This panel discussion will explore the strategic and technical dimensions of designing intelligent end-to-end automation systems for warehousing and distribution. As businesses face rising labor costs, workforce shortages, and increasing demand for speed and accuracy, automation offers a transformative solution. The panel features three department heads from Geekplus, each bringing deep technical expertise and hands-on experience in deploying scalable automation systems. Together, they will unpack the journey from manual operations to fully autonomous facilities, offering insights into system design, technology selection, and long-term value creation. 

Michael Sahler spent nine years working for a wholesale grocery distributor, searching for a way to move his pickers out of the aisles and into a more centralized, team-oriented environment—where they could be coached and managed effectively. He was pitched impractical, unaffordable $50 million fixed-infrastructure automation, which offered the throughput his company needed, but he still yearned for more simple and elegant automation to solve the problem of so much inefficient walking. He knew there had to be a better way!

Today, as Head of Business Development for Geekplus America, Michael leverages his deep understanding of the grocery industry to solve operational challenges through automation. Whether your business is a convenience store, direct-to-consumer fulfillment center, grocery 3PL, pallet cross-docking operation, or part of a regional distribution network, this talk will empower grocery-focused organizations to learn from someone who truly understands the space.

This seminar brings together industry experts for a panel discussion on how to implement automation with long-term success in mind. Whether you're expanding existing operations, modernizing current infrastructure or contemplating adding to your fulfillment network, this session will help you navigate the strategic choices that shape your company's future.