Central Storage & Warehouse, Datex and Endeavor Labs Demonstrate the Impact of AI at 2024 GCCA Convention
Case study presentation provides glimpse into the role of AI in advanced warehouse management for Cold Chain Operations.
(Clearwater, Florida) – Warehouse management system software developer Datex Corporation is joining its client Central Storage & Warehouse (CSW) and Endeavor Labs in a presentation to the Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA) on the topic of AI in the cold chain during the GCCA Convention September 23-26th in Bonita Springs, Florida.
The presentation showcases how data, collected directly and via integrations with advanced warehouse management software can help transform cold storage operations through AI-powered insights into labor optimization. The case study details how CSW recognized and resolved a major operational challenge in matching labor to throughput on an hourly, daily, and weekly basis to drive performance and service levels.
“Our goal was to use the accurate data we already collected within Footprint WMS to drive operational efficiency,” said Hill Hamrick, Co-CEO of Central Storage & Warehouse. “By partnering with Endeavor Labs and Datex, we were able to use machine learning to predict labor requirements and improve productivity across the board.”
The approach involved understanding each employee’s individual picking and loading time, taking the sum, then removing the outliers. This trained model was then able to explain over half of the variation in shipment requirements.
Nathan Gould, President and Founder of Endeavor Labs, conveyed the role robust data played in enabling the sophisticated analysis and modeling conducted by the machine learning model. “Because of the depth and detail of the historical data CSW has collected in its WMS, we were able to develop a predictive model that turns labor management from a reactive process into a proactive one, setting a clear roadmap for their labor management practices in an increasingly automated world,” Gould explained.
Earlier this year, Datex unveiled the latest version of its innovative Footprint WMS. CSW has been using the advanced system since September 2023 as part of Datex’s early adopter program. Bryan Batchelder, Datex VP of Product, emphasized the importance a modern WMS plays in being able to support the type of AI initiative taken on by CSW and Endeavor, “The WMS technologies many cold storage warehouses still rely on simply weren’t built to handle the demands of today’s fast-paced, tech-driven environment. They face issues integrating with other systems to pool the robust data required for this project. Footprint WMS is designed to ensure both seamless integration and protection against today’s security threats.”
Attendees at the GCCA Convention can attend the presentation on September 23-26th in Bonita Springs Florida. They can also see a live demonstration of Footprint WMS at booth 34 during the Innovation Showcase.
About CSW
Central Storage & Warehouse (CSW) is the premier provider of third party refrigerated warehousing services in the Midwest, the largest independent provider in Wisconsin, and a top 15 cold storage provider in North America. CSW has a 75+ year history of serving food and beverage manufacturers and life sciences businesses. CSW operates five growing facilities throughout Wisconsin, each with frozen and refrigerated capabilities.
About Datex
Datex, a supply chain technology firm with 45 years of expertise in delivering software solutions, serves third-party logistics providers, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, regulated goods, precious metals, consumer goods, cold storage, and temperature-controlled commodities. Recent innovations include a unified SaaS platform tailored for logistics providers known as Wavelength and a new generation of Footprint WMS, a premier SaaS application hosted on Microsoft Azure, fully integrated, composed, published, and managed within our Wavelength platform. Datex serves over 200 global clients through a team of over 140 resources spanning North America, Spain, Chile, India, Bulgaria, Egypt, and the Philippines.
About Endeavor Labs
Endeavor Labs is a boutique consulting firm focused on helping companies improve operational efficiency with data, machine learning, and AI. Endeavor Labs works with clients across multiple industries and stages to design custom data and AI strategies, and then execute cost-effectively with the help of our global team of data practitioners and technologists.