RFP Report

Most operations managers run a warehouse automation RFP once, maybe twice in their careers. By the time you've learned what questions you should have asked, you're already 18 months into a contract that's harder to exit than you expected. This guide won't

Every operations and engineering manager has sat through the same meeting. The spreadsheet goes up on the screen. Columns for price, technical capability, support responsiveness, and implementation experience. Each row is a vendor. Someone has assigned weights — price is 30%, technical fit is 25%, and so on. The math runs.

For decades, the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) has been the undisputed king of industrial automation. It is rugged, reliable, and does exactly what it’s told. But as we move further into 2026, the industry is hitting a "logic ceiling." Traditional AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and even early-generation

For OEMs and System Integrators, the pressure to deliver a functional robot cell or AMR fleet under tight deadlines is immense. In that environment, the "easy button" is incredibly tempting. Often, that button is labeled SICK Flexi Soft. While the Flexi Soft ecosystem is a powerhouse of plug-and-play

In the high-stakes world of industrial automation and material handling, a single technical choice in your Request for Proposal (RFP) can quietly strip away your future bargaining power. While procurement teams often focus on "steel and motors," the real leverage—and the real ROI—lies in the communication

In the rapidly evolving landscape of industrial automation, the goalposts have moved. If your current Request for Proposal (RFP) is still focused on legacy metrics like "uptime percentages," you aren't buying a future-proof system—you’re subsidizing technical debt. As we move through 2026, the industry