— Newsletter Archive: Newsletter Vol. 29, 12/18/2025 —
2025 has been a year of dramatic acceleration in digital transformation (DX) across the logistics and warehousing industry. At Tokyo Electron Device America Inc. (TEDAI), we have supported innovation on the ground through our warehouse DX solution, HAKO-FLO®.
As labor shortages intensify and supply chain resilience becomes a critical priority, warehouse operations are shifting from traditional “after-the-fact analysis” to data-driven strategies powered by AI and IoT for predictive insights. Through our participation in industry exhibitions, we’ve seen that automation is no longer an “option”—it’s becoming a baseline requirement. Demand is growing for modular systems that enable phased implementation without large upfront investments.
Advancing Visual Warehouse Management with HAKO-FLO®
Early this year, we introduced new services in the HAKO-FLO® family: EZ Snap Air. This solution goes beyond conventional numeric or barcode-based management by enabling photo and image sharing via smartphones, significantly improving inventory accuracy.
By visually recording cargo conditions and placement, these tools help detect shortages, damage, and other issues early, strengthen traceability, and reduce the risk of shipping errors.
EZ report also features optical character recognition (OCR) for automated text reading and augmented reality (AR) for dimension measurement. This AR-based sizing capability ensures fast, accurate cargo measurements—essential for optimizing storage efficiency and calculating transport costs—while reducing human error and streamlining inventory management. It also promotes standardized inspection records, damage reporting, and paperless workflows.
RFID, AI, and IoT: Driving DX Forward
RFID technology saw remarkable progress in 2025, with the market projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.68%, playing a key role in supply chain optimization.
Key trends include enhanced security through advanced encryption, integration with mobile devices such as smartphone-based readers, and sustainability initiatives using biodegradable materials and chipless technology. Lower tag production costs and subscription-based reader models are reducing adoption barriers, making RFID more accessible to small and mid-sized businesses.
The most notable development is the integration of AI and IoT, which elevates inventory management, loss prevention, and data analytics. For example, the RFID portal scanning gate we featured in July automatically detects and tracks tagged items passing through shipping docks, enabling hands-free, high-speed processing that prevents mis-shipments and ensures accurate audit trails.
AI adoption is expected to reach 82% within five years, with growing attention on Agentic AI (autonomous AI) that operates without human instruction.
DX Starts on the Ground: Human-Augmented Operations
While automation advances rapidly, the ultimate value in logistics lies in collaboration between people and technology. Our October Amazon fulfillment center tour report, we observed that even in environments equipped with cutting-edge autonomous robots and AI, human judgment remains central in processes like picking, inspection, and quality control—forming what we call human-augmented operations.
As a low-risk first step toward DX, our November newsletter highlighted wearable solutions. Smart glasses and wrist-mounted scanners enable hands-free task guidance and AI-powered inspections, creating visibility into operations and laying the foundation for a data-driven culture.
HAKO-FLO® embraces this “DX from the ground up” concept, offering customized solutions tailored to each customer’s needs.
Engaging Through Industry Exhibitions
This year, we actively showcased HAKO-FLO® solutions at major events, including RetailTech Japan, IWLA Conference and Expo, and DXPO Tokyo/Fukuoka. These exhibitions reaffirmed the strong, ongoing demand for addressing labor shortages and enhancing operational visibility in logistics.
We will continue releasing new services based on your needs throughout next year.
We look forward to exhibiting at trade shows and having the opportunity to speak with many of you.
HAKO-FLO® Warehouse DX Solutions will continue to fully support customers in building sustainable logistics operations.
If you’re facing challenges in warehouse management or DX implementation, please feel free to reach out to us anytime.
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