Dive Brief:
- Switzerland-based sportswear brand On is working with artificial intelligence and robotics manufacturer Verity to increase inventory visibility in its fulfillment operations, according to a June 13 press release.
- On will use Verity’s warehouse drones to bring real-time inventory tracking to its warehouse operations and stock management in an effort to minimize stockouts, misplacements and overall shrinkage across its supply chain.
- The technology is already live at one U.S. facility, which is the first step of the partnership's larger plan, a Verity spokesperson told sister publication Supply Chain Dive in an email. The spokesperson declined to share how many facilities at which the tech will eventually be used.
Dive Insight:
On aims to leverage technology in its supply chain to support company growth, according to the press release. If the drones can improve product availability at its physical and online stores, the retailer believes autonomous inventory checks will maximize order fulfillment by improving on-time and accurate delivery.
Drone deployment in the facility is the first step in On’s larger supply chain strategy, the spokesperson said. The two companies are working on more opportunities to further streamline operations and inventory management.
“There is [a] roadmap for the partnership, and the U.S. facility is a first step,” the spokesperson said. “And certainly, there is value in deploying this to a larger scale. [On] can’t disclose any plans or numbers right now.”
Warehouse drones have been gaining momentum for several years and serve as support for other facility technologies, such as sensors and network optimization. Companies have also been piloting and implementing warehouse drones in an effort to more accurately and efficiently process inventory intake.
For example, shipping giant Maersk tapped Verity in 2023 to help shippers keep better track of inventory. In practice, the drones take photos of SKUs on pallets to autonomously track possible inventory errors. The information is then condensed to provide insight for shippers.
