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MHS and Fortna to Combine to Create Global eCommerce and Logistics Automation Leader
Complementary automation technology, software and engineering expertise
LOUISVILLE, KY. and ATLANTA, GA. (April 18, 2022) – MHS Global (“MHS”), a leading global provider of material handling automation technology and systems integration, and Fortna (“Fortna”), a leading software and solutions provider for warehouse and distribution, will combine to form a multi-billion-dollar, multinational company providing parcel, warehouse and distribution, and lifecycle services. MHS and Fortna belong to the investment portfolio of Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. (“THL”), a premier private equity firm investing in middle market growth companies. THL will remain the majority owner of the combined company and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority ("ADIA") will acquire a significant minority stake to support the combination.
As businesses increasingly require improved throughput and faster execution, there is heightened demand for automation, advanced operating software and services. The combination of MHS’s automation technologies and Fortna’s operational optimization software, in addition to each company’s deep industry partnerships, serves the need for end-to-end solutions in logistics operations. Customers will benefit from the breadth and depth of both companies’ offerings: industry-leading capabilities in parcel, cross-docking, conveyance, and sortation solutions combined with industry-leading orchestration and optimization software and unique operational designs leveraging advanced automation to drive greater efficiencies and cost savings for customers.
“MHS has built its reputation over the past 20-plus years by being a reliable and committed partner while expanding our capabilities and taking a progressive, tech-forward stance to deliver new products and solutions,” said MHS CEO Scott McReynolds. “Combining with Fortna will allow us to accelerate our collective efforts on all fronts, to the benefit of our customers, employees, and suppliers.”
“Fortna has been a trusted advisor driving competitive advantage for our clients as they build direct-to-consumer models, increase service levels, and enable a lower cost to serve,” said Rob McKeel, CEO of Fortna. “The combination with MHS will enable the model to scale with our clients globally and allow the combined company to drive further innovation in operating models, software, and automation.”
Upon closing, McKeel will become the CEO, and McReynolds will become the President, of the combined entity.
Hamad Shahwan Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of the Private Equities Department at ADIA, said, “MHS and Fortna are leading players in their respective industries, and their combination will create a significant operating platform for the company to deliver automation solutions to customers on a global scale. This transaction aligns with our approach of making investments alongside proven partners in support of technology leadership.”
Jim Carlisle, Managing Director at THL and head of both Technology & Business Solutions and the THL Automation Fund, said, “We look forward to working with the talented management teams and employees of Fortna and MHS as we continue to drive excellence in logistics automation. Automation solves industry-wide challenges, such as labor shortages, and helps customers meet escalating demand. These two companies are well positioned to meet these challenges and unlock new opportunities for their customers.”
Carlisle will serve as board chairman of the combined company.
This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and RBC Capital Markets, LLC served as financial advisors to MHS. Baird served as financial advisor to Fortna. Kirkland and Ellis served as legal advisor, respectively, to both companies. J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC will lead the debt financing for MHS.
J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP served as financial and legal advisors, respectively, to ADIA’s subsidiary.
About MHS
MHS is a leading global provider of automated material handling systems, solutions, software, and products to leading customers’ fulfillment, distribution, and logistics operations. More specifically, MHS provides project engineering, systems integration, conveyor, sortation robotics, and a range of other products and software solutions.
MHS participates in a large, exciting industry undergoing significant growth and transformation driven by two mega-trends: eCommerce and automation. Against this backdrop, MHS is transforming into a global, high-growth, multinational company, encompassing new product and solution offerings, new geographies, product manufacturing, and best-in-class employee culture.
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with about 3,000 employees globally, the company has operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. MHS has a global installed base of over $6.5 billion for parcel and distribution and fulfillment projects, from small to large, in a variety of industries, including eCommerce, parcel, third party logistics, and outside integrators. Visit www.mhsglobal.com.
About Fortna
Fortna partners with the world’s leading brands to transform their distribution operations to keep pace with digital disruption and growth objectives. Known world-wide as The Distribution Experts™, Fortna designs and delivers intelligent solutions, powered by FortnaWES™ software, to optimize fast, accurate, and cost-effective order fulfillment. Fortna’s people, innovative approach, and proprietary algorithms and tools ensure optimal operations design and material and information flow. Fortna delivers exceptional value every day to its clients with comprehensive services including network strategy, distribution center operations, material handling automation, supply chain systems, warehouse software design and implementation, and a comprehensive suite of lifecycle services and support. Visit www.fortna.com.
GEODIS, a leading global logistics provider, today announced plans to hire 3,700 seasonal workers across its campuses in the U.S. and Canada to help manage the expected rise in volumes during peak season. This hiring initiative will bolster the company’s operational capacities in its warehouses and distribution centers in preparation for the holiday season, a time when consumer demand surges.
Emarketer noted U.S. holiday sales in 2023 increased 3.9% year-over-year as consumer spending grew even amidst uncertain economic times, and a similar pattern is projected for this year. Emarketer expects a substantial 4.8% increase in holiday retail sales for 2024, signifying continued growth despite factors such as inflation and consumer price sensitivity. In anticipation of this demand, GEODIS is seeking seasonal employees to join its nearly 17,000 teammates who power its operations across North America.
GEODIS is recruiting material handlers and equipment operators across 13 regions in the U.S. and Canada this peak season. The company offers competitive wages, peak premium pay incentives, peak and referral bonuses, and an expedited payment option that allows workers to receive up to 50% of their paycheck before payday through an on-demand program. Additionally, GEODIS provides flexible schedules with weekend opportunities and multiple shift options daily, allowing teammates to choose times that best suit their lives. Both part-time (under 30 hours a week) and full-time (over 30 hours a week) seasonal positions are available. Prospective teammates can also use GEODIS’ virtual recruiting assistant, Sophie, to find the right role, easily navigate the application process and receive fast answers to questions before being connected to a recruiter for next steps.
“We acknowledge the immense responsibility we have to our customers to deliver exceptional service every day, and this is especially true during peak season,” said Anthony Jordan, GEODIS in Americas Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “Because peak season is the most business-critical sales period of the year for many of our retail clients, expanding our workforce is vital to ensure we have a flexible, dynamic team that can handle anticipated surges in demand.”
GEODIS’ culture puts teammates at the forefront by offering opportunities for employees to provide feedback and suggestions through surveys, personal check-ins and group meetings. The company also prioritizes teammate safety and ensures optimal work conditions in modern facilities with state-of-the-art technology. GEODIS invests in its teammates with paid safety-focused training, allowing them to gain hands-on experience so they can feel confident from day one of employment.
“GEODIS is committed to creating a diverse and supportive work environment where employee well-being is our top priority,” said Jordan. “Whether looking for extra income during the holidays or wanting to explore a long-term path at GEODIS, our teammates have the opportunity to make a difference and receive the training and support they need to move their careers forward.”
For more information on GEODIS’ seasonal positions, visit www.WorkAtGEODIS.com.
GEODIS – www.geodis.com
GEODIS is a leading global logistics provider acknowledged for its expertise across all aspects of the supply chain. As a growth partner to its clients, GEODIS specializes in four lines of business: Global Freight Forwarding, Global Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express Transport, and European Road Network. With a global network spanning nearly 170 countries and 53,000 employees, GEODIS is ranked no. 5 in its sector across the world. In 2023, GEODIS generated €11.6 billion in revenue. GEODIS is a company owned by SNCF group.
Nulogy, a leading provider of supply chain collaboration solutions, is hosting a session during the Association of Supply Chain Management's ASCM Connect 2024. Nulogy, Kinaxis and Colgate-Palmolive executives will present “Orchestrating Digital Transformation: Nulogy & Kinaxis Empower Colgate-Palmolive’s External Network” on Monday, 9/9/2024, 3:45 - 4:45 p.m. CT in Ballroom E, Level 4.
In an era when digital transformation is paramount for sustainable growth, Colgate-Palmolive stands out as a leader in the consumer packaged goods space. With a strong digital transformation vision and strategic partners that tout the technical capabilities and expertise to bring it to life, Colgate and its extended supply network has been able to reap the benefits of digitally-infused agility, resilience and efficiency to outcompete in today’s marketplace.
The session will cover Colgate-Palmolive’s vision for transforming its supply chain planning and execution, highlighting the imperative to enhance supply chain synchronization and collaboration.
Nulogy and Kinaxis join Colgate-Palmolive in this talk to discuss how their best-of-breed solutions in advanced planning and scheduling and supplier collaboration have played pivotal roles in interconnecting Colgate’s network.
Speakers include:
Moderator: Christine Barnhart, CPIM Chief Marketing and Industry Officer, Nuology
Panelist: Kevin Wong Chief Operating Officer, Nulogy
Panelist: Polly Mitchell-Guthrie Supply Chain Thought Leader, Kinaxis
Panelist: German Vizcaya Leon VP Global Planning, Colgate-Palmolive
Check out the complete Colgate-Palmolive case study by visiting https://bit.ly/3z6xwPK.
Austin, TX - (September 3, 2024) – AutoScheduler.AI, an innovative Warehouse Orchestration Platform and WMS accelerator, announces the company is sponsoring a webinar hosted by DC Velocity magazine to discuss PepsiCo/FLNA’s (Frito Lay North America) warehouse transformation using AutoScheduler.AI’s AutoPilot.
Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI, and Peter Hanna, a leader at PepsiCo, will share how AutoPilot is revolutionizing operations at PepsiCo/FLNA. Faced with rising demand, shrinking margins, and complex operations, PepsiCo turned to AutoScheduler.AI’s cloud-based AutoPilot platform to optimize warehouse operations and improve efficiency, including a 30% increase in product picks per hour.
“PepsiCo has been focused on driving value for customers through innovative supply chain processes that improve fulfillment times, reduce operating costs, and maximize productivity,” says Keith Moore, CEO of AutoScheduler.AI. “Our AI algorithms can prioritize customer orders based on predefined rules and criteria while considering warehouse constraints, which helps to improve customer satisfaction and overall profitability.”
At the free webinar on September 12, 2024, at 2:00 PM ET, attendees will:
•Learn how AutoPilot unifies data across systems for better visibility.
•Discover how advanced algorithms maximize productivity and minimize costs.
•See how AutoPilot provides comprehensive, real-time insights for informed decision-making.
•Hear about the impressive gains at PepsiCo/FLNA, including a 30% increase in picks per hour.
AutoScheduler.AI AutoPilot smooths warehouse operations by orchestrating and planning all activities in real-time on top of an existing WMS. It considers space, time, labor, dock doors, and more constraints to ensure that orders are fulfilled on time and in full. Clients gain efficiencies and value in their supply chains through optimized labor, schedules, touches, and inventory.
To register for the free webinar, visit: https://event.on24.com/wcc/r/4676523/A2108DE2BC89DF1C73F2FCB1C1A5863F?partnerref=auto
About AutoScheduler.AI AutoScheduler.AI orchestrates warehouse activities directly on top of your WMS, optimizing operations for peak performance. Developed alongside industry leaders like P&G and successfully deployed at prominent companies such as Pepsi, General Mills, and Unilever, our AI and Machine Learning platform seamlessly integrates with your existing systems. Focused on labor planning, inventory workflow, human-robotics interaction, and space utilization, we streamline operations, reducing travel and inventory handling while maximizing OTIF rates and labor efficiency. With prescriptive analytics driving insights, our clients harness the power to enhance efficiencies and generate value across their supply chains. Reach out to us at info@autoscheduler.ai for more information.
GreyOrange Inc., a leader in AI-driven fulfillment automation, was recently recognized as a Sample Vendor in the 2024 Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Mobile Robots and Drones report. GreyOrange views its inclusion in four categories – Multiagent Orchestration (MAO), Mobile Sortation Robots, Smart Robots, and Mobile Robotic Goods-to-Person Systems – as confirmation of the company’s role in driving innovation and efficiency within the rapidly evolving robotics landscape. The report focuses on practical applications of mobile robots and drones, leaving detailed technological aspects to other Hype Cycle reports.
The 2023 Gartner Supply Chain Technology User Wants and Needs Survey found continued strong interest in, and deployments of, robotics and automation, with 92% of the respondents saying they were investing, or planned to invest, in robotics over the next two years. GreyOrange believes the 2024 Gartner® Hype Cycle™ for Mobile Robots and Drones report highlights the critical role of mobile robots in transforming supply chain operations and addressing the challenges posed by labor shortages and increasing order volumes.
According to the report, “Demand for, and investment in, mobile robots and drones is robust and will remain so for the foreseeable future.” The report also details, “As companies deploy heterogeneous fleets of robots, integrating and coordinating tasks between these robots becomes more difficult, which will require an orchestration capability across robot platforms. This will introduce the need for an additional software layer to support these activities.”
This year, GreyOrange introduced two new intralogistics and case pick robot solutions - the Ranger Forklift XXL for case picking and the Ranger Forklift AnyPallet for closed pallet handling - to its Certified Ranger NetworkTM (CRN) ecosystem in response to labor and order volume needs. During MODEX this year, GreyOrange also welcomed partner solution Cypher Robotics’ CAPTIS, an autonomous cycle counting solution, to the CRN.
The CRN solutions are powered by GreyMatter, GreyOrange’s warehouse execution systems (WES) platform that enables real-time, multiagent orchestration among various robotic technologies, people and automation systems. Leveraging GreyMatter, customers can reduce fulfillment cost per unit (CPU) by 50%, decrease worker onboarding time by 90%, and improve peak season performance. These innovations further demonstrate the company’s innovation of robotics solutions for the evolving warehouse landscape.
“We are honored to be recognized by Gartner, as it is great to see some of the categories like Multiagent orchestration coming to life as we define the next generation roadmap for them,” said Akash Gupta, Co-Founder and CEO of GreyOrange. “We strive to continually advance fulfillment automation to meet and exceed the needs of our customers in an ever-changing and demanding market where supply chain optimization and execution are of top importance.”
GreyOrange’s fulfillment solutions help customers meet the growing demands for faster deliveries, reduce operational costs and tackle labor challenges. By leveraging advanced robotics and AI, GreyOrange's fulfillment solutions are designed to significantly improve operational efficiencies, adaptability, and actionable visibility in today's digital marketplace.
Download the Hype Cycle™ for Mobile Robots and Drones 2024 report, compliments of GreyOrange by visiting https://bit.ly/4cKZCh4.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MELBOURNE, FL, AUGUST 27, 2024 — Element Logic Co-founder, Dag-Adler Blakseth, passes the baton to Ankush Malhotra effective immediately.
Ankush Malhotra will be the new Group CEO of the technology and automation company Element Logic. He is taking over from Dag-Adler Blakseth, who co-founded the company nearly 40 years ago, and who is stepping down from the day-to-day operations after 30 years at the helm.
"Ankush Malhotra is the right person to lead the company forward in what will be a significant global endeavor," Dag-Adler Blakseth, former Group CEO of Element Logic, said.
"I am truly honored to take on this role and look forward to join this great company with a rich legacy,” Ankush Malhotra, said. “Element Logic has undertaken an impressive growth journey and has great ambitions for the next chapter. I am excited to join a passionate team and am committed to create value for our customers and help the business move forward in the years.”
Malhotra is based out of London and brings relevant experience from his 18 years at Danaher/Fortive/Fluke. He has held various positions in the US and in the UK, with the last four years as President of Fluke Reliability, an innovation leader in the markets it serves.
"With the global expansion the company is now aiming for, it is a natural time to pass the baton. Ankush Malhotra is an ambitious and internationally experienced leader who understands what it takes to succeed as a global company,” Blackseth added. “His leadership style and principles align well with what Element Logic stands for and aspires to be. His vast knowledge in managing a complex growth company in a global market, make him an ideal candidate for the next part of our journey.”
Blackseth will now step into the role as Chairman of the Board.
Ambitious growth plans ahead
In recent years, Element Logic has expanded significantly, extending its distribution to new markets. During the past three years, the company has gained presence in seven additional countries, reached two new continents, and increased its employees by over 700 people worldwide. Now, the goal is to continue capturing additional market shares, and become the leading global integrator for automated warehouse solutions.
"Element Logic’s next chapter is an exciting one. We have ambitious goals to increase our market share across the globe through international expansion, and an increased product and services offering.” Malhotra concluded. “Together with the talented team at Element Logic, I will use my experience and knowledge to serve our customers and drive profitable growth while continuing to foster an employee-focused culture.”