For Swiss producer Kardex Remstar, investing in U.S. manufacturing has lengthy been strategic. Effectively earlier than tariffs and commerce uncertainty pushed others to behave, the warehouse automation firm constructed a 280,000-square-foot facility in South Carolina to fulfill rising home demand and increase reliability.
At the moment, that funding is much more important as firms look to tighten management over their provide chains. In an interview, Mark Dunaway, president of Kardex Remstar Americas, shares why he stays bullish on U.S. manufacturing, the tendencies shaping the way forward for the trade and the way his personal management philosophy has helped steer the corporate.
How is Kardex investing in American-made automation to fulfill rising home and world demand?
American-made automation has all the time been a core focus for Kardex Remstar, however right now it’s extra necessary than ever. With growing world uncertainty and evolving commerce insurance policies, together with tariffs, firms are in search of better management and reliability inside their provide chains.
Years in the past, Kardex noticed this shift coming and made strategic, early investments in its U.S. manufacturing capabilities. At the moment, our 280,000-square-foot facility in West Columbia, South Carolina, allows us to fulfill rising home and world demand shortly and reliably.
By constructing our automation options near the place they’re wanted, we assist clients scale back dangers tied to tariffs, delivery delays and geopolitical disruptions, all whereas making certain shorter lead instances and localized help. In lots of circumstances, these options additionally assist firms “tariff-proof” their warehouses by permitting them to retailer and handle extra stock domestically, fairly than counting on abroad manufacturing or third-party storage which may be topic to sudden value will increase.
This proactive funding positions Kardex as a trusted, resilient accomplice, serving to clients future-proof their operations and keep aggressive in a quickly altering world market.
Share your profession journey and management philosophy on this fast-evolving trade.
I started my profession at a fabric dealing with distributor, the place I developed a deep understanding of buyer challenges and options. After a number of years in gross sales, I joined Kardex Remstar and superior by way of quite a lot of management roles, together with regional enterprise director and gross sales director, earlier than turning into president of Kardex Remstar Americas.
At my core, I attempt to be a people-first chief. I thrive on constructing robust relationships and fixing issues by way of collaboration and innovation. My management model is rooted in belief, and I goal to encompass myself with expert, devoted staff members who ship distinctive outcomes for our clients.
One in all my guiding ideas is straightforward: “When you might help, assist.” Regardless of your position or title, it’s best to all the time be prepared to leap in and do what’s proper to your coworkers, your teammates and our clients.
That philosophy reveals up on daily basis at Kardex. I’ve seen our director of realization step into the warehouse to assist load vans once we have been short-staffed attributable to sickness, and our gross sales staff pitch in on a Sunday night to assist the advertising and marketing staff load demo gear for a tradeshow. That willingness to help each other creates a tradition of teamwork and shared success.
This strategy has fostered exceptional stability inside our group. Many staff members have been with Kardex Remstar for greater than 12 years, with 30-plus staff serving greater than 20 years. After we rent somebody, our objective is to maintain them for his or her total profession. This longevity immediately interprets to reliability and experience for our clients who know that they’re partnering with a staff that deeply understands their wants and challenges.
My imaginative and prescient is centered on decreasing danger and delivering dependable, cutting-edge options that assist our clients function extra effectively and confidently. My constant message to the staff: “After we innovate with goal and deal with our clients, everybody wins.”
What are the tendencies shaping the way forward for manufacturing, together with robotics, AI, reshoring and lean practices?
The way forward for manufacturing is being formed by techniques integration and connectivity. I consider that the subsequent period of progress might be pushed by linked warehouses, the place automation, robotics and software program work seamlessly collectively.
Key tendencies my staff and I are seeing embrace:
- Robotics and AI: Shifting past fundamental automation to clever, self-optimizing techniques that scale back guide labor and predict upkeep wants.
- Reshoring: Bringing manufacturing nearer to finish markets to cut back provide chain dangers and pace up success.
- Lean Practices: Leveraging automation to remove waste in area, movement and overproduction whereas boosting throughput and accuracy.
- System Integration: Connecting all points of the warehouse to ship real-time insights, enabling leaders to make sooner, smarter choices.
I spoke about this on the Materials Dealing with Institute’s trade conference ProMat this yr, however the objective isn’t just automation; it’s orchestration. The long run belongs to producers who can join their operations end-to-end for optimum resilience and effectivity.
What’s subsequent for Kardex Remstar?
Kardex’s subsequent chapter focuses on three core priorities—and connecting the dots between these priorities. First, we wish to develop our American-made capabilities by persevering with to put money into U.S.-based manufacturing to fulfill home and world demand.
Secondly, we’re working to supply sooner, extra dependable entry to automation options with shorter lead instances. We’re notably excited in regards to the Kardex shuttle vertical raise module expertise we’ve developed that serves as an automatic, high-density storage resolution that delivers items on to the operator, eliminating wasted time spent strolling, looking out and bending.
We’re additionally working towards deeper techniques integration. We’re aiming to construct linked, scalable options that deliver collectively robotics, software program and automation right into a unified technique.
By staying targeted on these areas, Kardex will proceed serving to clients scale back danger, improve effectivity and future-proof their operations.
