartner as a Leader in TMS for the sixth time in a row. Manhattan Active TM is designed to manage every transportation function, across any mode or size of network, and leverages advanced intelligence to solve even the largest and most complex transportation challenges."

Manhattan Active TM can be integrated with Manhattan Active Warehouse Management and Manhattan Active Yard Management, offering a unified supply chain execution system. This integration provides companies with a comprehensive view of their distribution network, unlocking optimisation opportunities that traditional siloed systems cannot offer.

Simultaneously, Manhattan Active® Warehouse Management (WM) continues to set the standard for warehouse management solutions. Recognised as a Leader for the sixteenth time since the inception of the Gartner WMS Magic Quadrant in 2006, Manhattan Active WM is renowned for its cloud-native, microservices architecture that supports scalability and ease-of-use. This advanced infrastructure is suitable for a wide range of warehouse complexities, from medium-sized operations to the world's largest, most automated distribution centers. Manhattan Active WM transcends basic warehouse operations, facilitating a hyper-efficient flow of goods and information.

Adam Kline, Senior Director of Product Management for Manhattan Associates, commented on this achievement, saying, "We are thrilled to be named a Magic Quadrant Leader in Warehouse Management Systems by Gartner once again. We believe this recognition reflects our industry-leading innovation and commitment to unifying every aspect of the supply chain."

Manhattan's comprehensive approach to unifying warehouse, labour, transportation, and yard management into a single supply chain execution solution sets a new standard in the industry. This unification unlocks unique optimisation opportunities and delivers a seamless experience for companies operating in dynamic and demanding environments. Supported by Manhattan's experienced services and support teams, along with a global network of partners, Manhattan Active WM ensures successful implementation and ongoing operational excellence.

Moreover, Manhattan simplifies the implementation process with Manhattan ProActive, a low-code application platform designed for developers to extend solutions built on Manhattan Active® platform technology. This tool enables rapid customisation and deployment, enhancing the flexibility and responsiveness of Manhattan's solutions.

To download a complimentary copy of the Gartner Magic Quadrant for TMS report, please click HERE.
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GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner and Magic Quadrant is a registered trademark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements
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About Manhattan Associates:
Manhattan Associates is a global technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. We unite information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Our software, platform technology and unmatched.

Xefco raises $10.5m to double staff, commercialise textile solution Ausora

2024-05-01T08:46:54+10:00

Australian sustainable manufacturing technology company Xefco has raised $10.5 million in its seed extension funding round to support the scaling of its plug in to play model, which is claimed to be able to reduce textile emissions and ensure a credible greener supply chain in the fashion industry.

In a statement, the company said the problem it had been trying to fix was the fact that textile finishing and dyeing was responsible for a fifth of global industrial water pollution and 3% of global carbon emissions.

Xefco said it had negated the need for water in textile dyeing and finishing through its innovative, patented textile solution Ausora – which delivered the same look, feel and performance qualities without any pressure on the environment.

The company said its technology was easily plugged into existing infrastructure for lower cost production, while consuming 100% less water and 80% less energy.

{loadposition sam08}The funding round was led by Australian deep tech fund Main Sequence, with new backers being Breakthrough Victoria, Virescent Ventures, investing on behalf of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, and existing shareholders, Investible and Voyagers Climate-Tech Fund.

Xefco said this would help to recruit double its staff and also commercialise production of Ausora.

“The existing wet processes used to put colour and other functional properties on fabrics have the biggest environmental footprint of the entire fashion supply chain," said Tom Hussey, chief executive and co-founder.

"These outdated, resource-intensive operations have not changed in centuries. It’s destroying our waterways and our planet. We’re determined to create a greener supply chain for the fashion industry."

Xefco was founded in 2018 by Tom Hussey and Brian Conolly and has spent the last six years advancing innovative textile solutions.

The company's first product XReflex, which increases the thermal efficiency of insulated clothing, is already used by some of the world’s leading apparel and fashion brands, including Zara and The North Face.

Ausora uses a shower plasma process and produces the same look, feel and performance properties without the environmental footprint. Its process can be used on any textiles, including natural and synthetic materials.

Xefco said it already had a number of pilot projects underway with some of the largest sportswear, outdoor and fashion brands using Ausora to colour and finish apparel.

Said Hussey: "Our Ausora systems have been designed to plug and play into existing supply chains to help brands and manufacturers easily transition to a cleaner textile process.

"Dyeing and finishing drive the biggest impacts in the textile supply chain. Compared to conventional wet dyeing and finishing, our process eliminates the use of water and cuts energy, chemical consumption and cost. Our technology has the potential to stop millions of tonnes of waste entering our waterways and CO2 from entering our planet."

Xefco is located at Deakin University’s ManuFutures hub in the Waurn Ponds campus. The company's technology has been recognised by grants, including up to $4 million from Deakin’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub, supported by the Australian Government’s inaugural Trailblazer Universities Program.

Xefco has also received funds for being a key partner in the ARC Research Hub for Future Fibres at Deakin’s co-located Institute for Frontier Materials and previously from the Innovative Manufacturing CRC. Xefco also took part in Cicada Innovation's Tech23 event last year.

Jun Qu, investment manager at Main Sequence, commented: “Xefco addresses an often-overlooked element of the fashion supply chain, one that is critical to global climate repair. There’s no sustainable future without sustainable fashion and we see immense potential for Xefco to accelerate the decarbonisation of the global textile industry.”

Pattern Unveils 'Shelf' – Advanced Inventory and Warehouse Management for Ecommerce and Marketplaces

2024-04-19T09:49:09+10:00

Leading global ecommerce and marketplace accelerator Pattern, today announced the release of ‘Shelf’ – a powerful new inventory and supply chain technology that provides Australian brands with unparalleled visibility and control of their products across all ecommerce and wholesale channels.

Incorporated within Pattern's ecommerce acceleration tech suite, Shelf helps brands create new supply chain efficiencies, while also improving inventory accuracy, real-time tracking and enhancing demand forecasting.

Shelf also offers brands an evolutionary leap on traditional inventory and warehouse management solutions. It does this through an integrated approach to inventory and marketplace management, along with seamless connections with major platforms such as Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and Catch.

“Brands are selling across more channels than ever before. In a complex sales ecosystem, it is critical that brands have accurate visibility of their stock to make informed business decisions and meet customer demand,” said Sean Walsh, Director at Pattern Australia.

Australian brands have an enormous opportunity for growing sales through emerging marketplaces with Pattern’s "Marketplace Consumer Trends Report – 2024, revealing that 94% of consumers planned to shop on marketplaces like eBay, Amazon and Catch in the year ahead.

“In an environment where marketplaces like Amazon are attracting a growing share of sales, brands must have inventory and supply chain systems in place tailored to these emerging channels. Shelf incorporates uniquely pre-configured connectors that simplify marketplace selling and inventory management. This is a critical feature for brands looking to broaden their online footprint and access and service new customer bases via marketplaces,” commented Walsh.

Shelf provides brands 100% visibility of each unit of inventory through the lifecycle, from order to receipt at the delivery address. Its real-time inventory tracking allows brands to effectively communicate accurate delivery updates across multiple sales channels, enhancing customer communication and increasing buyer satisfaction. Accurate inventory visibility ensures correct stock levels are maintained and overallocation or out-of-stock situations are avoided, to prevent costly wastage and lost sales situations. Prior to the development of the Shelf technology this was a challenge at scale. Through optimising warehouse space and improving inventory turnover, Shelf can also assist brands with reducing storage costs. Additionally, Shelf’s ability to efficiently plan picking and put-away routes within the warehouse minimises time and resources by 40%, creating opportunities for brands to save on operational costs.

"Shelf is more than just an inventory solution; it's a growth enabler for brands," said Walsh. "Pattern has observed the challenges brands face in managing inventory and warehouse operations when scaling their ecommerce presence across multiple channels, including marketplaces. Shelf addresses these challenges head-on with powerful supply chain tools. These help brands meet customer demand and operate successfully, no matter what ecommerce sales channel they are doing business through.”

Dematic ‘powering the future’ of WesTrac's spare parts warehouse

2024-02-21T11:12:00+11:00

WesTrac, one of the world’s largest authorised Caterpillar equipment dealers, has successfully implemented a Dematic automated piece picking system for industrial supplies solution, transforming operations and enhancing efficiency and productivity at its Tomago warehouse in New South Wales.

WesTrac provides customers with a wide range of machinery and equipment, along with comprehensive whole-of-life management solutions aimed at making equipment ownership and operation as “easy, profitable, and safe as possible”. with this support covering the mining and construction industries in Western Australia, NSW, and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

“WesTrac is one of the largest authorised Caterpillar dealers in the world and our Tomago warehouse in NSW has an essential role to play in this, as it is the central distribution centre for our 17 regional branches, as well as our seven main workshops here on site,” explains Natalia Trewin, Warehouse Operations Manager, WesTrac. “The Tomago facility is a high-volume operation, storing 80,000 SKUs and we pick 40,000 lines a week here.”

Trewin says the previous WesTrac warehouse was constructed a decade ago, and it was operated manually and over time WesTrac had seen a 30% increase in inventory and customer base growth, resulting in a surge in orders to fulfil.

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“As a customer-focused organisation, we knew we needed to keep looking for improvements and efficiencies to keep up with technological advancement. We needed to maximise the use of our existing floor space and to diversify our storage solutions, so we looked at what we could do to manage more inventory within our existing space,” adds Trewin.

The system features an AutoStore automated storage and goods-to-person (GTP) picking system, powered by intelligent Dematic Software.

Trewin says It significantly streamlines warehouse operations, with one picker achieving the work of four to five manual pickers, and the AutoStore system (resembling a large Rubik's cube) features 15,350 segmented bins, 24 robots, four inbound conveyor ports for replenishing products into the system, and six GTP workstations, all designed to optimise space efficiency and accelerate parts distribution - and the Dematic solution has introduced a new level of productivity for WesTrac, which is helping to grow the company and improve customer service.

“We're already exceeding our initial throughput targets, which were to be picking over 500 lines per hour or 30% more with our existing headcount. Previously, with the same amount of people, we were only able to pick 300 lines,” says Trewin.

“The speed and density of the solution means that we can get urgent orders out to customers within five to 10 minutes if needed. Our customers rely on us to ensure they can keep doing the work that they need to do, so it's really important that we're able to step up our service.”

Seth van Dijk, Business Development Manager at Dematic, explains the system's operation, “When customers place their orders, the WesTrac warehouse management system (WMS) software sends those orders to the Dematic warehouse control system (WCS) software. The WCS then directs the robots for maximum efficiency to retrieve all the items needed to fulfil those orders, and the robot delivers those items to the GTP workstations. Screens at the workstations instruct WesTrac operators which items to place into the order totes. Operators place completed totes on the conveyor, which brings them to a sorter. At the end of the sorter, orders are packed and dispatched for delivery.”

van Dijk says that from a storage density perspective, the Dematic solution has significantly increased WesTrac’s available space by 1,000 square meters - and this has facilitated decreased response times, quicker parts distribution, the capacity to provide a broader range of products, and extended delivery cut-off times while still guaranteeing same-day delivery, while “all these factors contribute to an enhanced customer experience”.

Trewin says the AutoStore system is a uniquely scalable solution, and the grid can be easily expanded with minimal interruption and progressively filled with bins as storage demand grows.

“One of the great features of AutoStore is that we're able to expand the system without interrupting operations,” explains Trewin. “It's very easy to put more robots on the grid to, for example, have more throughput over a weekend. Additionally, the system is designed for us to add more grid and totes so we can grow storage.

“The AutoStore system is also one of the most sustainable warehouse automation systems available today. Its robots use power regeneration technology to reduce energy consumption, and they typically consume less power than a toaster.”

To learn more about Dematic solution for WesTrac, read the full case study at www.dematic.com/westrac

Telstra and Prysmian Group partner to expand optical cable manufacturing for the decades to come

2024-01-30T17:26:59+11:00

Telstra and Prysmian Group have announced an expansion to Prysmian's optical cable manufacturing plant, to build advanced intercity fibre with lower environmental impact and to future-proof the country's connectivity needs for the next two decades and beyond.

Prysmian's optical cable production lines are located in Dee Why, Sydney, and have expanded their operations to leverage advanced manufacturing technology that will enhance and increase the production of locally-made state-of-the-art cable.

This cable will be readily consumed by Telstra InfraCo, which is building an Intercity fibre network in response to the ever-growing demands for fast and capable digital networks. The manufacturing tech is more environmentally sustainable than previous options and also ensures cable that is suitable for Australia.

"The Intercity fibre network project will future-proof Australia's connectivity needs for the next 20+ years. We have already laid hundreds of kilometres of cables across the country and have commenced planning on several new fibre routes that will see all mainland capital cities connected," said Telstra InfraCo CEO Brendon Riley.

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"The expansion of Prysmian's optical cable production lines, located in Dee Why in New South Wales, will be integral to the Intercity fibre project. Not only is this an investment in our nation's growth, connectivity, and digital prosperity, but the design of our network is uniquely Australian, with the cable adapted to be more resilient to our sometimes harsh conditions," Riley said.

"This significant investment into Australian-based skills, R&D, and manufacturing is the result of two years of collaborative research and development. Together with Telstra, we have designed a world-leading fibre optic cable that will support the current and future demand for high capacity, low-latency, fibre networks in Australia," said Prysmian executive VP digital solutions division Frederick Persson.

The new fibre optic cable is 59% smaller and 54% lighter than the previous design employed across Telstra's existing fibre network, and the reduced size and weight will directly reduce CO2 output by 35,000 tonnes. This also means the cable length on drums can expand from 5km to 12km.

The Intercity fibre network will deliver high-speed, high-capacity data between large population centres across Australia with transmission rates of up to 650Gbps. It will also enable express connectivity between capital cities with a recent simulated network trial reaching speeds of up to 61.3Tbps per fibre pair capacity.

The network adopts a Dual Cable Diverse Architecture, in which two separate fibre networks - express and foundation - will be built simultaneously. Australian capital cities will have a minimum of two diverse paths between each city, and this architecture significantly increases the network resiliency.

Eclypsium Launches Guide to Supply Chain Security for Enterprise Infrastructure

2023-11-10T10:49:51+11:00

ANNOUNCEMENT: The Guide is first in the industry to offer supply chain risk intelligence for IT infrastructure, including endpoints, servers, network devices, and cloud infrastructure products

Eclypsium, is the digital supply chain security company protecting critical hardware, firmware, and software, today announced the industry’s first solution that measures the risk of IT infrastructure, including laptops, desktops, servers, network equipment, IoT devices, and software. CIOs, CISOs, and supply chain leaders can use the Eclypsium Guide to Supply Chain Security to make more cost-effective and risk-based purchase decisions, as well as assess their exposure to new supply chain cybersecurity incidents.

“Digital supply chain security is a board-level concern for many organizations, and there is an urgent need to provide a central repository for organizations to assess IT product risk,” says Eclypsium CEO and Co-founder Yuriy Bulygin. “Eclypsium is able to provide this supply chain intelligence because we have the deepest and broadest library of third-party hardware, firmware, and software component risk data.”

According to Gartner, by 2025, 60% of supply chain risk management leaders plan to use cybersecurity risk as a significant determinant in conducting third-party transactions and business engagements. The new Eclypsium Guide meets the need for more quantifiable data during supply chain risk assessments.

“Supply chain threats exploit the intricate network of trust inherent in the technology ecosystem we rely on today. Within this ecosystem, every piece of equipment, application, and cloud service is a culmination of highly specialized, interdependent components sourced from various suppliers,” says Ramy Houssaini, a senior Digital Trust executive and chair of The Cyber Poverty Line Institute. “It is crucial for us to have a full stack view of the vulnerabilities inherent in this complex ecosystem and to take proactive measures by utilizing technology that can provide risk intelligence on IT infrastructure.”

Already in 2023, there have been a number of supply chain incidents that affect IT infrastructure:

Ransomware groups, including ALPHV, BlackCat, FIN8, and LockBit, targeted vulnerabilities in network infrastructure devices and virtualization infrastructure.

BlackLotus, Volt Typhoon, and BlackTech threat actors took aim at the firmware supply chain of PCs, servers, and network equipment by multiple manufacturers as an initial access vector and to establish persistence.

Ransomware gangs breached major infrastructure vendors, including TSMC, MSI, and Western Digital, exposing sensitive information about their products that could be used by attackers to develop supply chain attacks.

Security incidents with wide impact highlighted serious weaknesses in the enterprise infrastructure supply chain, such as: vulnerabilities in MOVEit by Progress Software; firmware backdoor capabilities in Gigabyte systems; vulnerabilities in remote management components used by most major server manufacturers; network infrastructure vulnerabilities like Citrix Bleed; hardware vulnerabilities like Downfall, Zenbleed, and other vulnerabilities in CPU components; and disk drive components used in U.S. government agencies manufactured by a company with ties to the PRC’s PLA.

The Eclypsium Guide will equip IT, security, and procurement teams to track these types of supply chain risks and incidents and see if products that they use or are considering purchasing are affected. At launch, the Guide includes verified details about products and components of hardware and software vendors, including Dell, HP, Lenovo, HPE, Cisco, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, and others. It will be available as a standalone SaaS offering that is complementary to and integrated with the Eclypsium Supply Chain Security Platform.

To schedule a demo of the new Eclypsium Guide or the Eclypsium supply chain security platform, visit www.eclypsium.com or email your Eclypsium representative at sales@eclypsium.com.