Company Profile

Ashley Furniture is a home furniture manufacturer and retailer based in Arcadia, Wisconsin. It is the largest home furniture manufacturing company in the world and the second-largest retailer. Ashley HomeStores are a mix of company-owned and licensee stores across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, and Asia, and the company employs more than 25,000 people worldwide.

Quick Facts

• 6 distribution centers, each averaging more than one million square feet
• 450-plus company-owned and licensee stores, plus 25,000-plus wholesale customers
• Solutions: K.Motion Warehouse Advantage, K.Motion Labor Advantage, K.Motion Yard Advantage

Challenge

Ashley opened its first HomeStore in 1997 and within 10 years had become the top furniture retailer in the US. That explosive growth brought supply chain challenges, including improving inventory accuracy, adding RF-directed workflow, and managing replenishment between and within buildings. Because of the fast-changing furniture industry and Ashley's commitment to continuous improvement, the company needed software that could adapt, and that its own team could support around the clock.

Solution

Ashley chose the K.Motion Warehouse Advantage suite for its open architecture and flexibility, taking full ownership of the solution after implementation. Ashley first implemented the WMS and Yard Management System at its headquarters distribution center, then rolled them out to four more domestic DCs and a Chinese DC, and later added Labor Management across all sites.

The WMS gives Ashley best practices for receiving, put-away, inventory management, order processing, and replenishment, plus the ability to build its own processes. The Yard Management System provides visibility into trucks and inventory across large yards, and the Labor Management System lets Ashley measure and track labor to increase efficiency.

The flexibility of the Körber solutions is what appealed most to us. Our team is able to efficiently manage the software and make changes and upgrades as market conditions dictate. We control our own destiny and have embraced continuous process improvement through the Körber technologies.Vice President of Supply Chain Systems, Ashley Furniture

Results

Ashley has gained efficiency and the ability to be more productive without adding headcount. Better inventory visibility lets the company plan outbound activity more accurately, coordinating stock on hand, off-site, in the yard, in transit, and in production to fill each outbound truck.

We have significantly decreased our operating expenses related to distribution since implementing Körber. We've also centralized many departments around one common technology, which has led to more gains in efficiency.Vice President of Supply Chain Systems, Ashley Furniture

Rapid Growth and Strategic Acquisitions

In 2024, Infios generated over $500 million in revenue, with roughly 60% from WMS. A major milestone was the acquisition of MercuryGate, a leading TMS provider, adding 300 employees and 500 customers and strengthening Infios in transportation management alongside its warehousing and order management capabilities.

Rebranding and Restructuring

After a year of organizational change, Körber's supply chain software division officially rebranded as Infios in March 2025. The company now offers a suite of solutions across warehousing, transportation, and distributed order management.

Global Reach and Product Breadth

Infios serves 5,000 customers globally, including 1,500 WMS clients, with 2,100 employees, nearly half focused on WMS. Its four WMS offerings, Warehouse Edge, Warehouse Advantage, Enterprise 3PL, and WMS X, cover a wide range of operations and regions.

Cloud-First and Innovation

Infios has embraced a cloud-first model hosted on Oracle's cloud infrastructure. It continues to invest in AI-based slotting, early GenAI use cases, worker gamification, and a growing ecosystem of more than 1,400 certified WMS specialists across 112 partners.

Why Choose E2 Solutions as Your Infios Partner

Choosing the right implementation partner matters as much as choosing the technology. E2 Solutions brings deep expertise in the Infios WMS platform and a track record of scalable, efficient deployments. Our certified consultants tailor each rollout to midmarket and enterprise needs, from integrations and cloud migrations to change management and post-go-live support.

Minnetonka, MN, February 18, 2025. E2 Solutions is proud to announce that we have achieved Certified Partner status for K.Motion Warehouse Advantage from Körber Supply Chain Software (Infios). This recognition reflects our commitment to excellence and innovation in the supply chain industry.

To earn the status, our Solutions Consultants and Solution Architects completed the rigorous Körber Academy certification courses, with many earning Certified Professional badges and two members earning the Certified Practitioner badge.

Our achievement of Certified Partner status with Körber Supply Chain Software (Infios) is a testament to our core values: Customer First, Team Success, and Forward Thinking. We are committed to providing our customers with the highest level of service, expertise, and innovative solutions.Darin Gunderman, COO, E2 Solutions

Track Record

E2 Solutions has been a key player in over a dozen successful implementations of K.Motion Warehouse Advantage for large enterprise distributors, with our Solutions Architects central to those achievements.

This certification is awarded to professionals who have shown expert-level skills implementing the K.Motion Warehouse Advantage platform for enterprise customers. It further shows that E2 Solutions is the right choice for efficient, effective operations.Brenda Wagner, Solutions Architect, E2 Solutions

In March 2025, Körber Supply Chain Software rebranded to Infios.

The smart warehouse experience at The Smart Factory is about putting the human back into human-machine interaction, creating a safe, intelligent, and responsive work environment that keeps up with a constantly changing supply chain. It calls for solutions that embrace emerging technology, and E2 Solutions is excited to demonstrate E2 Vision Glass alongside Deloitte Canada.

At E2 Solutions we see our Vision product as a way to capitalize on the latest technology to maximize labor performance in the warehouse. By integrating wearables into operations, we improve safety, efficiency, and accuracy. Hands-free technology like E2 Vision empowers the workforce and drives down labor costs.Erik Easton, CEO, E2 Solutions

What Is E2 Vision?

E2 Vision is a hands-free hardware and software solution built for flexibility and productivity. Through audio-visual workflows, users see double-digit improvements in warehouse efficiency and accuracy while keeping their hands free and getting detailed feedback on the products they handle.

A Strategic Collaboration

Deloitte helps companies navigate change and unlock potential, with a focus on digital transformation across every sector. Given E2's long-standing experience supporting enterprise software implementations, Deloitte sees clear value in an E2 collaboration for the clients and buyers who visit its smart warehouse experience in Montreal.

The warehouse is a critical part of the supply chain, and optimizing it is essential to business success. Two technologies have gained popularity in recent years: smart glasses and voice picking. Both are built to speed up warehouse work, increase efficiency, and reduce errors.

What Are Smart Glasses and How Do They Work?

Smart glasses are wearable devices that give workers hands-free access to information and tools. They typically include a frame with a small display, camera, microphone, and speaker, connected to a network so workers can see order details and interact with an AR interface in real time.

The biggest benefit is that workers keep their hands free while they work. In the warehouse, where people are constantly carrying and handling items, real-time prompts for inventory, product details, and order data help them work more accurately and get more done.

Benefits of Smart Glasses in the Warehouse

Hands-Free Operation

Workers access information and tools without putting down the items they are handling.

Better Accuracy

Real-time prompts for inventory levels, product specs, and order details help workers pick the right items and fulfill orders correctly.

Improved Safety

Workers can pull up safety information like hazard warnings and emergency procedures right in their line of sight.

What Is Voice Picking and How Does It Work?

Voice picking has been around for decades. Workers wear a headset with a microphone and speaker connected to the warehouse system. They receive instructions through the headset and respond by speaking commands or confirming actions.

Voice picking lets workers keep their eyes on the task. The trade-off is that background noise can make it hard to communicate with the system, and workers sometimes have to ask the system to repeat itself, which can slow down picking and put-away.

Benefits of Voice Picking

Hands-Free Operation

Like smart glasses, voice picking lets workers keep their hands free while they receive instructions and respond.

Better Accuracy

Spoken instructions and confirmations reduce errors from misread instructions or typos.

Higher Productivity

Workers move through tasks quickly without stopping to read a screen.

Implementation Challenges

Both options take an upfront investment in hardware and software, which can be significant for smaller businesses. Workers need training to use either one well, and both have to be integrated into your existing warehouse management system, which can be complex with older platforms.

Smart Glasses vs. Voice Picking: The Short Version

Both are hands-free and both can raise accuracy and productivity. Smart glasses tend to fit tasks where workers need to see visual information, like product specs or inventory levels. Voice picking tends to fit tasks where workers need to move quickly and respond to simple instructions.

What to Weigh When You Choose

• Task requirements: match the technology to the work your team actually does.
• Worker preferences: some teams take to one approach more naturally than the other.
• Integration: check how each option fits your current systems.

Proof From the Field

Companies have seen real gains with both. On the smart glasses side, DHL reported a 25% productivity increase and AGCO reported a 40% increase. On the voice side, Tesco reported a 20% increase and Coca-Cola Enterprises reported a 30% increase.

The Bottom Line

Smart glasses and voice picking are both proven ways to improve warehouse operations. The right choice depends on the specific needs of your business and your team. If your work is visual, smart glasses are often the better fit. If it is about moving fast and responding to instructions, voice picking may win. E2 Solutions can help you weigh the options for your operation.

A key component of E2 Solutions' mission as a company is fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Naturally, this involves a lot of hard work from our team, constantly looking for ways we can improve our processes, our service, and our clients' experience.

This summer, E2 Solutions rolled out EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) company-wide after the leadership had been working diligently to get it ready. Simply put, we were great at getting in each other's way and not growing as fast as we had planned. After being told to read Traction for years, and seeing other companies succeed with EOS, we set out to find an implementer, and we are so glad we did.

EOS was clearly the right answer for us. The vision is clear, goals are set and more consistent, meetings are way more efficient, accountability is in place, and the culture is alive and well.

We've already seen the positive impact EOS has had on the company (we doubled!) and we're just getting started.Erik Easton, CEO, E2 Solutions

To acknowledge the hard work of our team, we went to Top Golf. It was a fun time for our group to unwind and celebrate the wins we've delivered for our customers.

We look forward to extending the positive impact of EOS in everything we do, as our team continues to help customers see double-digit improvements in their workforce with modern supply chain solutions.

The Young Life 2022 Golf Tournament is an annual event supporting the Young Life ministry for youth in the Scott County area.

Golfers of varying abilities were divided into four-person teams. Since it was a scramble-style tournament, only the best shots on each team were used across all 18 holes. At E2, it is more about having fun as a team and supporting a good cause than about the score.

One of our teams came in 25th and won some great prizes, and several players were lucky enough to have their name drawn for additional prizes. Alongside the tournament, a silent auction featured gifts from businesses across the metro.

Every year we look forward to sponsoring and participating in this event. This year we went from 2 teams to 5. It's about spending time with our team, getting great exercise, a lot of laughing, and a chance to give back to a solid organization.Erik Easton, CEO, E2 Solutions

Young Life continues to make an incredible impact on students in our community. E2 Solutions will sponsor a hole again in 2023, and we would love for you to come alongside us as we support local students. You can learn more at scottcountymn.younglife.org.

Minneapolis, MN, April 2021. E2 Solutions announces it is the recipient of the Partner of the Year Award from Körber Supply Chain Solutions (formerly HighJump). The award honors the E2 team for their unique and transformative integrations of Körber's suite of supply chain solutions, from software to materials handling automation.

Our 100-plus technology and implementation partners play a pivotal role in reimagining today's supply chains. They understand the complexities of warehousing and logistics, and work with us to create highly tailored solutions for any challenge or opportunity.Bill Ryan, CEO Software North America, Körber Business Area Supply Chain

It's a great honor to receive this partner award as a recognized leader of supply chain solutions by Körber for our second consecutive year. Throughout 2020, our team was challenged to deliver the same level of service that got us this award in 2019.Erik Easton, CEO, E2 Solutions

From WMS and WCS with full end-to-end implementation to enhancing existing solutions with emerging technologies, we set our goal to be the number one supply chain partner Körber has. This award is meaningful to us as well as our customers.Darin Gunderman, COO, E2 Solutions

Partner of the Year recipients are nominated and selected from a network of certified partners working with Körber's solutions, including supply chain software, automation, voice, vision, mobility, robotics, materials handling, systems integration, and consulting.

This year, Körber's annual supply chain user conference, Elevate Americas, was held virtually. Winners were recognized during an awards ceremony on March 12, 2021.

Industry: Small Parts Inventory. Challenge: no way to run annual inventory audits during the pandemic, or to perform simple maintenance on essential equipment. Solution: a hands-free remote-assist setup from E2 Solutions, using E2 Vision smart glasses with remote desktop software.

The Challenge: Audits With No Auditor Present

LeMans Corporation is the world's largest distributor of aftermarket products and accessories in the powersports industry. Before the pandemic, auditors traveled to each facility to perform cycle counts, selecting random boxes and observing an employee count the items.

Typically, we had three auditors come into the building and pair up with our warehouse staff. Sometimes the count happened on the floor, but just as often we had to belt an auditor onto a product picker and hoist them 20 feet in the air to monitor the count.Gary McManus, Director of Operations for Warehousing, LeMans

With new travel restrictions and safety concerns, that approach was no longer feasible. Looking for a safer solution, LeMans turned to E2 Solutions.

The Solution: Augmented Reality Glasses

Using an existing remote desktop platform, E2 provided LeMans with several pairs of Vision smart glasses. Warehouse employees sent live, hands-free video back to LeMans headquarters, where auditors observed product counts from the safety of their own offices. On the receiving end, an expert could annotate with an arrow or virtual pen to guide the user, essentially looking over their shoulder from anywhere.

The Result

I can safely say the glasses have already paid for themselves. The expense is insignificant compared to travel cost and wasted time, and we no longer deal with the safety risk of hoisting auditors into the air. The training was minimal because the glasses are so easy to operate.Gary McManus, LeMans

The travel and time savings were immediate, but LeMans found it was just the beginning. The team can now have top engineers assess problems and provide step-by-step help with repairs from hundreds of miles away, whether it is an inspection, a vendor shipment issue, an HVAC problem, or a networking issue.

The whole thing is about speed. If I am down, I am losing money immediately. Instead of putting someone on a plane, we troubleshoot through the glasses, and the quicker we get back up, the better.Gary McManus, LeMans

For years, E2 Solutions has provided supply chain consulting and expertise to the warehouse, distribution, and inventory industries. Much of that expertise comes from our being one of the most knowledgeable and experienced providers of HighJump software solutions.

HighJump, along with eleven other top supply chain technology providers from around the world, has officially joined the Körber Group, a global leader in the supply chain industry. Moving forward, HighJump will operate under the Körber name.

What Does This Mean for E2 Customers?

In truth, very little. You will continue to receive the top level of service and expertise that E2 has provided since the beginning, including our expertise with the HighJump solution suite. The only difference is that HighJump is now part of Körber.

To learn more about Körber, visit koerber-supplychain.com. If you have questions about the rebranding, email [email protected] or call 612-225-1961.

The unique 'Thinking Outside the Box' award was presented to Boot Barn at the HighJump Elevate 2020 conference in Orlando, FL. The award recognizes standout businesses that embrace new technology to improve their supply chain performance.

Boot Barn's large line of quality western boots and work gear moves impressive product volume across more than 260 stores in 33 states. Their adoption of E2 Vision smart glasses in their distribution center delivered double-digit throughput gains over RF in receiving, while also improving safety and accuracy and producing a substantial ROI.

At the 2020 Elevate conference, E2 Vision had a standing-room-only session to hear Boot Barn's success story, presented by Erik Easton, CEO, and Doug Smith, VP of Operations.

E2 Vision Wearable Tech

E2 Vision is a hands-free augmented reality platform proven to integrate with enterprise-ready hardware. The software and integration are built by the supply chain experts at E2 Solutions, with a focus on increasing productivity.

In the supply chain industry, wearable picking technology has driven strong gains in productivity. The E2 Vision smart glasses solution is a multi-modal, hands-free system, and it represents the next stage in mobile technology for warehouses and distribution centers.

The Client

A national third-party logistics firm headquartered in the southwest US, offering warehousing, order fulfillment, transportation, and packaging services across the US, Canada, and Mexico. Since the mid-1960s, the client has been a customer-first warehousing company run by honest, hardworking people.

The Challenge

In spring 2018, a global craft supplies company in California was looking for a new 3PL after being unhappy with its previous provider. Forecasting was difficult, and rapid growth, especially during the holidays, made staffing a problem, with shipments delayed by days or weeks. The client took on the challenge of fixing these issues and building a system that could flex over peak season, and selected E2 Solutions to help.

The Solution: HighJump and AMR Integration

HighJump Software, now Körber Supply Chain, is one of the top warehouse management systems in the world, and E2 Solutions is a leading expert in HighJump robotics integration. E2 built a flexible solution to handle the increased orders without the hassle of short-term hiring, securing 20 Autonomous Mobile Robots from Locus Robotics and integrating them with the existing HighJump software. As orders heated up, another 20 bots were leased and integrated, then returned once the holiday wave subsided.

The Result

The client saved up to 25% of its labor resources in a tight labor market, plus thousands of dollars in infrastructure changes. Over 99% of orders were filled on time and in full, and dock back-ups were kept to a minimum. Estimated fill numbers went from 60,000 to 70,000 orders to nearly three times that, and the system is designed to handle much more.

What Are Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)?

Automated Guided Vehicles, or AGVs, are a well-known technology used to automate material movement in highly structured, static environments. Introduced in the 1950s, AGVs move goods through a facility without human assistance along a fixed, guided route, such as wire buried in the floor, magnetic tape, or reflectors. The main limitation is that changing the path, to accommodate a new product or a reconfigured workflow, can be time-consuming and expensive.

What Are Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR)?

Autonomous Mobile Robots, or AMRs, are self-guided transports outfitted with software and sensors that let them understand their surroundings and work alongside people. Rather than following fixed routes, AMRs use sensors and processors to map a site, avoid obstacles, and optimize their own routes.

Some AMRs also use swarm intelligence, exchanging information over wireless networks and adjusting their operations based on what other units learn. This lets a fleet reroute in real time, something conventional AGVs cannot match.

Where They Are Alike

AGVs and AMRs both carry out the same basic task: moving product or materials from one place to another within a facility. Because this is a low-skill, low-value task, automating it can raise efficiency and productivity while reducing labor costs, and it helps operations facing a tight labor market.

Both can also be added on a unit-by-unit basis. That eases the upfront capital requirement and lets an operation expand its fleet over time.

Where They Differ

Startup Cost and Adaptability

Cost depends on the supplier and model, but a few generalizations hold. AGVs can be up to 40% more expensive than AMRs. AGVs also require physical changes to the facility to install their routes, and changing a route later adds cost. AMRs use dynamic digital maps and on-board navigation, so they can be reconfigured quickly by updating the map.

Size and Maneuverability

AGVs have historically been larger and heavier, built for bigger loads, which makes them more expensive. AMRs are built for lighter tasks and can move through tight footprints and narrow aisles more easily. Most AGVs are too bulky to work collaboratively and will stop and wait when they meet an obstacle.

AMRs are collaborative. Their sensors and compact size let them work safely in the same space as people. If an obstacle appears and there is room, an AMR routes around it and keeps moving.

Flexible Delivery and Intelligent Navigation

AGVs follow a strict guidance system with minimal on-board intelligence, which locks the operation into fixed paths and drop-off points. They may suit mature operations that do not change much.

AMRs are far more flexible. The same robot can handle a range of tasks in different places and adapt automatically as the layout changes. A fleet can coordinate with each other to maximize traffic flow and prioritize orders, which tends to make AMRs a better fit for younger, faster-changing businesses.

The Bottom Line

AGV technology represents an earlier generation of automation that cannot match the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of AMRs. That said, it does not have to be an either-or decision. Many operations run AMRs alongside AGVs and other equipment. The key is picking the right combination of technology for the problem you are trying to solve.

Minneapolis, Minnesota, March 19, 2019. E2 Solutions, a Minnesota-based consulting company, has been named Service and Delivery Partner of the Year for 2018 by global supply chain solutions provider HighJump. The award recognizes E2 Solutions for its unique and transformative integrations of HighJump's suite of supply chain solutions.

HighJump's partnerships are key in our business strategy and growth, and at the heart of many of our customers' accomplishments in their supply chain operations.Chad Collins, CEO at HighJump

We've been working with HighJump for over two decades, and I see that continuing for many years to come because of all we can accomplish together.Erik Easton, CEO, E2 Solutions

Having designed and integrated HighJump solutions since 1995, E2 Solutions is one of the most knowledgeable and experienced HighJump solution providers. This includes integrating future technologies with the HighJump Warehouse Management System, such as robotics and augmented reality.

We set our goal to be the number one partner HighJump has on the delivery side, and our entire team has gone out of their way to make HighJump customers happy.Darin Gunderman, COO, E2 Solutions

Winners were formally recognized during HighJump's annual user conference, Elevate, held March 3 to 6, 2019, in San Antonio, Texas. Elevate brings together more than 800 supply chain professionals from across the globe.