New tool delivers CFO-ready business cases in 10 minutes, bridging the gap between operations and finance approval.WIXOM, MI, July 10, 2026, ISD – Integrated Systems Design announced the launch of its free Warehouse Automation ROI Calculator. The tool generates board-ready financial analysis — payback period, IRR, NPV, and total ROI — in approximately 10 minutes and delivers a PDF copy to the user’s inbox.The calculator addresses a critical problem: most warehouse automation projects fail to win capital approval not because operations lack justification, but because finance lacks the right data.“Most automation projects fail in the boardroom, not the warehouse,” said Bob Jones, Senior Distribution Consultant at ISD. “Operations leaders bring labor savings. Finance wants IRR and the payback period. Without both, structured the way CFOs evaluate capital, the project stalls.”The Problem: Spreadsheets Miss 15 to 30 Percent of Actual ROIBack-of-envelope models typically capture labor savings only. They ignore accuracy improvements, replenishment labor, multi-year order growth, and discounted cash flows. A facility projecting 14 FTE savings might actually deliver 18 to 20 FTEs when growth and accuracy gains are factored in. That gap kills projects at approval.Five Financial Metrics the Calculator ProducesThe tool breaks warehouse labor into four functions: picking, packing, replenishment, and other operations, each with its own staff count, hourly rate, and throughput. It layers in accuracy and error costs, order/line growth over five or seven years, and discounts future savings using the company’s hurdle rate.Output covers the five metrics every CFO evaluates: Payback Period: Break-even timeline. Typical range: 2–4 years. IRR (Internal Rate of Return): Annual percentage return. Typical range for warehouse automation: 20–40%. Hurdle Rate: Company’s required return threshold. Projects must exceed this rate to win approval. NPV (Net Present Value): Total value in today’s dollars. Positive NPV indicates value creation. Total ROI: Full return over project life as a percentage of investment. Typical range: 200–400%.Five Financial Metrics the Calculator ProducesUsers complete the form in about 10 minutes and receive a PDF immediately. Scenarios: conservative, expected, and aggressive can be run repeatedly to stress-test assumptions.Why ISD Launches the Warehouse Automation ROI CalculatorISD works with supply chain, distribution, and operations leaders who consistently face the same boardroom obstacle. The calculator is free and confidential — ISD does not share or sell submitted data. It can be run as many times as needed.“When a customer hands me napkin-math ROI, I find 15 to 30 percent of the real value missing,” said Jones. “A CFO spots thin analysis in 60 seconds. This calculator builds what your finance team would build if they had time.”Space Savings: The Variable That Flips Borderline ProjectsThe calculator deliberately excludes space savings because recovered warehouse square footage varies widely in value. The same 30,000 square feet can be worth $300,000 annually to one operation and $3 million to another. ISD identifies eight distinct ways space savings reshape ROI: avoiding new facility construction, deferring lease expansion, adding revenue-generating capacity, consolidating facilities, insourcing outsourced operations, reducing energy costs, improving labor density, and expanding specialty storage.“Space savings is the variable that flips a borderline project into an obvious yes,” Jones said. “We’ve helped customers increase storage capacity 40 percent without adding a single square foot of building space.”When to Move Beyond the CalculatorThree situations benefit from professional guidance alongside the tool: Multi-technology projects (ASRS plus robotics plus WMS): system interactions affect reduction percentages in ways a calculator alone cannot model. Large investments exceeding $5 million: finance requires sensitivity analysis and sourced benefits breakdowns. Strategic uncertainty: ISD’s OptimalOps-Process™ framework sequences investments for maximum cumulative ROI.ISD offers no-obligation consultations. Contact 248-668-8250 or information@isddd.com.How to Access the Warehouse Automation ROI CalculatorThe free Warehouse Automation ROI Calculator is available at isddd.com/warehouse-automation-roi-calculator/. A supporting article explaining how to interpret results and present them to finance is at isddd.com/your-warehouse-automation-roi-calculator/.About ISD – Integrated Systems DesignISD – Integrated Systems Design is a warehouse automation systems integrator and OEM manufacturer based in Wixom, Michigan. ISD designs, builds, and implements automation solutions, including ASRS, AMRs, conveyor systems, and automated truck loading across manufacturing, distribution, and fulfillment industries. ISD’s proprietary OptimalOps-Process™ framework guides every engagement from initial analysis through go-live.ContactEd RomaineVP Marketing & Business Dev215-512-2613eromaine@isddd.com

SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. July 13, 2026 – KUKA Robotics is expanding its education portfolio with new robotic cells, simulation software and hands-on training programs designed to assist educators across North America. To prepare students for the manufacturing workforce, the company is supporting vocational schools, technical colleges and universities by integrating industrial automation into classrooms in a comprehensive, application-oriented, and future-focused way.At the center of KUKA’s education portfolio are user-friendly modular robot learning cells designed for classroom settings, including the company’s iiQKA Education Cell. The ready-to-use AI-enabled training cell allows instructors to introduce automation concepts at their own pace while supporting a wide range of learning objectives and classroom set-ups.Included in KUKA’s education portfolio is the KMP 250P Education Kit, which introduces students to autonomous mobile robots (AMR) and modern intralogistics concepts. Through practical applications, students gain experience with navigation, material transport and collaboration between mobile and stationary robotic systems.Further complementing the company’s education portfolio is the iiQWorks.Sim simulation software, which allows students and instructors to create digital twins, test applications and validate processes before deploying them in the physical environment. Using this simulation allows students to gain valuable experience with digital engineering tools that are increasingly used throughout the robotics industry.Starting in July 2026, this portfolio will be expanded to include additional products. The iiQKA Education Cell lite can be used to demonstrate typical robotics tasks, such as following paths or picking up and palletizing objects. With its compact design, an integrated gripper, and the KUKA smartPLUG handheld controller, the iiQKA Education Cell lite cobot offers opportunities to learn the specific features of a cobot in the classroom. The applications are always based on real-world industrial processes and provide students with fundamental knowledge such as coordinate systems, axis movements, point-to-point programming, and the integration of an optional vision system.To assist instructors in the learning process, KUKA's education portfolio includes comprehensive instructor training designed to help teachers confidently integrate automation into their curriculum. Participants in the week-long program learn how to operate the systems and effectively incorporate them into classroom instruction. Teachers also receive classroom materials tailored to different skill levels to easily implement automation training across a variety of educational programs.To make advanced automation technology more easily accessible to students, KUKA is offering approved educators and robotic instructors a 50 percent discount on eligible products and teacher training programs. For more information, school administrators and educators can visit the KUKA education and training website.KUKA KUKA is an international automation group with sales of around EUR 3.7 billion and approximately 15,000 employees. As one of the world's leading suppliers of intelligent, resource-saving automation solutions, KUKA offers industrial robots, autonomous mobile robots (AMR) including controllers, software, and cloud-based digital services, as well as fully networked production systems for various industries – primarily for markets such as automotive with a focus on e-mobility & battery, electronics, metal & plastic, consumer goods, food, e-commerce, retail, and healthcare. The company is headquartered in Augsburg, Germany.

The Advanced Energy Council (AEC) Industry Group of MHI is pleased to announce the approval of ACT Chargers’ application to join MAG at the 2026 Spring Meeting held May 18-20 in Jacksonville, FL.MHI member companies have the opportunity to join any of MHI’s Industry Groups or the Solutions Community. Industry Groups share information and conduct research to stay at the forefront of their industry. Typical Industry Group activities include industry statistics collection, standards development, technical publications, public relations, promotion of safety, and member and user education. The Solutions Community brings MHI members together with equipment and systems users to collaborate and address common challenges and opportunities in manufacturing and supply chain in a safe harbor environment.For more information about MHI Industry Groups, please visit mhi.org/industrygroups. To learn more about AEC, please visit mhi.org/aec or contact Jayesh Mehta at jmehta@mhi.org.AEC – Advanced Energy Council Founded in 2023, the Advanced Energy Council was established to represent the companies that produce, implement, and support advanced energy technologies and accessories. The group was formed with the intention of being inclusive of current and future motive energy storage technologies. AEC aims to serve as the collective voice in the industry to promote innovative energy solutions and education for the market, colleagues, and end users.About MHI MHI is an international trade association that has represented the material handling, logistics and supply chain industry since 1945. MHI’s over 1,000 members include material handling and logistics equipment and systems manufacturers, integrators, consultants, publishers and third-party logistics providers. MHI offers education, networking and solution sourcing for their members, the members’ customers, and the industry as a whole through programming and events. The association sponsors the ProMat and MODEX expos to showcase the products and services of its member companies and to educate manufacturing and supply chain professionals. The Warehousing Education and Research Council (WERC) is a division of MHI and provides education and research to the warehousing, distribution, and logistics community.