Kuehne + Nagel has opened two new innovation centres in Utrecht and Singapore as it looks to drive digital transformation across its business.
The freight forwarder said it 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 where Kuehne + Nagel will 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. They will also serve as a sandbox to test and rapidly rollout new technologies.
Kuehne + Nagel chief information officer, Martin Kolbe: “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 with Kuehne + Nagel. Applying Big Data and predictive analytics, supply chains can be managed more efficiently and effectively.”
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.
During the inauguration ceremony in Singapore, Kuehne + Nagel announced a strategic partnership with global software-industrial provider Honeywell, supporting its innovation initiatives around Connected Warehouse.
Kuehne + Nagel will deploy Honeywell’s 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.
