Supply Chain Expert Tom Bonkenburg Offers Predictions About the Coming Robot Revolution

YORK, PA, May 31, 2013 (Press-News.org) The robots are coming, and we had better be prepared.

That is only part of the message that St. Onge Company's (www.stonge.com) Tom Bonkenburg will present during his conference-opening keynote address at the 35th annual Association for Operations Management of South Africa (SAPICS) conference, scheduled for June 2 to 4, at Sun City Resorts, Sun City, South Africa.

"We're all resistant to change," says Bonkenburg, "but anyone who doesn't prepare for this robotic revolution in the supply chain will be caught off guard. Robot technology is spreading everywhere, and it's no longer a matter of if, only about when and how."

His presentation, "A Look In the Future: Robotic Supply Chains," examines overarching issues of robotics and the supply chain, including his view of a fundamental question in the industry: Are robots the next disruptive technology?

While Bonkenburg will discuss new and more affordable robotic systems that are currently entering the marketplace, he will also offer his vision of how this new revolution will affect the way we think about warehousing, distribution and supply chain.

More than just cost reduction opportunities alone will drive robotic technology further down the supply chain toward the end customer. "The long-term roadmap for this technology will give us the ability to reduce the time it takes to get our products to our consumers," Bonkenburg says.

"The use of distribution centers that operate efficiently for 24 hours and self-driving trucks that can run all night without stopping will reduce order lead times, resulting in increased on-shelf availability of products and allowing planners to better match inventory to demand. For many companies, this increase in service level will be more valuable than the simple cost savings that most people think of when they evaluate new automated technology."

Bonkenburg's presentation is scheduled for Monday, June 3, 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

For details about Bonkenburg's presentation, visit http://www.sapics.org/index.php/conference/sapics-annual-conference-2013/conference-programme to download the event schedule.

Bonkenburg, a principal at St. Onge Company and director of its European operations, has the nickname the "robot guy" throughout St. Onge Company because of his passion and knowledge of robotics research and automation.

SAPICS is a South African-based professional knowledge-based association that helps individuals and organizations to improve business performance. It builds operations management excellence in individuals and enterprises through education and training, internationally recognized certifications, comprehensive resources and a countrywide network of accomplished industry professionals.

St. Onge Company is a world-recognized supply chain strategy and logistics-consulting firm. Its discovery-driven approach brings together the elements of supply chain logistics, engineering, operations and new technology to ensure that a client's supply chain challenges receive customized answers.

For more information about the SAPICS conference, visit http://sapics.org/index.php/conference/sapics-annual-conference-2013.

For more information about robotics or other supply chain issues, visit http://www.stonge.com.