MHI Solutions Improving Supply Chain Performance
The 14th Annual MHI Innovation Awards recognized transformational technologies across four categories at MODEX 2026.
BY , MHI, VP OF SALESOUT OF THE thousands of supply chain and material handling solutions on display at the Georgia World Congress Center during MODEX 2026, just four earned top honors through the MHI Innovation Awards. Selected from a competitive field of 220 submissions, these winners rose above the rest in MHI’s 14th annual program.
Each award category featured three finalists (see page 29), with top honors going to Dexory for Best New Innovation, Anyware Robotics for Best Robotics Innovation, ProGlove for Best IT Innovation and Flux Power for Best Sustainability Innovation.
Designed to spotlight cutting‑edge advancements across manufacturing and supply chain operations, the MHI Innovation Awards program offers MODEX attendees a closer look at emerging technologies and services shaping the industry. An initial panel of eight industry professionals—from companies including Amazon Logistics, CVS Health, Dell Technologies, Dunham’s Sports, Laticrete, Sterilite, U.S. AutoForce and Yamaha Motor Manufacturing Corporation of America—evaluated entries based on originality, value and potential industry impact. From there, they selected three finalists in each category.
Finalists advanced to a live judging round held on the MODEX 2026 show floor, where they presented their solutions directly to an independent panel. Judges determined the winners by evaluating each solution’s ability to deliver measurable return on investment (ROI), drive cost efficiencies and enhance customer satisfaction across operations of varying scale.
The four winners were revealed on Wednesday, April 15, during MHI Industry Night at MODEX 2026, which featured comedian and actor Jim Gaffigan. A full list of Innovation Award submissions is available at modexshow.com/innovation‑awards.
BEST NEW INNOVATION
WINNER: DEXORY—VIA THE COMPANY’S AUTONOMOUS ROBOTS, THE DEXORYVIEW STORAGE HEALTH FEATURE ENABLES CONTINUOUS, AI‑DRIVEN INSPECTIONS OF PRODUCT AND ASSET CONDITIONS, INCLUDING STORAGE RACKS.
Warehouse operators have long faced a tradeoff between maintaining safety standards and the time‑intensive nature of manual inspections. Dexory eliminates that compromise with DexoryView Storage Health, a solution that embeds continuous, AI‑driven inspections into daily operations through autonomous robots. The result is real‑time visibility into safety and storage conditions, earning Dexory the Best New Innovation award at MODEX 2026.
DexoryView Storage Health turns inspections into an always‑on process. Instead of relying on clipboards or limited line‑of‑sight checks, Dexory’s robots scan entire facilities daily, capturing high‑resolution images from floor level to heights of up to 18 meters (59 feet), including areas that are difficult or unsafe for workers to access.
“We collect information and data from inside warehouses on a continuous basis using autonomous robots,” said Oana Jinga, co‑founder and chief commercial and product officer at Dexory. “With Storage Health, we use those images to identify damage or changes in the condition of goods and racking structures.”
As the robots move through a facility, AI analyzes images in real time to detect issues such as damaged racking, unstable or leaning pallets, broken packaging and misplaced materials. Every issue is categorized, mapped and precisely located within the DexoryView platform, allowing teams to respond quickly without time-consuming searches.
“Think of it as an extra pair of eyes across the entire warehouse every single day,” Jinga explained. “We can identify risks like tipping pallets, damaged racks or hanging packaging that could create hazards.”
With the solution, inspections are no longer a separate task. Instead, they are embedded into routine warehouse operations, running continuously without disrupting workflows or requiring additional labor.
BEST ROBOTICS INNOVATION
WINNER: ANYWARE ROBOTICS—PIXMO MOBILE ROBOT, POWERED BY ANYWAREOS, AUTOMATES RECEIVING FOR FLOOR‑LOADED OPERATIONS.
Receiving docks remain one of the most labor‑intensive and least automated areas of the warehouse, often constrained by variability and space limitations. Anyware Robotics addresses that challenge with Pixmo, a mobile robotics solution that automates case handling without requiring fixed infrastructure. By bringing flexibility and intelligence to a tough operational environment, the company earned the Best Robotics Innovation award at MODEX 2026. The recognition follows Anyware Robotics’ Best New Innovation win for Pixmo at ProMat 2025, making the company the first to win back‑to‑back Innovation Awards in MHI’s history.
“Pixmo is a multi‑purpose mobile robot that works as a receiving team to handle floor‑loaded cases without any fixed infrastructure,” said Torsten Schreiber, vice president of go‑to‑market and product at Anyware Robotics.
Powered by AnywareOS, the company’s deployable physical AI, Pixmo, can unload trailers and containers, sort, palletize and depalletize cases and support case picking—all using a single hardware system.
Unlike traditional automation, which typically focuses on a single task, Pixmo can handle multiple unstructured workflows. This flexibility is particularly valuable in receiving, where inbound freight can vary widely in size, shape and condition, Schreiber noted.
“There is no other robotic system with the intelligence to handle multiple unstructured case‑handling applications across the warehouse using a single hardware platform,” he said. “Most automation vendors solve one task with one machine. Pixmo is unique in this aspect.”
BEST IT INNOVATION
WINNER: PROGLOVE—THE MAI WEARABLE DEVICE FEATURES AN INTEGRATED AI VOICE ASSISTANT THAT ALLOWS ASSOCIATES TO INTERACT WITH SYSTEMS USING NATURAL LANGUAGE.
While digital tools have long supported warehouse and manufacturing operations, most still require workers to stop, look at screens or manually input data. To transform how frontline workers interact with digital systems, ProGlove developed MAI, a wearable device that enables natural, hands‑free interaction via an embedded, AI‑powered voice assistant. That technological advance earned the company the Best IT Innovation award at MODEX 2026.
MAI is a back‑of‑hand wearable designed to support process documentation, worker guidance and real‑time communication. Unlike traditional mobile devices or handheld scanners, the device enables hands‑free interaction directly within the workflow. Such functionality transforms it from a passive tool into an active digital companion.
“MAI is a wearable companion that gives frontline operators full control over their workflow while providing managers with actionable process insights,” said Simon Armbruster, MAI product manager. “It’s designed to be the most efficient and ergonomic solution for manual work on the shop floor.”
At the core of the innovation is an integrated AI voice assistant that allows workers to interact with systems using natural language while remaining fully engaged in their tasks. Operators can retrieve information, receive instructions, report issues or escalate problems without stopping work or switching devices.
“The MAI Voice Assistant brings intuitive, voice‑based interaction into daily operations,” Armbruster explained. “It allows workers to solve problems in real time or connect with the right colleagues without interrupting their workflow.”
The system integrates with existing IT environments, including warehouse management system (WMS) solutions, and connects to platforms such as Microsoft Teams. Voice inputs are transcribed and shared instantly, enabling supervisors to respond quickly while maintaining a digital record of all interactions.
“Everything is integrated into familiar tools like Microsoft Teams, so communication happens naturally and is automatically documented,” Armbruster said. “That eliminates delays, reduces manual data entry and speeds up decision‑making.”
BEST SUSTAINABILITY INNOVATION
WINNER: FLUX POWER—FLUX POWER’S LITHIUM‑ION ENERGY SOLUTIONS DELIVER A MEASURABLE, POSITIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION.
As sustainability goals push material handling operations to move beyond legacy power systems, many are rethinking their reliance on lead‑acid batteries and the inefficiencies they entail. Flux Power is helping lead that shift with lithium‑ion energy solutions that combine higher efficiency, lower emissions and intelligent fleet optimization. That approach earned the company the Best Sustainability Innovation award at MODEX 2026.
The award recognizes solutions that deliver measurable environmental impact while improving operational efficiency. Flux Power’s lithium‑ion battery systems replace lead‑acid alternatives, eliminating harmful emissions, reducing energy waste and removing the need for watering and routine maintenance.
“We produce lithium‑ion batteries and energy solutions integrated with intelligent telematics for data‑driven fleet optimization,” said Jeff Mason, chief operating officer of Flux Power. “It’s not just a single product—it’s an entire product line designed to improve both sustainability and performance.”
Flux Power’s next‑generation battery packs are engineered for higher energy density, faster charging and longer operational life. Compared to lead‑acid batteries, they can charge up to 40% faster while reducing downtime and total energy consumption.
“Our systems help customers optimize how and when they charge,” Mason explained. “With real‑time visibility, operators can reduce energy waste, improve uptime and make smarter decisions across fleets.”
At the core of the solution is Flux Power’s SkyEMS cloud‑based platform, introduced in 2026. The system provides real‑time insights into battery performance, including state of charge and state of health, enabling predictive maintenance and improved equipment utilization.
“The SkyEMS platform delivers detailed, real‑time metrics that allow managers to optimize charge cycles and minimize maintenance,” Mason said. “That directly reduces electricity consumption and lowers the overall carbon footprint.”
Beyond efficiency gains, the environmental impact is significant. With more than 30,000 battery packs deployed, Flux Power estimates its systems have already prevented over 11 million kilograms of CO2 emissions across their lifecycle.
Fork Mule Wins MHI StartUp Pitch Competition
Fourteen new companies offering novel supply chain solutions were featured in the MODEX 2026 StartUp Pavilion. Among them, three companies—Aikey, Fork Mule and WaveInnova—were selected by a panel of supply chain professionals to participate in the MHI StartUp Pitch Competition. The winner, Fork Mule, received a $10,000 check during MHI Industry Night at MODEX 2026.
Fork Mule was developed to address a common—but often overlooked—challenge in material handling: manually repositioning forklift forks. Despite the availability of hydraulic fork positioners, a significant portion of the workforce still adjusts forks by hand, introducing safety risks and inefficiencies.
“Roughly 60% to 70% of the workforce manually moves forks over,” Brodie Cook, founder and inventor of Fork Mule, said. “That ultimately puts people in positions where they are cutting fingers or getting into pinch points.”
Cook created a simple mechanical device that provides added leverage while keeping hands safely away from hazards. Installed in pairs directly onto forklift forks, the Fork Mule enables operators to reposition forks more easily and with greater control.
“It simply gives the operator a point of leverage and gets their hands out and away from pinch points when they are moving the fork over,” Cook explained.
While hydraulic positioners offer a push‑button alternative, they are not universally adopted due to cost and application variability. As a result, many facilities rely on manual adjustments of forks that can weigh more than 140 pounds.
“More than half the workforce is still doing this manually,” Cook said. “If you talk to operators, they don’t like moving forks, and it’s very common to hear about pinched or cut fingers.”7Click here to read the full article.