May 16, 2024

In a blink of an eye, OpTech 2024 has come and gone. And, without question, it was another exceptional success. Of course, nothing else is expected from OpTech 2024, as it is the premier technology event of the year. In fact, we feel for those who did not and could not make it this year. If you are one of those unlucky few, we will see you next year! In addition to that, we think it would be safe to assume that you may be wondering: “what was there to even miss at OpTech 2024?” Well, to put it lightly, so much! As the best technology of the year, each and every year, OpTech is full of so many pieces of knowledge and insights surrounding all things supply chain innovations. By compiling so many of the industry’s leaders into a resourceful event, we are able to provide attendees with countless chances to network and collaborate with like-minded, goal-drive professionals as well as interact with invaluable showcases of vendors who are full of insight and knowledge regarding advancements coming to today’s contemporary and ever-changing supply chain. Clearly, as you can see, OpTech 2024 was, as expected, an unmissable event. We do know, of course, that is impossible to be in multiple places at once. There was, truly, too much insight shared for us to keep it all away from those who were unable to attend. Of the many presentations given at this year’s event, several discussed the lessons that were learned from 2023’s supply chain, artificial intelligence (AI) in demand forecasting, predictive analytics for risk management, sustainability, private LTE connectivity for enhanced communications, and so much more. Without question, OpTech 2024 covered it all!

Of the many insightful speakers that attended the unmatched technology event, OpTech 2024, we would like to provide a recap of Newcastle Systems—including who they are and what they do, the environmental benefits of using their products, and some emerging trends in the supply chain industry that they are excited about.

• Who is Newcastle Systems and what do they do? – Of course, we all know that the supply chain is all about moving products from one destination to another over and over again for numerous times throughout a day’s work. In that, of course, a wide array of those products need some sort of labeling. It is in this process, in particular, where Newcastle Systems’ expertise lies. Throughout every stage within the supply chain, there is a worker who is responsible for identifying product, putting a label on it, and inputting the allotted data. With that said, however, many companies are still using outdated, human-driven stations to carry out this process—where there is an employee that has to walk back and forth and up and down with standard devices like scanners, computers, and printers. It is in these static stations where Newcastle Systems’ product shines the brightest. Essentially, their product is a “battery-source on wheels” that takes these devices and allows the worker—in an environment that is built with wireless connectivity—to go anywhere they need to go to get their jobs done right. In fact, to be specific, Newcastle Systems alludes to this as the “point of activity.” When companies deploy this product into their operations, they save time and money by opening up the hands, eyes, and feet of many of their workers—enhancing overall operational efficiency and the probability of adequate accuracy all at the same time. In fact, there is a big issue with mislabeling in operations that utilize human-driven labeling processes. In this type of labeling procedure, employees will attempt to make their lives easier by practicing what is known as “batch-printing,” which means that they print and carry large rolls of labels—which can result in the wrong label being placed on the wrong product. With Newcastle Systems’ product, employees become more efficient because of the amount of time that is being saved. Because of that, companies also benefit through the enhanced amount of work that is being completed because their employees are actually completing their tasks rather than spending most of their day walking. As a result, billions of dollars are being saved because of more accurate and productive operations.
• What are the environmental benefits of their products? - At Newcastle Systems, their focus lies on selling their “battery-sources on wheels.” During the past few years, battery technology has transitioned from lead-acid—a putrid, nasty toxin that is old and fails rather rapidly, generating large amounts of e-waste—to lithium iron phosphate that is encapsulated and much safer. This transformation was driven by the vast array of benefits that come from its longevity, as they are able to last up to ten years. The result? You diminish the number of times you have to purchase new batteries—which also reduces the amount of e-waste that is produced globally, too. Additionally, these new batteries are low wattage and do not consume a lot of power when charging, which decreases the amount of power that is consumed by your business when they are plugged in. Fundamentally, these batteries deliver a cleaner power source within an operation. Then, by digitizing your operations, you also obtain largely reduced amounts of paper being consumed by your business, too. While keeping the focus on the paper-side of things, Newcastle Systems’ impact on their customers’ sustainability goals is beyond evident. By seamlessly and efficiently digitizing your business, you get rid of large amounts of paper by using wireless warehouse management systems (WMSs) and storing data in the cloud.
• What are some emerging trends within the supply chain industry that Newcastle Systems is excited about? – In short, there are numerous pieces of technological advancements within the industry that Newcastle Systems has their eye on. For example, with artificial intelligence (AI), we are seeing more and more workers at mobile workstations that are able to communicate with AI while on the factory floor while it takes in data—like maintenance times, for instance—and send communication back to the worker on wheels. Additionally, this technology will be capable of streamlining the returns processing workflows by making decisions for employees that are as productive and efficient as possible. Similarly, RFID technology is said to be growing consistently, as many businesses are starting to practice cycle-counting with carts each day.

At Heartland, we take great pride in delivering scalable and sustainable solutions to our customers with the goal of improving their levels of productivity, efficiency, profitability, and sustainability. In that, too, we also pride ourselves in being able to work with, host, and collaborate with some of the best in the business, like Newcastle Systems. So, if we, OpTech, or Newcastle Systems has intrigued you, be sure to look out for OpTech 2025 and reach out to us today to learn more!