News Briefs

Zebra Technologies is acquiring Matrox Imaging for $875 million, bringing into the fold automation and vision technology. Recent IT investments also include robotics and machine learning. 

[Related: Boosting Supply Chain Challenges Through Advanced Technologies: Up Close with Zebra Technologies' Guy Yehiav]

Matrox Imaging’s software development kits, smart cameras, 3D sensors, vision controllers, input/output cards, and frame grabbers are used to capture, inspect, assess, and record data from industrial vision systems in factory automation, electronics and pharmaceutical packaging, semiconductor inspection, and more. 

Anders Gustafsson, chief executive officer of Zebra Technologies, said the acquisition will enable them to meet evolving consumer needs across the automation journey, including production and the movement of goods and materials. 

According to the company, the purchase will expand Zebra’s recently launched fixed industrial scanning and machine vision portfolio and grow its focus in software, machine learning, and deep learning.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval and is expected to close in 2022. 

This article first appeared on RIS News. 

Global managed services and automation firm enVista has launched an inventory forecasting and planning as a service solution. 

Primo Water Global is among the brands leveraging the new offering, which allows companies to create inventory models, complete a demand forecasting analysis, and monitor ongoing performance. 

enVista also analyzes SKU historical profiles to determine inventory needs to best meet financial objectives. 

[Related: enVista Expands Automation Capabilities with Acquisition]

According to the company, the subscription allows companies to scale enVista’s solutions to “adapt to evolving market changes, optimally position inventory across the network, optimize gross margin return on inventory investment, and ensure the right inventory is available in the right place and right time to improve customer service.”

The offering can be used alongside enVista’s cloud-native omnichannel order management system with enterprise inventory availability and AI-powered inventory allocation.

Primo Water Global CIO, Jamie Jamison, said that with the current state of the company’s supply chain and DTC model, inventory management has been crucial to their success.

“enVista’s inventory forecasting and planning as a service offering has ensured that we consistently have the right inventory levels in every echelon of our global supply chain to meet customer demand and protect our bottom line,” Jamison added.

Nestlé USA is investing $675 million to build a high-tech beverage facility in Glendale, AZ, to produce creamers for its Coffee mate, Coffee mate natural bliss, and Starbucks brands.

The factory, which will create more than 350 jobs, is expected to open in 2024 and will be able to expand to additional beverages in the future.

“Beverages play an increasingly important role in the lives of consumers, a trend that’s been accelerated by the pandemic and is expected to continue to grow,” said Daniel Jhung, president of beverage, Nestlé USA. “This investment illustrates our continued commitment to leading and growing categories where we play, providing consumers with a variety of high-quality, innovative products to meet their needs.”

[See also: Nestlé Plans To Double Consumer Data Records]

Nestlé chose the location because of its proximity to customers and consumers in the western U.S., thereby reducing transport timelines and emissions, and it described the facility as its most technologically advanced factory and distribution center. In addition to housing a water recycling process to reduce water usage, the 630,000-square-foot facility will use recyclable product packaging made from food-safe recycled plastic.

It will also send zero waste to landfills and strive for 100% renewable energy by 2025. 

The No. 1 consumer goods company has invested nearly $3 billion in the United States to beef up its manufacturing footprint and in-house capabilities, and currently operates 14 food and beverage factories across the country.

Pernod Ricard’s Jameson Irish Whiskey brand is entering the burgeoning ready-to-drink market. The No. 60 consumer goods company is marking St. Patrick’s Day with Jameson Ginger & Lime, a carbonated cocktail in a can made with Irish whiskey.

Kate Pomeroy, head of innovation at Pernod Ricard North America, said the product was inspired by one of the company’s most popular recipes. The company also declared St. Patrick’s Day as a two-day holiday in honor of the product innovation.

The global RTD cocktails market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12% from 2021 to 2028, to reach $1.78 billion, according to Grand View Research, up from $714.8 million in 2020.

CGT parent company EnsembleIQ has named Joe Territo executive vice president of content and communications.

In his new role, Territo is responsible for communications strategy and execution, including public relations and marketing. He will continue leading collaboration among EnsembleIQ brands and shared services teams to develop new and innovative products and content optimization practices, resulting in audience engagement growth helping customers to connect with business professionals.

Territo joined EnsembleIQ in 2019 as senior vice president of content to develop and execute a cohesive content strategy driving valuable digital behaviors. His work has increased audience engagement with EnsembleIQ offerings, and the offerings of its customers.

He also served as brand director of EnsembleIQ’s Path to Purchase IQ before being promoted in 2021 to executive vice president of content. In that role, Territo most recently partnered with multiple EnsembleIQ brands to lead development of a series of innovative hybrid video and podcast experiences delivering actionable business insights.

Jennifer Litterick, chief executive officer of EnsembleIQ, said Territo has made a powerful impact on mobilizing teams across the organization to drive engagement and increase the value of its products. 

“His oversight is now expanding to lead communications efforts that will enhance awareness of EnsembleIQ’s business intelligence offerings across all the industries and segments we serve throughout the entire path to purchase,” she said. 

Prior to EnsembleIQ, Territo served as chief content officer of business information services provider Penton, playing a leading role in the company’s digital transformation prior to it being acquired by Informa for $1.6 billion. 

Territo’s previous experiences include serving as VP of content at the Newhouse family’s Advance Local, and executive producer with Time Inc. new Media, where he managed design and production of digital content with Time, Money, Fortune, Sports Illustrated, and People.

Territo started his career as a news reporter for Advance’s Star-Ledger in Newark, N.J., and shifted his responsibility to help lead the launch of the company’s first local news website, NJ.com. 

Product discovery and sourcing platform RangeMe has expanded its capabilities so suppliers can sell directly to U.S. retailers. Suppliers in eligible categories can set up a storefront that displays and fulfills products and orders, and the new service features single-click purchasing, multi-order add-to-cart, and access to order details and history.

The new ordering capability seeks to provide end-to-end buyer engagement through product discovery, evaluation, and purchase in one experience, and it will be available for use at RangeMe parent ECRM’s Global Market: Spring Buying Days March 28 – April 1. Retailers can filter, sort, and find brands or products; add them to their carts; and make purchases directly on RangeMe or set up 15-minute meetings on ECRM Connect with suppliers.

Santiago Urti, CEO of Green Global Foods, said the new capability will drastically shorten the time it takes to get its products on shelves, especially with community-based and regional retailers.

The Global Market even will also include such speakers as Jane Ewing, SVP of sustainability at Walmart; Julie Barbar, SVP of health and wellness at Walmart; and John Shaw, head of supply at Farmstead.