Next-gen logistics lab opens in China

A new innovation lab is primed to benefit one of the top players in China’s e-commerce marketplace.

Zebra Technologies, Digital China and Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, which Walmart owns a 12% stake in, have joined forces to develop a state-of-the art facility entitled the “IoT + E-commerce Logistics Lab.”

Residing at JD.com’s pilot warehouse in Beijing’s Shunyi district, the lab brings together best practices, resources and talents in logistics management, data collection, mobile computing, machine vision, cloud computing and IoT.

The facility will enable the alliance to research and develop, prototype implementation, test and evaluation, and conduct application demonstrations, all of which will support the creation of next-generation logistics solutions, according to Zebra.

The retailer already utilizes the partners’ barcode printers and scanners and mobile devices in its warehouses and order fulfillment chain, all of which deliver real-time visibility into its operations.

But now the company is ready to take the next step. Moving forward, lab output will enable JD.com to harness innovative technologies to further boost logistics capabilities, as well as increase enterprise efficiency and productivity — factors it hopes to use to improve its customers’ retail experiences.

On tap for 2017, JD.com plans to improve the productivity of its current picking and packaging operations using mobile devices; increase the visibility of the tens of thousands of trays and cage trolleys used in JD.com’s operations; and to seek potential of applications of machine vision and data analytics in the logistics industry.