MODEX 2026 Insights: Empowering Customers to Drive Their Own Warehouse Innovation
by Mike Catalino
At MODEX 2026, IFS Softeon Chief Revenue Officer Patrick Maley joined Inbound Logistics to discuss the trends shaping warehouse operations and what customers are demanding from their technology partners.
One theme stood out above all others: enablement.
According to Maley, organizations increasingly want the ability to adapt workflows, create dashboards, modify user experiences, and respond to changing customer requirements without relying on their software vendor for every change.
“Customers want the tools to make changes themselves,” Maley explained. “They want to move faster, improve service, and respond to new business requirements without added cost or delays.”
The conversation also touched on the growing role of AI and automation across the warehouse landscape. While robotics continues to evolve rapidly, Maley highlighted warehouse orchestration as one of the most promising areas for AI adoption.
By combining Softeon’s orchestration capabilities with IFS’s significant investments in AI technologies such as IFS.ai and IFS.ai Loops, organizations can optimize warehouse flow while maintaining the deterministic execution required for warehouse operations.
Maley also emphasized that successful digital transformation requires more than technology alone. Change management remains one of the biggest challenges organizations face, as businesses must ensure employees are prepared to adopt new processes and systems.
The discussion naturally turned to the recent acquisition of Softeon by IFS. Maley noted that the combination brings together Softeon’s Tier 1 warehouse management and execution capabilities with IFS’s global scale, AI investments, and broad enterprise application portfolio.
For existing customers, the benefits are immediate: expanded access to AI-driven solutions, transportation management capabilities, workforce optimization tools, and enhanced global support resources. At the same time, IFS Softeon remains committed to its open, best-of-breed approach, continuing to support organizations regardless of their ERP platform.
Looking ahead, Maley sees significant opportunities as IFS Softeon expands its reach across manufacturing, aerospace, energy, and other industries worldwide.
Learn More About IFS Softeon
Discover how IFS Softeon combines advanced warehouse management, orchestration, and AI-driven innovation to help organizations adapt faster, optimize fulfillment, and scale globally. Explore our solutions and see what the next generation of warehouse operations can look like.
