MODEX 2026 is the premier event in material handling and supply chain technology, and every edition makes one thing clear: the industry is moving fast. New automation technologies are maturing, operator expectations are rising, and the pressure to do more with constrained capital and labor resources is intensifying across every market segment.

Century Conveyor is heading to MODEX 2026 with a focused agenda. We’re not there to show you everything—we’re there to have the right conversations with the right people about the real challenges they’re facing on the floor. Here’s a preview of what we’re bringing, what we’ll be discussing, and why this year’s show is particularly relevant for the operations we serve.

The Conversation We Keep Hearing: Retrofit Before You Replace: MODEX 2026

If there’s one theme that has defined our sales conversations over the past several months, it’s this: more operations are asking about retrofitting and modernizing their existing systems than at any point in recent memory.

The reasons aren’t hard to identify. Capital budgets are under pressure. Lead times for new equipment have been unpredictable. And a generation of conveyor systems installed in the 2010s is now reaching the age where controls and software are becoming the limiting factor, even when the mechanical infrastructure is still fundamentally sound.

At our booth, we’re ready to have detailed conversations about what retrofit and modernization actually looks like—and what it costs and delivers compared to full system replacement. This isn’t a canned pitch. It’s a real conversation, grounded in the specifics of what we’re seeing in the field and what we’ve learned from executing retrofit projects across a wide range of facility types and market segments.

If your facility is running on aging PLCs, outdated HMIs, or a controls architecture that’s limiting your visibility and throughput, this is the conversation you should be having at MODEX. Come find us.

HMI Conveyor Works: Modern Interfaces for Any System

One of the solutions we’re discussing at MODEX is Century’s HMI Conveyor Works program—our approach to modernizing the human-machine interface layer of existing conveyor systems.

Operators in many facilities are still working with interfaces that were designed a decade or more ago. They’re interpreting cryptic alarm codes, navigating unintuitive menu structures, and getting far less real-time information than they need to run an efficient operation. When something goes wrong, diagnosing the fault takes longer than it should. And when labor turnover brings new operators into the mix—which is a constant reality in most DCs—the learning curve on legacy systems is steep.

Modern HMIs change all of that. Intuitive graphical interfaces surface system status clearly. Alarm management systems don’t just alert—they log, prioritize, and track faults through resolution. Performance dashboards give supervisors real-time throughput and zone health data. Remote access capability means your controls engineers can diagnose issues without being physically on the floor.

What makes Century’s approach distinctive is that these upgrades are designed to work with your existing conveyor infrastructure. You’re not buying a new system. You’re upgrading the interface and intelligence of the system you already have.

We’ll have materials and demonstrations available at the booth. If your operation is running on aging HMIs, plan to spend some time with our controls team.

The LMS Gen 4: Electromagnetic Switching for Your Existing Sorter

For operations running sliding shoe sortation systems, we’re featuring the LMS Gen 4—a next-generation electromagnetic switch unit developed through our partner network with Lafayette Engineering.

The LMS Gen 4 is designed to address one of the most persistent maintenance challenges in sliding shoe sorters: divert reliability and durability. Traditional mechanical divert switches are subject to wear, misalignment, and maintenance-intensive adjustment. The LMS Gen 4’s electromagnetic actuation mechanism eliminates the mechanical components most prone to failure, delivering faster, more reliable switching with reduced maintenance requirements.

For operations that are running high-volume sortation and dealing with divert reliability issues, the LMS Gen 4 is a targeted fix that doesn’t require replacing the sorter. It’s the kind of precision modernization that extends system life and improves throughput without the cost and disruption of a full sortation system replacement.

We’ll be talking through specific applications and retrofit scenarios at the booth. If you’re running a sliding shoe sorter and dealing with divert issues, bring those questions.

Robotics: What We’re Seeing, What’s Ready Now

Robotics is always a major theme at MODEX, and 2026 is no different. The show floor will be full of robotic solutions at various stages of maturity—from proven technologies with extensive deployment histories to emerging systems that are still finding their footing in real-world operations.

Our team’s perspective on robotics is grounded in what we’re actually deploying and integrating in the field. We work with robotic induction systems, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for in-facility transport, and robotic palletizing cells—and we have clear views on where each technology delivers reliable ROI and where the real-world deployment experience doesn’t yet match the trade show presentation.

At MODEX, we’ll be sharing that perspective honestly. If you’re evaluating robotic solutions and want a practical view on readiness, integration requirements, and payback, our team is a good resource. We don’t have a stake in selling you a specific robot brand—we have a stake in building you a system that works.

Come with your specific throughput challenges, your facility constraints, and your questions. That’s the conversation we’re set up to have.

Market Segments We’re Focused On

Century’s MODEX presence this year reflects the range of market segments we’re actively working in. Our conversations and materials are particularly relevant for:

• 3PL and fulfillment operations managing multi-client environments and variable volume demands
• Distribution centers evaluating their conveyor infrastructure against modernization and retrofit options
• E-commerce and direct-to-consumer operations dealing with throughput growth and sortation performance challenges
• Food and beverage distribution facilities with specific hygiene and durability requirements for conveyor equipment
• Retail distribution operations dealing with omnichannel complexity and increasing SKU velocity

If your operation falls into any of these categories—or if you’re working on a challenge that doesn’t fit neatly into a category—we want to hear about it.

Schedule Time Before the Show

MODEX is a busy show, and the most productive meetings are the ones that are planned. If you want to have a detailed technical conversation with Century’s engineering team—whether about a specific retrofit opportunity, a new system project, or a challenge you’re working through—reach out before the show to schedule time.

We’ll have project engineers, controls specialists, and operations consultants on site. The conversation you have at the booth can turn into a site assessment, a system concept, or a proposal as quickly as you want it to.

Visit centuryconveyor.com/contact-us to reach out, or come find us at the show. We’ll be there, ready to talk.

Every sortation system has a limit. For most facilities, that limit isn’t set by the sorter itself—it’s set by how fast product can be inducted into the sortation system in the first place.

Manual induction is one of the most labor-intensive and throughput-limiting tasks in a warehouse or distribution center. Human induction operators are responsible for placing individual packages, polybags, or small cartons onto the sortation conveyor at a consistent pace and proper orientation. The job is repetitive, physically demanding, and highly sensitive to staffing levels and fatigue.

When induction operators fall behind—because of volume spikes, worker fatigue, staffing shortages, or simply the natural variability of human performance—the sorter slows down or backs up. The downstream operation feels it immediately. Throughput drops. Ship windows get tighter. And the fixes are expensive: more headcount, overtime, or accepting the throughput hit.

Robotic induction solves this problem at the root.

What Is Robotic Induction?

Robotic induction uses automated robotic systems—typically vision-guided robotic arms or gantry systems—to pick individual items from a bulk presentation (typically a conveyor, tote, or bin), identify them, orient them properly, and place them onto the induction conveyor at the controlled pace the sortation system requires.

The process involves several integrated technologies working in concert:

• Vision systems that identify individual items in a bulk or semi-random presentation
• AI-powered pick planning that determines the optimal pick sequence and grasp point for each item
• Robotic arms with appropriate end-of-arm tooling to handle a variety of package types, sizes, and weights
• Integration with the WCS or sorter controls to maintain proper item spacing and induction rate
• Barcode scanning and divert logic that routes each item to its correct destination within the sortation system

The result is an induction process that operates at a consistent rate, regardless of staffing levels, time of day, or volume fluctuations. The sorter gets fed at the rate it was designed to run—and it runs there reliably.

Where Robotic Induction Makes the Biggest Impact

Robotic induction is most valuable in operations that share one or more of the following characteristics:

High induction labor costs: Facilities where multiple induction stations are required to keep the sortation system running at target throughput are natural candidates. Each human induction station carries not just direct labor cost, but indirect costs including supervision, ergonomic risk, training time, and variability.

Variable staffing environments: 3PLs, seasonal operations, and facilities with high labor turnover face a chronic challenge maintaining consistent induction performance. Robotic induction provides a stable baseline that doesn’t fluctuate with headcount.

High volume, small item operations: E-commerce fulfillment, apparel distribution, and consumer goods operations moving large volumes of small to medium-sized items are well-suited to current robotic induction technology. The combination of high throughput requirements and relatively manageable item variability makes these applications highly viable.

Sortation systems running below rated throughput: If your sortation system was designed for a higher throughput than you’re currently achieving, and induction is the bottleneck, robotic induction may be the most direct path to realizing the performance your system was built for.

The Technology Has Matured Significantly

For years, robotic induction was constrained by two primary limitations: the ability to handle the diversity of packages encountered in real-world fulfillment operations, and the cycle time required to pick and place each item at sorter-compatible speeds.

Both of those limitations have been substantially overcome by advances in vision technology, AI-powered pick planning, and robotic arm design.

Modern robotic induction systems can handle a significantly broader range of package types than previous generations—including polybags, soft-sided mailers, and irregular shapes that previously required human handling. Vision systems can identify items in bulk presentation and determine grasp strategies in real time. And cycle times have improved to the point where robotic induction is competitive with—and in sustained operation, superior to—human induction rates.

The economics have followed the technology. As robotic induction systems have become more capable and more deployable, the payback period for the investment has compressed. For operations with significant induction labor costs, ROI within 18–36 months is increasingly achievable.

Integration with Existing Sortation Infrastructure

One of the most important practical questions for any facility evaluating robotic induction is whether it can be integrated with an existing sortation system—or whether it requires a full system replacement.

In most cases, robotic induction can be retrofitted into existing sortation infrastructure. The robotic induction cells are designed to interface with the induction conveyor upstream of the sorter, and the controls integration is handled at the WCS layer. The sorter itself doesn’t need to be replaced or significantly modified.

This is significant for operations that have invested in sortation infrastructure that still has mechanical life remaining. The bottleneck—induction—can be addressed directly without disrupting the downstream system that’s performing well.

Century’s controls and integration team manages the full scope of robotic induction projects, from system concept through installation, integration, and commissioning. Our experience with WCS integration ensures that the robotic induction cells communicate properly with the sortation system and that the data flowing back to your WMS and operational dashboards is accurate and actionable.

What to Expect During Deployment

A robotic induction deployment follows a disciplined project sequence that minimizes operational disruption while ensuring the system is properly validated before going live.

The process begins with an operational analysis that characterizes your item mix, throughput requirements, and induction zone layout. From that analysis, Century engineers specify the appropriate robotic induction system configuration—number of cells, robot type, end-of-arm tooling, and vision system requirements.

Integration engineering then maps the controls interface between the robotic system and the existing sortation controls and WCS. This is a critical phase that ensures the induction rate management, item spacing, and exception handling logic all work correctly before the system goes live.

Installation and commissioning are typically sequenced to allow the existing induction process to continue operating while the robotic cells are installed. The transition to robotic induction is staged, with human operators backing up the system during initial operation and stepping back as the system validates its performance.

The Long View

Robotic induction isn’t just a labor-saving investment—it’s an infrastructure investment that positions your operation for sustained throughput growth.

As e-commerce volumes continue to grow and the pressure on fulfillment speed and accuracy intensifies, the facilities that have automated their induction bottlenecks will be better positioned to scale than those still relying on manual induction labor at scale.

If you’re running a sortation system that’s constrained by induction performance, or if you’re planning a new system and want to build robotic induction in from the start, Century’s team is ready to help you evaluate the opportunity and design the right solution.

Contact Century Conveyor to schedule a consultation with our automation engineering team.

Third-party logistics is one of the most operationally demanding businesses in material handling. A 3PL doesn’t just manage one client’s throughput requirements—it manages dozens, often across wildly different product types, packaging formats, order profiles, and seasonal demand curves. And increasingly, the brands choosing 3PL partners are doing so not just on price, but on capability.

Can you handle a 300% volume spike when our TikTok goes viral? Can you process returns at the same rate you ship outbound? Can you turn around same-day orders from clients whose SKU counts change every quarter?

These are the questions that separate 3PLs that win long-term contracts from those that lose them. The answer almost always comes down to how well the operation is built to flex.

The New 3PL Reality: Small Brands, Big Throughput Demands

The growth of social commerce has fundamentally changed the demand profile of many 3PL clients. Companies that are doing their marketing through TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube—and doing it successfully—can go from processing a few hundred orders a day to tens of thousands in a matter of weeks. These aren’t hypothetical scenarios anymore. They’re happening across the industry.

For the 3PL trying to serve these clients, the operational challenge is acute. You can’t build a dedicated facility and staffing model around peak demand that you can’t reliably predict. At the same time, you can’t afford to be the bottleneck that costs a fast-growing brand its momentum during a viral moment.

The 3PL operations that are handling this well have one thing in common: their automation infrastructure is built for scalability, not just steady-state throughput.

Scalable Automation vs. Rigid Automation

There’s an important distinction to make here between automation that scales and automation that simply runs fast.

A conveyor system that’s sized perfectly for 15,000 units per hour is a liability if your client mix suddenly demands 8,000 units per hour across 12 different order profiles. Running high-speed equipment at below-capacity to serve variable demand creates inefficiency, mechanical wear, and control complexity that most operations aren’t set up to manage.

Scalable automation, by contrast, is designed with operational flexibility built in from the start. That means:

• Zone-based conveyor architecture that can be staged up or down based on active client volume
• Sortation logic configurable by client, product type, and shipping priority—without requiring a controls engineer to modify the system
• Pick module and storage configurations that can be reconfigured as client inventory profiles change
• WCS software that can manage multiple clients’ fulfillment rules simultaneously within a shared physical system

This is the design philosophy that Century brings to 3PL automation projects. The goal isn’t to build the fastest system—it’s to build the most adaptable one.

Sortation: The Backbone of Multi-Client Operations

For most 3PLs, the sortation system is where the operation either works or doesn’t. When you’re processing outbound orders from multiple clients with different carrier requirements, parcel dimensions, and destination profiles, the sortation layer has to be fast, accurate, and configurable.

Century’s sortation system installations cover the full spectrum of sortation technologies: shoe sorters, belt sorters, tray sorters, and bombay-style distribution systems. Each has different strengths depending on product size, throughput speed, and sort accuracy requirements.

For 3PLs with diverse client mixes, we often design hybrid sortation architectures that can handle both small parcel and larger polybag or case-level product in the same system—reducing the need for separate handling lines and the labor costs that come with them.

The WCS layer on top of a modern sortation system is what makes it truly multi-client capable. Rather than hard-coding sortation logic for a single client’s rules, a WCS allows the operation to maintain configurable sort profiles that can be updated without physical changes to the system. Adding a new client doesn’t mean rebuilding the sortation logic. It means configuring a new profile in software.

The Labor Equation

Labor is one of the most persistent challenges in 3PL operations. Hourly labor is expensive, turnover is high, and peak-period staffing is nearly impossible to get right. Automation doesn’t eliminate the labor problem, but it fundamentally changes the equation.

The key shift that well-designed conveyor and sortation automation enables is moving labor away from low-value transport tasks—moving items from A to B—and concentrating human labor on the tasks that actually require human judgment: picking, packing, quality checking, exception handling, and returns processing.

When the conveyor system is handling the movement, sequencing, and sortation of product reliably, your labor hours go further. A pick operation supported by a well-designed conveyor and pick module can outperform a manual operation with significantly fewer headcount—and it does so with more consistency, which matters for 3PLs who are accountable to client SLAs.

Additionally, modern systems with strong WCS and HMI infrastructure make it easier to train new operators quickly. When the interface is intuitive and the system is surfacing status information clearly, the learning curve for new hires is dramatically shorter.

Building for Client Wins, Not Just Current Operations

The best 3PL automation decisions are made not just with current clients in mind, but with future business development in mind. When a prospective client comes to evaluate your facility, what they’re actually evaluating is your capability story.

Can you demonstrate throughput flexibility? Can you show them how their orders would flow through your system? Can you show a WCS interface that gives them real-time visibility into their inventory and order status? Can you show them that their goods won’t be sitting on a manual staging floor next to another client’s products?

The answer to all of those questions is a function of the automation infrastructure you’ve built. 3PLs that have invested in flexible, well-controlled automation have a fundamentally stronger story to tell prospects than those operating primarily on manual processes or rigid, single-client systems.

What a 3PL Automation Assessment Looks Like

Century’s approach to 3PL projects starts with understanding the operation before designing the system. That means a thorough analysis of current client mix, order profiles, volume patterns, SKU characteristics, and growth projections—not just the physical dimensions of the facility.

From that analysis, we develop a system concept that balances current operational needs with the flexibility to scale. We model throughput, map product flow, and validate the design against peak-period scenarios before a single piece of equipment is specified.

If you’re a 3PL operation looking to expand your automation capability, or evaluating your current system against the demands of a changing client mix, Century is ready to engage. Reach out to schedule a conversation with our team.

Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) are experiencing one of the fastest periods of growth in the history of the supply chain industry. As companies across manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and e-commerce increasingly outsource logistics operations, 3PLs are absorbing more freight volume, managing more client complexity, and operating under greater pressure to meet strict service level agreements (SLAs).

This shift is fundamentally reshaping how warehouses operate. Distribution centers that once handled predictable flows of goods for a single company are now expected to support dozens of clients, thousands of SKUs, and rapidly fluctuating order volumes. To meet these demands, 3PL operators are turning to warehouse automation, advanced conveyor systems, and intelligent material handling solutions.

For companies operating in distribution, fulfillment, and industrial logistics, understanding this transformation is essential. The growth of 3PL operations is not just an industry trend—it is redefining the future of warehouse design and automation.

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The Rapid Expansion of the 3PL Industry

Third-party logistics providers have long played a role in supply chains, but their importance has accelerated dramatically over the last decade.

Today, businesses are relying on 3PL partners for a wide range of services, including:

• Warehousing and storage
• Order fulfillment
• Inventory management
• Transportation coordination
• Reverse logistics
• Packaging and labeling
• Cross-docking operations

The appeal is straightforward. By outsourcing logistics operations, companies can focus on product development, marketing, and sales while experienced logistics providers manage the operational complexities of moving goods through the supply chain.

As a result, 3PL providers are handling a growing share of global distribution activity.

But with that growth comes operational pressure. Modern 3PL facilities must process high volumes of goods while supporting multiple clients with unique requirements. This environment demands warehouse systems that can scale rapidly and operate with exceptional efficiency.

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Why More Companies Are Outsourcing Logistics

Several major forces are driving the rapid adoption of third-party logistics services.

Increasing Supply Chain Complexity

Supply chains have become global and interconnected. Products may be manufactured in one region, assembled in another, and distributed worldwide through complex transportation networks.

Managing these logistics internally requires specialized expertise, advanced technology, and significant infrastructure investment. Many companies prefer to partner with logistics providers that already have these capabilities in place.

3PL operators offer established distribution networks, warehouse systems, and operational teams designed specifically to handle supply chain complexity.

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The Rise of E-Commerce

E-commerce has dramatically changed fulfillment expectations.

Consumers now expect:

• Faster shipping times
• Real-time order tracking
• Accurate delivery estimates
• Simple return processes

Meeting these expectations requires warehouses capable of processing thousands of small parcel shipments every hour.

Many traditional warehouses were never designed for this type of order volume or complexity. 3PL providers have stepped in to fill this gap, building fulfillment centers designed specifically for e-commerce operations.

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Capital Investment Challenges

Building and operating a modern distribution center is expensive.

Costs include:

• Warehouse construction
• Automation equipment
• warehouse management systems (WMS)
• staffing and training
• maintenance and infrastructure upgrades

Outsourcing logistics allows companies to convert these fixed costs into variable operating expenses. Instead of investing millions in infrastructure, they can partner with a logistics provider that already has the facilities and systems in place.

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Rapid Market Expansion

Companies entering new geographic markets often need distribution capabilities quickly. Building new warehouses can take years.

3PL providers offer immediate access to established logistics networks, enabling businesses to expand into new regions without the delay of building new infrastructure.

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The Operational Challenges Facing 3PL Providers

While outsourcing logistics creates advantages for clients, it places significant pressure on 3PL operators.

Modern logistics facilities must manage:

• Multiple clients operating within the same facility
• Thousands of SKUs with different handling requirements
• Rapidly changing order volumes
• Strict delivery deadlines
• Complex inventory management

In many cases, a single warehouse may handle fulfillment for dozens of different companies simultaneously.

Each client may require different packaging formats, labeling standards, shipping carriers, and reporting processes.

Managing this level of complexity requires systems designed for flexibility and scalability.

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The Growing Importance of Service Level Agreements

Service level agreements (SLAs) are central to 3PL operations.

Clients expect logistics providers to meet strict performance targets such as:

• Order accuracy rates
• Same-day shipping requirements
• Inventory accuracy
• Processing speed
• Dock-to-stock timelines

Failure to meet these performance metrics can lead to financial penalties, lost business, or damaged relationships.

As client expectations increase, maintaining SLA performance becomes increasingly difficult—especially as order volumes fluctuate.

Automation and intelligent material handling systems play a critical role in maintaining consistent performance under these conditions.

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Labor Challenges in Modern Warehousing

Labor availability has become one of the largest operational constraints in logistics.

Distribution centers frequently struggle with:

• High employee turnover
• Seasonal labor shortages
• Rising wage costs
• Physically demanding work environments

Manual warehouse operations require large numbers of employees performing repetitive tasks such as picking, sorting, labeling, and transporting products.

As order volumes increase, relying entirely on manual labor becomes inefficient and costly.

Automation technologies allow warehouses to reduce manual touches while improving productivity and operational consistency.

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How Warehouse Automation Is Transforming 3PL Operations

Automation technologies are rapidly changing how distribution centers operate.

Instead of relying solely on manual processes, modern warehouses integrate automated systems that streamline product movement and reduce operational bottlenecks.

Several key technologies are driving this transformation.

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Conveyor Systems: The Backbone of Modern Distribution

Conveyor systems form the foundation of many automated warehouse operations.

These systems transport products efficiently throughout the facility, reducing the need for employees to manually move goods between workstations.

Benefits of conveyor systems include:

• Faster product movement
• Reduced employee travel time
• Increased throughput
• Improved operational consistency

In high-volume distribution environments, conveyors enable facilities to maintain steady product flow across large warehouse footprints.

Companies such as Century Conveyor specialize in designing conveyor systems tailored to the operational needs of distribution centers, manufacturing facilities, and logistics providers.

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High-Speed Sortation Systems

Sortation technology plays a critical role in e-commerce and parcel distribution environments.

Sortation systems automatically direct packages to their correct destinations based on order data.

High-speed sorters can process thousands of items per hour with remarkable accuracy.

These systems are commonly used for:

• E-commerce fulfillment
• parcel shipping operations
• cross-docking environments
• high-volume distribution centers

By automating sorting processes, warehouses reduce manual handling while improving order accuracy and processing speed.

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Automated Induction Systems

In many warehouses, employees manually place products onto conveyor lines for sorting and processing.

Automated induction systems eliminate this manual step.

These systems automatically feed products into conveyor networks, allowing facilities to maintain continuous product flow with fewer labor requirements.

Benefits include:

• Reduced manual labor
• consistent product flow
• improved system throughput
• lower operational costs

For high-volume operations, induction automation can significantly improve efficiency.

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Robotic Picking and Handling

Robotic systems are increasingly used to assist with picking and product handling tasks.

These systems can:

• retrieve items from storage locations
• transport products between workstations
• assist with palletizing and depalletizing
• support order fulfillment operations

Robotics help warehouses maintain productivity even during labor shortages.

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Warehouse Software and Control Systems

Automation hardware works alongside advanced software platforms that manage warehouse operations.

These systems coordinate product movement, manage inventory data, and optimize workflow throughout the facility.

Common technologies include:

• Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
• Warehouse Control Systems (WCS)
• Warehouse Execution Systems (WES)

These platforms provide real-time visibility into warehouse performance and allow operators to identify inefficiencies quickly.

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Why Flexibility Is Essential in 3PL Warehouses

Unlike single-client distribution centers, 3PL facilities must remain flexible.

New clients may introduce:

• different product sizes
• varying packaging formats
• unique order volumes
• different shipping carriers
• specialized handling requirements

Automation systems must adapt to these changing conditions without requiring major infrastructure modifications.

Modern material handling systems are often designed with modular architecture, allowing facilities to scale and reconfigure operations as business needs evolve.

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Designing Warehouses for Long-Term Growth

Forward-thinking logistics operators design facilities that can scale as demand increases.

Important considerations include:

• scalable conveyor infrastructure
• flexible sortation layouts
• expandable pick modules
• efficient dock operations
• integrated warehouse software systems

Facilities designed for expansion avoid costly retrofits and operational disruptions as volumes grow.

Engineering expertise is essential in planning these systems effectively.

Companies like Century Conveyor work with warehouse operators to design material handling solutions that support both current operations and future growth.

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Automation as a Competitive Advantage

Automation is no longer simply a tool for improving efficiency—it has become a strategic advantage in the logistics industry.

3PL providers that invest in automation gain the ability to offer:

• faster order fulfillment
• higher processing capacity
• improved order accuracy
• reduced labor dependency
• scalable infrastructure for new clients

These capabilities allow logistics providers to remain competitive in an industry where speed and reliability are critical.

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The Future of 3PL Logistics

The logistics industry will continue evolving as supply chains become more complex.

Several trends will shape the next generation of distribution centers:

• Increased adoption of robotics
• Artificial intelligence for warehouse optimization
• Advanced data analytics for demand forecasting
• Integration between warehouse systems and transportation networks
• Greater reliance on automated material handling systems

As these technologies mature, warehouses will become increasingly intelligent, automated, and adaptable.

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Preparing for the Next Era of Distribution

The growth of third-party logistics providers shows no signs of slowing.

As companies continue outsourcing logistics operations, distribution centers must be prepared to handle greater complexity, higher volumes, and stricter performance expectations.

Warehouse automation, intelligent facility design, and advanced material handling systems will play a central role in helping logistics providers meet these demands.

For organizations looking to scale operations efficiently, investing in the right automation infrastructure is essential.

Companies like Century Conveyor provide the expertise needed to design and implement conveyor systems, sortation technology, and automation solutions that keep distribution centers operating at peak performance.

In an industry defined by speed, precision, and adaptability, the right material handling systems can make the difference between simply keeping up—and leading the future of logistics.

Now Available — Retrofit Upgrade – The LMS is ready to improve your productivity.

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The Problem With Mechanical Switching

Most shoe sorters in operation today rely on a mechanical switching mechanism that was designed for a different era of distribution — one where throughput demands were lower, maintenance windows were longer, and downtime was more forgiving. That era is over.

Mechanical diverters are subject to constant wear. Every cycle puts friction on moving parts. Over time, that means more frequent part replacements, harder-to-predict failures, and maintenance that happens on the sorter’s schedule rather than yours. In high-velocity distribution and fulfillment environments, that’s not a manageable trade-off — it’s a liability.

The good news: replacing the entire sorter isn’t the only path forward.

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The Solution: LMS Gen 4 Electromagnetic Switch Upgrade

The LMS Gen 4 (V4) from LaFayette Engineering — integrated and supported by Century Conveyor — is a direct retrofit upgrade engineered to replace your existing switch mechanism with a fully electromagnetic system. It installs into your current sorter and brings next-generation diverting performance without requiring a new conveyor investment.

Rather than relying on moving mechanical components to actuate each divert, the Gen 4 drives every switch electromagnetically — delivering precise, consistent, and controllable actuation on every single cycle. The result is a fundamentally more reliable system with a measurably longer service life.

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What the Gen 4 LMS Delivers

⚡ 725 FPM Divert Speed — Capable of diverting every other shoe at 725 FPM, built for the throughput demands of today’s most high-velocity distribution and fulfillment operations.

📈 Longer Operational Lifespan — Electromagnetic diverting eliminates moving parts entirely, dramatically reducing wear and tear to extend the operational lifespan of your sorting system.

🔧 Planned Maintenance — The LMS lets you plan maintenance around your downtime schedule, not the other way around. Shift from reactive repairs to predictable, scheduled service windows you control.

🌎 Multi-Environment Ready — Engineered to perform reliably in temperature-controlled, refrigerated, high-humidity, and specialty environments — including the rigorous demands of liquor distribution.

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Why Retrofit Instead of Replace?

A full sorter replacement carries substantial capital cost, extended implementation timelines, and operational disruption during cutover. For many operations, the sorter itself isn’t the problem — the switching mechanism is. The Gen 4 LMS addresses the root cause directly.

By retrofitting electromagnetic switching technology into your existing infrastructure, you preserve the investment you’ve already made while bringing your diverting capability in line with where modern distribution operations need to be. It’s a targeted upgrade with a focused return: faster throughput, fewer surprises, and maintenance on your terms.

Whether you’re running a high-volume e-commerce fulfillment center, a temperature-sensitive food and beverage operation, or a multi-line parcel sortation facility, the Gen 4 is engineered to match the demands of your environment.

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See Us at MODEX 2026

We’ll be on the floor in Atlanta to walk you through the LMS retrofit process, answer technical questions, and discuss what a Gen 4 upgrade looks like for your specific operation. No commitment — just a conversation worth having.

• Dates: April 13–16, 2026
• Location: Atlanta, GA — Georgia World Congress Center
• Booth: C14787

Want to set aside time with our team before the show? Availability fills quickly — reach out early and we’ll come prepared with an approach built around your operation.

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Ready to Explore a Gen 4 Upgrade for Your Facility?

The Gen 4 LMS is available now as a retrofit upgrade for existing shoe sorters. Whether you’re planning ahead, dealing with rising maintenance costs on an older switch mechanism, or simply want to understand your options, Century Conveyor is ready to walk you through the details.

Can’t make it to the show? We’re available to walk you through upgrade options for your facility at your convenience. Schedule time with our team.

Walk into almost any established warehouse or distribution center and ask a simple question:

“Do we have a fully accurate, up-to-date facility layout?”

Most of the time, the answer is complicated.

There’s a CAD file from years ago. A PDF that’s been marked up and re-marked up. A mezzanine that was added but never properly documented. Conveyor lines that were extended during peak season. Utilities that were rerouted to solve a short-term problem and never updated in the drawings.

Individually, these changes seem minor. Collectively, they introduce risk—risk that quietly compounds until the next major conveyor expansion, automation retrofit, or system integration project exposes the gap.

For warehouse managers, operations directors, and industrial engineers, warehouse layout management is no longer a clerical task. It is a strategic function that directly impacts cost, speed, scalability, and long-term ROI.

This is where a professionally implemented LaFayette Magnetic Sortation (LMS)—like the one offered by Lafayette Engineering—changes the conversation.

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The Foundation of Every Conveyor and Automation Project

Every successful conveyor system planning effort starts with a basic truth: you must know exactly what exists before you design what comes next.

When Century Conveyor begins a new project—whether it involves sortation, pallet conveyor, robotics, or broader material handling system design—the first step is understanding the real-world constraints of the facility. That includes column grids, clear heights, structural load capacities, egress paths, utilities, and the precise location of existing equipment.

If that information is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated, the design team is forced to compensate. Sometimes they design conservatively, building in extra clearance to avoid unknown conflicts. Other times, they discover issues only after installation begins—when field crews find that a beam is lower than expected or that an undocumented utility line runs directly through the planned conveyor route.

The result is almost always the same: rework, delay, cost escalation, and frustration.

The Project Management Institute consistently identifies poor documentation and scope misalignment as major contributors to project overruns.
Project Management Institute – https://www.pmi.org

In industrial environments, those overruns are not theoretical. They show up as expedited freight, field modifications, redesign hours, and extended downtime.

The irony is that many of these issues are preventable. The missing ingredient is facility layout accuracy.

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The Quiet Cost of Outdated Drawings

Warehouses are living systems. They evolve continuously.

A new pick module is installed to handle e-commerce growth. A temporary conveyor extension becomes permanent. Racking is relocated to increase density. A mezzanine is added to accommodate seasonal labor. A maintenance team reroutes compressed air or electrical lines to solve an operational bottleneck.

Each change makes sense at the time. But if documentation does not keep pace, the facility’s “official” layout gradually diverges from reality.

Over time, that divergence becomes more than an inconvenience. It becomes operational and financial exposure.

Consider safety compliance. OSHA regulations require safe working environments, including proper egress and equipment clearance.
OSHA Standards – https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs

If emergency exit paths or equipment clearances are inaccurately documented, audits become more complicated. Risk increases.

Now consider capital planning. When leadership evaluates automation upgrades—robotics, AS/RS systems, high-speed sortation—they rely on layout data to assess feasibility and ROI. If that data is unreliable, capital decisions are made on shaky ground.

According to McKinsey research, advanced warehouse automation can improve productivity by up to 30%.
McKinsey Supply Chain Insights – https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights

But automation success depends on precise spatial understanding. You cannot accurately simulate throughput, density, or workflow without a trustworthy baseline.

Outdated drawings quietly undermine strategic growth.

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From Static Drawings to Strategic Asset

This is where the concept of a LaFayette Magnetic Sortation (LMS) becomes transformative.

An LMS is not simply a shared folder of CAD files. It is not a one-time drafting update. It is a structured, controlled approach to managing the physical intelligence of an industrial facility.

Think of it this way: just as operations teams use warehouse management systems (WMS) to control inventory and workflows, an LMS governs the physical environment itself.

A well-implemented LMS centralizes and standardizes:

• Facility layouts
• Conveyor routing
• Equipment positioning
• Racking configurations
• Structural elements
• Utilities and service pathways

Instead of static drawings that slowly degrade in relevance, the facility becomes a documented, version-controlled, continuously updated system.

For operations leaders, that shift is powerful. The facility is no longer a black box that engineers must rediscover every time a project begins. It becomes a known, measurable asset.

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How Lafayette Engineering Approaches LMS

Lafayette Engineering developed its LMS offering specifically for industrial and material handling environments. Their background in material handling system design and automation engineering shapes how they approach layout management.

The process begins with clarity.

Rather than relying on assumptions or legacy drawings, Lafayette Engineering focuses on capturing the true current state of the facility. That may involve on-site verification, dimensional confirmation, and structured updates to ensure that structural elements, conveyor systems, elevations, and utilities reflect real-world conditions.

But the real value is not just in the initial capture. It is in how the information is organized and maintained.

Lafayette Engineering structures layout data in a way that supports long-term scalability. The documentation is standardized so it can be used effectively for:

• Future conveyor expansions
• Warehouse automation initiatives
• Maintenance planning
• Capacity modeling
• Structural feasibility analysis

Changes are tracked. Versions are controlled. Updates are integrated into the master documentation.

In short, the LMS transforms industrial facility documentation from an afterthought into a managed system.

To explore the full scope of the service, visit:
Lafayette Engineering LMS – https://www.lafayette-engineering.com/lms/

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The Strategic Advantage for Warehouse Leaders

For warehouse managers and supply chain executives, the benefits of disciplined warehouse layout management extend far beyond cleaner drawings.

First, risk decreases. When Century Conveyor evaluates a new conveyor installation or system integration project, accurate layout data reduces the likelihood of field surprises. Projects move faster and with greater confidence.

[Internal Link: Conveyor Systems Page]

Second, planning accelerates. Instead of spending weeks reconciling outdated documents, engineering teams can begin analysis immediately. Budget estimates become more accurate. ROI calculations become more credible.

Third, long-term capital strategy improves. With reliable layout data, leadership can model phased automation rollouts rather than pursuing reactive, piecemeal upgrades. Mezzanine additions, pick module expansions, and sortation retrofits can be evaluated in the context of a documented roadmap.

Fourth, cross-functional alignment strengthens. Maintenance teams, engineering departments, and executive leadership reference the same controlled documentation. Discrepancies decrease. Decision-making becomes faster and more informed.

When viewed holistically, an LMS is not a drafting expense. It is a risk management tool and a strategic planning platform.

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Why Layout Accuracy Is a Competitive Differentiator

The broader industry trend is clear. Organizations like the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) emphasize agility and infrastructure readiness as critical competitive factors.
CSCMP – https://cscmp.org

Agility depends on visibility. Visibility depends on accurate data.

Facilities that invest in layout precision are positioned to:

• Scale automation quickly
• Adapt to shifting demand
• Integrate robotics and new technologies
• Reduce downtime during upgrades
• Attract investment with confidence

Facilities operating from outdated documentation must rediscover their constraints each time change occurs.

Over time, that difference compounds.

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A Stronger Partnership Between Century Conveyor and Lafayette Engineering

Century Conveyor is known for delivering engineered material handling solutions that solve real operational challenges. But even the most advanced conveyor system design depends on accurate foundational data.

By leveraging Lafayette Engineering’s LMS capabilities, Century Conveyor clients gain a strategic advantage before the first piece of equipment is installed.

Designs are grounded in reality. Risks are identified early. Installation proceeds with greater certainty. Future expansion paths are clearer.

The result is not just a successful project—it is a stronger, more resilient facility.

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From Reactive Documentation to Proactive Strategy

Industrial operations are under constant pressure to move faster, handle more SKUs, manage labor volatility, and justify capital investments.

In that environment, facility layout accuracy cannot remain an afterthought.

A disciplined LaFayette Magnetic Sortation (LMS) transforms documentation from a reactive exercise into a proactive strategy. It supports smarter conveyor system planning, more effective warehouse automation, and stronger long-term operational performance.

If your facility drawings are outdated, fragmented, or inconsistent, now is the time to address it—before your next automation initiative exposes the gap.

Explore Lafayette Engineering’s LaFayette Magnetic Sortation to see how engineered layout precision can reduce risk and strengthen your facility’s future:

👉 Learn more about Lafayette Engineering’s LMS:
https://www.lafayette-engineering.com/lms/

Or connect with Century Conveyor to discuss how accurate layout management can improve your next material handling initiative:

In modern distribution environments, precision is not optional.

It is competitive advantage.

In food and beverage distribution, the work is physical, the pace is relentless, and the margin for error is thin. Cases move constantly — from receiving docks to staging lanes to outbound pallets — and for most operations, a significant portion of that movement still depends on manual labor. Workers lift, stack, and repeat. Shift after shift. Year after year.

The result is predictable. Repetitive motion injuries accumulate. Good people get hurt. Some come back, some don’t. The ones who stay are grinding through shifts that take a real toll on their bodies — and the ones who leave take institutional knowledge and trained capacity with them. Turnover compounds the problem. New hires get placed into the same physically demanding roles, and the cycle continues.

This isn’t a story unique to one facility or one company. It’s a pattern that Century Conveyor’s team hears consistently from food and beverage distributors across the country. And while no one expects a distribution center to run without people, there’s a better way to think about where human effort should actually go — and where automation can step in to carry the load.

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The Real Cost of Manual Palletizing: Reducing Injuries With Automation

When people talk about the cost of automation, the conversation usually starts with the price tag of the equipment. That’s a fair place to start, but it rarely tells the full story.

Consider what manual palletizing actually costs a food and beverage operation over time. Workers’ compensation claims. Modified duty assignments. Productivity losses during peak seasons when injured team members can’t perform at full capacity. The ongoing expense of recruiting and training replacement workers in a labor market that continues to tighten. The management time spent backfilling roles, navigating HR processes, and trying to maintain throughput during periods of reduced headcount.

These costs are real, they’re ongoing, and in many operations they’re so embedded in the normal cost of doing business that they’ve become invisible. The question worth asking isn’t whether automation is expensive. It’s whether the status quo is actually cheaper than it appears.

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Two Solutions Designed for F&B Distribution

At Century Conveyor, the approach isn’t to sell a product catalog and find a customer to fit it. The work starts with understanding the specific operation — the floor layout, the product mix, the throughput demands, the pain points — and then engineering a system that actually solves the problem at hand. For food and beverage distributors dealing with injury risk and labor strain, there are two approaches that Century’s team has deployed repeatedly and effectively.

Robotic Palletizing

Robotic palletizing addresses one of the highest-risk tasks in any distribution center: the repetitive stacking of cases onto outbound pallets. It’s a task that requires precision, but it doesn’t require a person. Century’s robotic palletizing solutions — including palletizing and depalletizing arms and fully engineered robotic cells — are designed to handle this work continuously, without fatigue, without the injury risk that comes from repetitive motion, and without the throughput variability that comes with manual labor.

These systems don’t operate on a single template. Century designs each robotic palletizing installation around the realities of the specific facility — the SKU mix, the pallet configurations, the available floor space, the throughput requirements. The goal is a system that fits the operation, not one that forces the operation to adapt to it.

The downstream effects of removing manual palletizing from the equation go beyond injury reduction. When workers aren’t assigned to physically punishing end-of-line tasks, they’re available for roles that benefit from human judgment and flexibility. Throughput stabilizes. Injury claims decrease. Turnover in the most physically demanding positions drops. The operation becomes more predictable and more sustainable.

Pallet Handling Conveyor Systems

The risks in a food and beverage distribution center don’t begin and end at the palletizer. Loaded pallets moving through a facility — whether by hand, by forklift, or by a combination of both — represent a persistent source of bottlenecks, collisions, and manual handling exposure. Every time a loaded pallet changes hands or requires a fork truck to navigate a congested lane, there’s an opportunity for something to go wrong.

Century’s pallet handling conveyor solutions address this by automating the flow of product through the facility — from inbound receiving through staging and outbound shipping. By reducing the number of times a pallet needs to be touched or moved manually, these systems decrease the fork traffic that creates congestion and risk, improve overall flow efficiency, and reduce the manual handling exposure that contributes to injury.

Importantly, these systems are designed to integrate with existing facility layouts rather than require a complete operational overhaul. The goal is to improve what’s already working while removing the friction points that are creating problems — not to replace a functional operation wholesale with something unfamiliar.

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What It Means to Work With a Full-Service Integrator

Automation projects fail when the equipment is right but the integration is wrong. A robotic palletizing cell that isn’t properly positioned within the flow of the line, or a pallet conveyor system that wasn’t designed to interface with the facility’s existing controls infrastructure, doesn’t deliver the value it’s capable of. The technology is only as effective as the engineering and execution behind it.

Century Conveyor is a full-service automation integrator, which means the team manages every phase of a project from initial concept through long-term support. That includes system design and engineering, controls engineering, control panel design and fabrication, mechanical and electrical installation, project management, and ongoing service and parts support after the system is live.

This matters for food and beverage distributors for a practical reason: you’re not coordinating between multiple vendors to get a project across the finish line. There’s one team accountable for the outcome from start to finish. When questions arise during installation — and they always do — there’s no finger-pointing between separate contractors. When the system needs support after go-live, the same team that built it is available to service it.

Century’s service capabilities include 24/7 support and a preventative maintenance program designed to keep systems running at peak performance over the long term. For operations that run around the clock, that kind of ongoing support infrastructure isn’t optional — it’s a requirement.

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The Bigger Picture for F&B Distribution

The pressure on food and beverage distributors isn’t easing. Labor availability remains a challenge. The physical demands of distribution work haven’t decreased. And the expectation from customers for fast, accurate, consistent fulfillment has only grown.

Automation isn’t a solution to every challenge in a distribution center, and it’s not positioned that way. But for the specific, high-risk, highly repetitive tasks — end-of-line palletizing, pallet movement between zones, the manual handling work that wears people down over time — it’s a well-proven and increasingly accessible answer.

The facilities that are getting ahead of this challenge aren’t waiting for a crisis to force the conversation. They’re looking at the injury data, the turnover numbers, and the throughput constraints, and making a deliberate decision to invest in systems that protect their people and improve their operations at the same time. That decision tends to look better with every passing year.

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See It in Person at MODEX 2026

Century Conveyor will be on the floor at MODEX 2026 in Atlanta — the nation’s premier supply chain and material handling trade show — April 13 through 16 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Find the team at Booth C14787.

For food and beverage distributors thinking seriously about automation, MODEX is an opportunity to see live systems, ask direct questions, and have a real conversation about what a project might look like for your specific operation. Availability for booth meetings fills up, so reaching out in advance to reserve time is recommended.

To learn more about Century Conveyor’s robotic palletizing and conveyor systems, or to start a conversation with an automation expert before the show, visit centuryconveyor.com or call (908) 205-0625.

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Century Conveyor Systems is a full-service material handling automation integrator serving warehouses and distribution centers nationwide, with offices in New Jersey, California, and Kentucky.

Innovative goods-to-person cube storage technology now part of family-owned group of businesses with over 30 years of material handling and warehouse automation experience

• New ownership provides stable financial foundation, engineering and domain expertise to enhance customer support, advance technology development and commercialization
• Leadership team combines mix of legacy Attabotics staff and material handling industry veterans
• As part of LaFayette Systems, Attabotics gains access to footprint and resources throughout the United States
• Existing Attabotics location at 10th St NE in Calgary to continue operation

CALGARY, Alberta, Canada. (Feb. 10, 2026) –Attabotics, a provider of robotic cube storage solutions for goods-to-person warehouse applications, announces it will restart operations as part of LaFayette Systems. LaFayette is a privately owned, closely held organization with a decades-long reputation as a trusted partner in material handling automation. The company acquired Attabotics in September 2025, establishing a strong foundation to further develop, deploy and support Attabotics’ patented technologies.

“As we begin this new chapter, our goal is simple: pair the exceptional technology from Attabotics with LaFayette’s warehouse automation expertise and customer-first culture,” says Bruce Robbins, who founded LaFayette in 1989. “We believe that combination brings the right focus and discipline to the technology and allows us to deliver reliable, long-term value for our customers.”

The existing Attabotics facility in Calgary will continue to house key engineering, business and manufacturing functions. The new Attabotics leadership team is a deliberate balance of deep institutional knowledge and fresh perspectives. Legacy team members Mark Dickinson, John Hickman and Derek Fortier remain with the organization, with Dickinson leading overall strategy and operations, Hickman heading manufacturing and Fortier overseeing supply chain management. Several veteran Attabotics engineers also remain on staff, preserving specialized technical expertise. Joining the team to lead sales and software is Art Eldred, who brings over 30 years of material handling experience at Vargo, Dematic and Intelligrated.

“Attabotics was built on innovative technology and strong engineering, and now as part of LaFayette Systems, we have the support to fully realize its potential,” says Mark Dickinson, Senior Vice President and General Manager, and part of the Attabotics team since 2020. “We’re focused on accelerating development, improving reliability and listening to what matters to customers, so that we can meet demand for technology that simplifies complex fulfillment operations.”

LaFayette Systems maintains a coast-to-coast U.S. presence through its family of companies, including: LaFayette Engineering, which specializes in conveyor and sortation software and controls; Mesh Automation,, a provider of industrial robotics and machine vision solutions; Century Conveyor Systems, which focuses on the northeast U.S. to provide conveyor system design and integration, installation and on-site maintenance services; and Kendale Industries, a custom metal fabricator focused on material handling components and accessories.

Across the entire LaFayette organization, the core mission is to serve as a true customer advocate. That includes immediate problem solving as soon as an issue arises and providing the transparency to recommend alternative solutions – even when the best path forward lies outside the group’s own portfolio. This commitment extends to Attabotics, and each employee signs a pledge to uphold these values.

For more information, visit Attabotics in booth C14787 at the upcoming MODEX trade show in Atlanta, April 13-16.

To access an image, click here.

About Lafayette Systems

Headquartered in Danville, Kentucky, LaFayette Systems combines a family of material handling companies with varying specialties that together design, build and integrate conveyor, sortation and robotics systems for global brands.

About Attabotics

Attabotics debuted as the world’s first robotics goods-to-person cubic storage and retrieval system in 2016, offering a space-efficient and high-speed alternative to traditional warehouse fulfillment. The innovative Attabotics technology replaces the rows and aisles of traditional fulfillment centers with a patented storage structure and robotic shuttles that utilize both horizontal and vertical space to significantly reduce warehouse space requirements and provide direct access to any location with only value-added moves.

About LaFayette Engineering

Founded in 1989, LaFayette Engineering started in Danville, Kentucky as a controls company providing automation systems for manufacturers and system integrators. LaFayette Engineering has evolved to provide complete systems integration, warehouse control software, SCADA diagnostics systems, project management, installation and 24/7 support. The beginning focus to put our customer’s interest first and listen to their needs and concerns has stayed as our primary focus.

Media contact:
Dan Gauss
Koroberi
336.409.5391
dan@koroberi.com