July 2022 | DC Velocity
In Person: Joe Colletti of DMW&H
In our continuing series of discussions with top supply-chain company executives, Joe Colletti discusses the effect of the e-commerce explosion on DC design and the challenges posed by supply chain bottlenecks.
Joe Colletti has over 30 years of experience in executive management, business development, sales, engineering, manufacturing, and service. He currently is president and CEO of DMW&H, a company that designs, integrates, installs, and supports material handling systems. DMW&H specializes in the wine and spirits, e-commerce, retail, industrial, food and beverage, and post and parcel industries. Before taking on his current role in 2015, Colletti was president of the material handling systems division of Dearborn Mid-West Co. He earned his B.S. degree in management from Delaware Valley University.
Q: How would you describe the current state of the supply chain industry?
A: Supply chains continue to be fragile and will remain vulnerable to even more disruptions in the near future. The residual effects of the pandemic coupled with the significant events occurring in the world will continue to delay supply chain recovery.
Q: What are the most pressing challenges that your customers are looking to solve?
A: The building of more resilient and diverse supply chains remains a priority with our customers. In addition, the ability to find and retain labor across all verticals is becoming increasingly problematic and is driving a significant amount of automation initiatives with our customers.
Q: Among the major verticals your company services are food & beverage and retail. How has the surge of online orders affected those customers’ DC designs?
A: As a result of increasing online demand and the scarcity of distribution center labor, the demand for flexible and modular automated material handling systems has increased significantly across all of our vertical markets. Additionally, the need to get the systems in quickly has increased exponentially, creating a challenging situation given the continued supply chain challenges with the automated equipment manufacturers.
Q: What are the most significant changes you’ve seen during your career in the industry?
A: My answer would have been much different if you had asked me that question prior to March 2020. However, I would now say that it would be the significantly faster rate of change. From changes caused by external influences to direct drivers such as labor and technology, the rate of change is increasing today at a frequency much faster than I have seen over the past 25 to 30 years.
Q: Are there specific types of customers that would particularly benefit from automation?
A: I would say that all of our customers can benefit from at least some level of automation as they are all dealing with higher volumes, more complexity, and significant labor shortages within their respective operations. The systems of today are much more modular and expandable than they were historically, and therefore, even our smallest customers can justify at least some level of automation to address the most problematic areas of their operations. These systems can later be expanded to grow with their businesses.
Q: DMW&H employees believe in community service and giving back. Why is this so important to your culture?
A: Giving back to our communities is such an important part of our culture here at DMW&H. We have a special committee, our Commitment to Community committee, that is made up of DMW&H volunteers who focus on bimonthly events and fundraisers to help support our local communities. This ranges from food banks to blood drives to building homes for our local community. Nothing is more satisfying than joining hands and working as a team to help those around us.
Read the full interview HERE.