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TAKING INVENTORY IN HAND The Home Depot is putting inventory management in the hands of in-store associates. A new app, named Sidekick, helps associates at more than 600 stores more efficiently prioritize tasks. The app, which integrates into hdPhones—mobile devices previously provided to Home Depot associates—uses machine learning (ML) to guide priorities. For example, Sidekick notifies associates when specific shelves need to be restocked and lets them know where to find excess product in the store. Specifically, the app: ● Leverages a cloud-enabled ML algorithm to determine which tasks are actionable and when they should be completed. ● Utilizes machine vision to detect and fill out-of-stock products, as well as to locate products in stores. ● Alerts associates to tasks that need to be completed first via a common tasking engine. ● Shows where and how to complete a task in a dashboard with associate and manager views.
35% of consumers responding to an Ikea survey say they expect to cancel or postpone home improvement plans as a result of concerns about the general economy due to inflation. The project also adds four new rail spurs at the existing manufacturing site and leaves 200,000 square feet available for future expansion. Sherwin-Williams expects the $300-million project to be completed by the end of 2024. The company plans to add a 36,000-square- foot extension to its existing 200,000-square- foot manufacturing facility and build a new 800,000-square-foot distribution and fleet transportation center. SHERWIN-WILLIAMS BRUSHES UP DC EXPANSION The Sherwin-Williams Company displayed significant interest in both the domestic and European markets by acquiring four coatings companies on the continent in 2022. The paint company, however, remains focused on the U.S. market, as evidenced by its recent groundbreaking in Statesville, North Carolina, for an expansion of manufacturing and distribution facilities.
● Integrates with other platforms to ensure all data and task prioritization is up-to-date and aligned with broader business needs.
SETTING SALE The home improvement supply chain gets busier in early spring as home buying season kicks off and sellers hoping for quick sales begin projects to increase curb appeal. Sixty-five percent of recent sellers responding to research conducted by The Harris Poll and commissioned by Zillow took on at least two home improvement projects prior to listing their homes for sale. The most common projects are interior painting (40%), carpet cleaning (35%), and landscaping (33%). About 3 in 4 sellers (74%) in the past two years say they believe that improvement projects helped their home sell. “The first step to customer service is being in stock with the right product that's easy to locate,” says Muzammil Akram, vice president for store technology, The Home Depot. “Equipping our associates with innovative technology is one key factor in delivering on that initiative.”
February 2023 • Inbound Logistics 13
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