With two newly inaugurated Innovation Centres in Utrecht, Netherlands, and Singapore, Kuehne + Nagel is partnering with customers to accelerate the development and adoption of new technologies and advanced supply chain solutions.
The Innovation Centre in Utrecht will primarily focus on major automation and innovative picking technologies. Kuehne + Nagel is among the first logistics providers to deploy collaborative robots in operations in line with a partnership with Universal Robots. The Asia Pacific Innovation Centre in Singapore will research and deploy new solutions on connected warehouses, with a focus on data analytics and Internet of Things.
Both centres hold partnerships with universities, start-ups and organisations to develop innovative supply chain solutions. The centres are open to customers who will get a vivid impression of how new technologies and solutions will impact their supply chains. The innovation centres will also serve as a sandbox to test and rapidly rollout new technologies.
Martin Kolbe, Chief Information Officer of Kuehne + Nagel: “We are working on seamless data exchange of different systems to drive automation and to minimise manual efforts. In addition we create new services and interfaces allowing customers to easily connect withKuehne + Nagel. Applying Big Data and predictive analytics, supply chains can be managed more efficiently and effectively.”
”The innovation centres in Singapore and Utrecht will boost our digital road map by exploring, applying and deploying leading technologies to manage our customers’ supply chains even more efficiently and effectively. The market for contract logistics services is transforming substantially due to the effects of digitalisation. With the Innovation Centers we invest in research and new technologies to accelerate this transformation”, said Gianfranco Sgro, Member of the Managing Board of Kuehne + Nagel International AG, responsible for Contract Logistics.
The Asia Pacific Innovation Centre, supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), widens Kuehne + Nagel’s reach with the start-up and tech communities in Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.
Mr Kelvin Wong, Assistant Managing Director, EDB, commented: “We are glad that Kuehne+Nagel has chosen Singapore as its base, to develop new digital and IoT capabilities for its global operations. The Asia Pacific Innovation Centre will help strengthen collaborations within the logistics ecosystem, and accelerate the creation of innovative logistics solutions and best-in-class supply chain practices.”
During the inauguration ceremony in Singapore, Kuehne + Nagel announced a strategic partnership with global software-industrial provider Honeywell, supporting Kuehne + Nagel’s global innovation initiatives around Connected Warehouse. Kuehne + Nagel will deploy Honeywell’s industry-leading technology solutions globally at its warehouses, including voice directed solutions, cloud-based software, and warehouse automation solutions. The partnership is focused on productivity, accuracy, and efficiency improvements.
