The Warehouse Underground Podcast

REAL talk for warehouse, DC & FC professionals of all levels around the globe! Join Ben, a former Air Force officer and 14-year leader in distribution centers, along with his guests, as they deliver sharp and insightful content for the warehousing and distribution center industry, one of the most underrepresented industries in the podcast realm today (but not anymore!)

The Warehouse Underground Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Ben Hopkins, with 56 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Ben Hopkins hosts The Warehouse Underground Podcast, a business show with 56 episodes published.

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  The Warehouse Underground Podcast

  Ep #55 PPE Won't Save You. This Will. | Brian Fielkow, former CEO and author of Making Safety Happen

  Sep 14, 202639 min

  I sat down with Brian Fielkow, former CEO of Jetco Delivery, now EVP of Risk Resources at Acrisure, and author of the new book "Making Safety Happen". A WEALTH of knowledge in many areas but certainly safety. We got into: → Why safety should never be a "priority". Priorities compete and shift, but core values are non-negotiable. → How the C-suite sets the tone for safety culture (and why they can't delegate it!) → Why "unconditional respect" for process matters because often safety rules are written in blood. → The football helmet analogy that reframes how you think about PPE as your *last* line of defense, not your first. If you lead a warehouse, DC, or FC or in charge of those who do, this episode isn't a check box.

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  The Warehouse Underground Podcast

  Ep #54 A Perfectly Blended Tool for The Future of Front-Line Leadership | Ben Green COO TrailPath Workplace Solutions

  Sep 8, 202646 min

  Technology and leadership are often treated as two separate things.  That's shifting some though. TrailPath Workplace Solutions isn’t simply putting another technology tool in the hands of ops leaders. It’s making improvement part of the work not just something that happens in a workshop and fades when everyone returns to the floor. Floor leads gotta know: Who needs my attention? Where should I focus? When should I coach? When should I step back? Experience helps answer those questions, we all know this, but new supervisors don’t have years of experience yet. Enter TrailPath!!!  They can help not by replacing leadership, but by helping leaders see what matters, build better habits, and improve every day. Habits shape behavior. Behavior shapes results. The question is:   How do we help more leaders build those habits?

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  The Warehouse Underground Podcast

  Ep #53 Robots Don't Fear You So Don't Fear Them Either | Pete Allen | Robotics & Supply Chain Consulting With GTM Strategy & Execution

  Aug 31, 202645 min

    Pete Allen is Managing Partner at Birch Advisors. And he knows his way around the world of warehousing and distribution quite well!  MANY companies seek him out for consultations, and particularly on strategies for integrating and growing robotics and automation. ✅ What are the unique challenges both at the tactical level (warehousing problems) but also strategic level (gaining traction and adoption from the end users in the industry?) ✅ Do you see robotics as an "either or" in integrations with humans or an "and also"?  ✅ What should ops leaders be focusing on building the warehouse of the future? ✅ What type of operation is an ideal one to get the most gains from robotics and how should they explore this ahead of time to minimize risk?

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  The Warehouse Underground Podcast

  Ep #52 Vecna Robotics | Chief Legal & Safety Officer Mike Bearman

  Aug 24, 202637 min

  Robotics are everywhere in the distribution industry (and more every year).  You see them in shows and magazines.  BUT what do you really need to know about if they are right for your operation or not? Mike Bearman, the Chief Legal & Safety Officer at Vecna Robotics, is the perfect guest to chat with about this.   Find out:  *Why many warehouse automation projects fail to deliver on their original expectations. *Common mistakes operations make before, during and after projects. *Key "do's and don'ts" plus why AI should NEVER be responsible alone for warehouse safety. *What 'inside scoop' questions should you as a possible vendor. *How will it all evolve over the next 5-10 years (employees, robotics, AI). AND MORE!

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  The Warehouse Underground Podcast

  Ep #51 Toyota Material Handling North America New Manufacturing Facility (On Site)

  Aug 17, 202629 min

  I was honored to take The Warehouse Underground on the road when I was invited to the opening of Toyota Material Handling North America's new manufacturing facility in Columbus, Indiana! To say that it is impressive is a major understatement. It's big (295,000 square feet), meticulously laid out, and has a highly engaged & proud employee work force to match. A $100M investment with 140 new jobs coming in and those folks will be busy with a growing emphasis on electric! Why? Because more than 1 in 3 forklifts sold in the US is manufactured by them. Got a chance to have some great chats with Mike Field (Chief Operations Officer), Tony Miller (Chief Supply Officer), and Sam Coles (Chief Sales & Marketing Officer!)

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