Armada gets an AI boost from CMU
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Inside Armada's headquarters in Wexford. Photo: Ryan Deto/Axios
Pittsburgh's biggest logistics company is getting faster and more efficient thanks to AI help from CMU.
Why it matters: Wexford-based Armada is the region's third-largest private company, and it wants to expand beyond food service logistics.
Driving the news: Armada completed three AI-focused capstone projects last week in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University grad students. The company said in a news release the projects reduced estimate errors, sped up review times, and cut food waste.
Zoom in: One project lowered Armada's ETA prediction error by 53% across 1.76 million shipments.
- Another built a system to automate the submission of food safety classifications, which was faster than the manual process by 75%-80%. That sped up the process from days to minutes.
- The last project used an AI model to keep shelves stocked more efficiently, reducing food waste.
What they're saying: Armada CIO Katherine Karolick told Axios she was excited because the projects showed measurable results.
- "Collaborations like this allow us to move faster, think bigger, and continue delivering smarter solutions for our customers. Carnegie Mellon is a world leader in AI, and working together is one more way we stay at the forefront of advanced thinking in this area," Karolick said.
State of play: AI is reshaping supply chains, especially in the post-pandemic world that has delivered several supply chain shocks.
Follow the money: The company said it generated about $6 billion in revenue last year, only behind 84 Lumber and Giant Eagle for privately held companies in the region, according to the Pittsburgh Business Times.
Context: Armada moved into a new 90,000-square-foot headquarters in Wexford in May.
- It employs over 300 people.
What's next: Karolick said the projects were developed for food-service supply chains but noted that their applications could be used in other industries that Armada is looking to expand into, like manufacturing, automotive, life sciences, and health care.
- She said it's about "establishing a blueprint for how Armada can leverage AI to drive growth, enter new markets, and position itself as a technology-forward supply chain partner across multiple industries."