Lucas Systems helps companies transform their distribution centre by dramatically increasing worker productivity, operational agility, and customer and worker satisfaction using intelligent software with speech recognition and AI optimisation technologies.
Project Engineering Manager
Tom Lester, Project Engineering Manager at Lucas Systems speaks to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What does your role involve on a day-to-day basis?
Having been with Lucas for over a decade, my daily activities have varied considerably during this time, and to some degree still do. The sole mission however remains very much the same, and that is to produce highly-quality software that helps our customers optimise their logistics operations; dynamically adjust to the ever-changing market and allows them to rapidly realise their ROI.
How would you explain the Lucas Culture?
Our entire team is a collection of like-minded, highly motivated individuals, all focused on one common goal – to help our customers make the lives of their warehouse workers better. We measure our success on delivering tangible productivity improvements through implementing innovative and creative solutions that build trust among those who use Lucas as part of their day job. After all, we’re ultimately an extension of a customer’s operation and we are proud to put our name alongside theirs. Their success is our success.
How does this culture assist your clients’ requirements?
Since 1998 we have helped transform the lives of tens of thousands of warehouse workers around the globe. That is an extremely satisfying journey to have been part of. Before undertaking any project, we take the time to understand the current pain points and formulate a tailored solution to address them. We go beyond just offering software. Our subject matter experts create an optimised solution encompassing process improvements alongside innovative and cutting-edge workflows powered by our Jennifer AI.
Do you have direct contact with customers, and get involved developing solutions?
Absolutely! Listening to our customers is critical to our success, and their satisfaction is how we measure how well we are doing. Everyone, whether in a customer facing role or not, to some degree, is directly engaged with our end-users. We believe that staying engaged with our customers throughout the full project life cycle is the right way to truly understand what our customers need.
Tell us how Lucas are growing in the UK
Having a local presence for implementation and support is crucial for delivering the solutions, services, and assistance that define our enduring success. Over the past year, we have steadily grown our global team and moved to a new, larger office space in Bracknell. As we continue to attract new customers and opportunities, we plan to further expand the team to match our increasing reach.
What makes Lucas unique in your industry?
Innovation is a word synonymous with Lucas. We are known in the industry as the people who do things first. The creative ones. The innovative ones. We’re the ones who take on challenges others say cannot be done. “Alexa”, “Hey Google” and “Siri” may sound like recent technological discoveries, but what if I told you Lucas were doing this back in 1998? Lucas were the pioneers of voice recognition software and the first company to bring this to the logistics domain. We were the first company to introduce Android wearables to the four walls of a warehouse and we were building AI-based optimisation software long before AI was even a known term in the supply chain industry.
What solutions do you offer customers?
We are a pioneer in AI-driven, voice-directed warehousing software, which integrates with barcode scanning, RFID and other modalities to help automate manual, hands-on processes in the warehouse. Warehouse execution software which increases efficiency, throughput and accuracy with workflows and mobile applications across the distribution spectrum, from receiving to picking to shipping, including audit, cycle count, and returns.
Most recently, our advancements in Dynamic Slotting driven by AI and machine learning, give real-time feedback and eliminate engineering and manual modelling required by traditional slotting systems, allowing for more timely slotting decisions and increasing productivity 5-20%.
What sectors do these clients work in?
We are yet to come across an industry where we haven’t been able to apply our smart optimisation solutions to drive operational efficiencies. Manufacturing, grocery, medical, pet supplies, pharmaceutical, apparel, electronics, aviation, automotive, hardware, furniture, retail and ecommerce are all industries we have a wealth of experience with. You name it, we’ve done it!
How can your solutions help?
We leverage artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and voice technology to enhance performance and deliver substantial operational improvements and customer experience benefits for our partners daily. Our solutions have enabled customers to double picking productivity, cut labour hours and reduce picking errors by 50%, and decrease travel within the warehouse by 30-50%.
How future-proof and flexible are your solutions?
Our solutions are complementary to existing warehouse systems. They provide our customers with the unique proposition of avoiding costly and disruptive WMS upgrades by being able to extend the life of the existing systems with complementary functionality. Our modular approach means that customers can pick and choose the areas of their operation which they would like Lucas to support while other processes in the warehouse can remain as they are. This offers a very cost effective and flexible option that helps drive productivity without needing significant investment in existing systems.
What do you see as the biggest opportunities in the coming year for Lucas?
With warehouse space at a premium and with the continued labour shortages predicted to continue, making the most of the space you have is more vital than ever, and that is reflected in a swing we have seen in why our customers are approaching us to help. The correct placement of SKUs is paramount when it comes to productivity and throughput. Lucas’ Dynamic Slotting solution can help solve a lot of these challenges, allowing our customers to continue to grow their business without the need of increasing the warehouse footprint. Our AI-based model continuously assesses product trends to recommend the best locations for inventory based on velocity, affinity, dimensions and pick paths as well as other data.
What are the biggest challenges facing Lucas and your industry?
The rapid rise of robotics and autonomous equipment within the supply chain industry is adding a level of complexity to operations in a way we haven’t experienced before. Not only is there difficultly deciphering the appropriate equipment from the vast myriad of suppliers, understanding how to utilise and incorporate the kit into an operation is a question we’re consistently being asked by our customers. The good news is that Lucas is yet again well ahead of the curve. We are already speaking with our customers about solutions that orchestrate the efficient movement of both humans, robotics and various other types of warehouse automation.
Do you cover the whole of the UK?
Absolutely! We cover the whole of the EMEA region from our UK base in Bracknell.
Lucas Systems Ltd. (Europe)
0289 600 2852
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