Kenco opens new innovation lab for warehouse automation testing

Kenco, a third-party logistics provider, expanded its innovation footprint by opening a 30,000-square-foot Innovation Lab in Chattanooga, Tennessee on September 10. This facility, which triples the company's testing space from 10,000 square feet, allows Kenco to conduct warehouse automation testing on larger and more complex systems.

The lab, designed to mimic real-world warehouse conditions, enables Kenco to validate technologies, develop solutions, and explore future trends for both manufacturers and customers. Kenco's vice president of automation and innovation, Ainsley Williams, emphasized that the lab serves as a convergence point for leading technologies and real-world applications, helping both parties identify and realize possibilities.

Denis Reilly, Kenco's president and CEO, explained that the original lab was established in 2015 to understand how emerging technologies such as automation would impact operations. As the industry and Kenco's automation ambitions grew, the existing space no longer supported the breadth of technologies they wished to evaluate and develop.

The lab is vendor-neutral, providing an environment where OEMs can run equipment without a purchase order, while customers can explore the equipment without any commitment. Kenco's focus on enabling warehouse associates through automation, rather than replacing them, was highlighted by Reilly, who encouraged attendees to view the technologies from the perspective of a warehouse associate.