Panel participants:JUSUF BUZIMKIC, Chief Sales Officer, KNAPP North AmericaSTIPE GALIC, Vice President of Business Development & Marketing, TGW North AmericaOANA JINGA, Chief Commercial & Product Officer and Co-Founder, DexoryKEN YAXLEY, Industry Manager, Industrial Robotics, SICKQ: WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST LEAPS YOU’VE SEEN IN AUTOMATION WITHIN THE PAST FIVE YEARS?Jusuf Buzimkic (KNAPP): Some of the most significant advancements include autonomous mobile robotics (AMRs) for variable picking and dense storage environments; vision-based applications for trailer loading and unloading, including mixed-case palletizing; AI [artificial intelligence] integration with physical robotics and digital workflows; robotics deployed across multiple supply chain tasks, rather than single-purpose use cases; digital twins that allow operations to be simulated, optimized, and stress-tested; and predictive maintenance, enabling more proactive and reliable system performance.Stipe Galic (TGW): In my opinion, the biggest shift has been the move from chasing cutting-edge technology to prioritizing seamless integration and a holistic view. The industry has learned important lessons. Technology is advancing faster than ever, but without a systemwide perspective and a truly integrated ecosystem, you risk ending up with isolated islands of automation. These may look impressive on paper but often fail in real-world operations.Ken Yaxley (SICK): The most significant advances include AI-driven robotics, collaborative robots, autonomous mobile robots, machine learning for predictive maintenance, and machine vision for inspection and traceability.Oana Jinga (Dexory): Automation has become far more practical and scalable over the past five years. Companies are no longer limited to large, fixed systems; instead, they can deploy flexible solutions that work alongside existing infrastructure…
