[#291] Supply Chain in Numbers - Jun 23, 2025
LuminX raises $5.5M, CocoRobotics raises $80M, SC Average Salary at $103k, Thai exporters are staring at $600M 'extra' costs, Walmart expands drone delivery to 5 more cities in the US
Welcome to “Supply Chain in Numbers.” This newsletter tracks significant numbers from the supply chain world. Five prominent numbers are published every Monday. If you have any feedback, please send it to me.
$5.5 million raised for VLM based inventory tracking
LuminX, a San Francisco startup offering inventory automation and visibility tools has raised $5.5 million in funding for its technology that analyzes photos and videos with artificial intelligence (AI) to solve inefficiencies in supply chain and warehouse management. LuminX says it uses Vision Language Models (VLMs), a type of AI that enabling machine vision cameras to “see” and interpret dynamic warehouse environments in real-time — recognizing products, varied labels, assessing package conditions, and tracking movement. LuminX says it plans to deploy its VLM technology directly onto low-cost mobile hardware within the warehouse, including docks, conveyors, on forklifts, or as handheld units. LuminX’s AI can then process visual information inside the DC to automate intricate operational tasks, eliminate manual work, and provide actionable data for reducing discrepancies and optimizing overall workflow. [DC Velocity]
$80 million for autonomous delivery fleet
Coco Robotics, the maker of four-wheeled autonomous sidewalk rovers, has raised $80 million to help grow its fleet. About 1,000 Coco bots are currently making deliveries in Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami and Helsinki. The company plans to expand into more markets and expects to have thousands of bots on the ground by the end of the year, which it says will give it the largest autonomous vehicle fleet in the world. Coco’s bots are powered by electricity and use artificial intelligence to navigate cities, though they are monitored from afar by humans who can step in if needed. Each bot has a capacity of 90 liters, or about six extra-large pizzas, and a delivery radius of 1 to 2 miles. They have completed more than 500,000 deliveries to date. [Restaurant Business Online]
$103,000 per year median salary
According to the 2025 ASCM Supply Chain Salary and Career Report, not only are compensation levels competitive, but job satisfaction and career advancement opportunities remain strong across the global supply chain landscape. Based on survey responses from more than 3,500 professionals, the report paints a picture of a resilient, rewarding, and evolving industry. Supply chain professionals in the U.S. reported a median base salary of $94,000, with total compensation, including bonuses, reaching $103,000. That’s a 52% premium over the national median salary of $62,000, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data ASCM noted. It is the second year in a row the survey found the average topping $100,000, but was basically unchanged from last year’s survey. [ASCM]
$600 million of ‘congestion’ costs
Thai exporters and importers risk more than $600 million in added annual logistics costs as congestion worsens at the country’s main deep-sea port, driven by a surge in shipments ahead of potential steep US tariffs.The call comes after the Land Transport Federation of Thailand announced plans to raise trucking fees starting in July. Truck waiting times at the port have risen to as much as 20 hours per trip during peak periods, up from about eight to 10 hours previously. The shipper group estimates logistics costs will rise by as much as 20 billion baht (about $616.5 million) annually once the higher trucking rates take effect. [Bloomberg]
5 more cities for drone delivery
Walmart is expanding its drone delivery program with Wing to five new cities over the next year, enabling the initiative to reach millions of new customers. Thirty minutes-or-less drone delivery will become available for customers near one of 100 Walmart locations in Atlanta, Houston, Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Florida cities of Orlando and Tampa. New market launches will occur in the coming months, with the rollout to be complete “by this time next year”. Wing’s drones can deliver up to six miles from the stores they launch from. Wing confirms the recipient’s precise delivery location — such as a backyard — at checkout, after which the drone will transport the payload from the store to its destination. [SC Dive]