AI, robots and reskilling: How ST Logistics is preparing workers for the future

When Frederick Wong joined ST Logistics nine years ago, his job was largely manual.

Shifts meant navigating warehouse aisles in a material handling vehicle and driving to shelf locations to pick goods – a process that was tiring, time-consuming, and came with its share of safety risks.

Today, the 32-year-old Senior Executive stands at a picking station – a contrast to his earlier role, as now the goods come to him.

“Last time you needed to walk to the location, drive the MHE [Material Handling Equipment],” said Mr Wong, who manages the E-Mart operations team at ST Logistics’ Clementi Loop Supply Hub and leads a team of seven.

“But now you just need to stand there – the robots come to you instead. That saves a lot of trouble and energy.”

The change is part of a broader warehouse transformation at ST Logistics, supported by NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant, which has seen the logistics firm invest in a series of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) projects designed to make its operations smarter.

Upskilling on the job

Mr Wong’s trajectory at ST Logistics illustrates the shift the company is working to bring about.

He joined without a background in supply chain management and spent his early years in manual logistics operations. As automation began to reshape the warehouse, the company supported him through courses to build his digital and technical skills.

He was initially reluctant to return to formal study: “I was very sceptical,” he admitted.

Encouragement from his managers and senior leadership changed his mind. He is now in his second year of a Work-Study Diploma in Supply Chain Management at ITE College East – knowledge he says has directly helped him understand the automation systems he now oversees on the job.

Courses were made available through a mobile application, accessible during break times and after working hours – a flexibility Mr Wong credits with making upskilling manageable alongside a full-time job.

The shift to automation has also brought with it a leadership responsibility he did not expect. When new systems were introduced, some of his team members worried about what the changes meant for their positions.

He reassured them in the same way the company had reassured him: roles were being redesigned, not eliminated.

“Some of them will worry whether it will take the job away from them. But we tell them – the job is not gone. We actually redesigned it to ensure that it increases your productivity and helps you,” he said.

Transforming the warehouse

Several of ST Logistics’ technology investments across its business units have been funded through the CTC Grant.

Among the most significant is the ongoing transformation of the warehouse into a smart facility. The upgrade is expected to increase storage capacity by 15 to 20 per cent, raise pallet throughput from 10 to at least 70 per hour, and save approximately 600 man-days per month.

Ninety workers are expected to benefit from redesigned job roles as part of the project.

ST Logistics received the SkillsFuture Employer Award (Gold) and the Workplace Learning Organisation of Excellence (Platinum) Award, both in 2024, in recognition of its leadership in workplace learning and human capital development.

First appointed SkillsFuture Queen Bee for the logistics sector in 2023, it has since been reappointed, with a mandate to support small and medium-sized enterprises in the sector as they undergo similar changes.

AI across the supply chain

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng visited ST Logistics’ Clementi Loop Supply Hub on 15 May 2026, touring its automated warehouse systems and meeting with senior management, union leaders and employees at an engagement session hosted by the Supply Chain Employees’ Union (SCEU).

Among the systems Mr Ng toured was ST Logistics’ CoLab innovation space at Clementi Loop – a dedicated space where new technologies are tested before being deployed across the company’s operations.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng with ST Logistics senior management and Supply Chain Employees' Union leaders at the CoLab innovation space during his visit on 15 May 2026. 

This includes eMedCab, developed in collaboration with the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Deployed at fire stations and hospitals, the AI-powered cabinet allows paramedics to replenish medical consumables directly at hospitals after dropping off patients, rather than returning to base.

Cameras and weight sensors automatically identify dispensed items, and every transaction is recorded without manual input. Predictive analytics calculate replenishment needs based on usage patterns and expiry dates, keeping stocks ready.

The company has also embedded AI into its procurement operations, using machine learning to analyse consumption trends and recommend when and how much to reorder, monitor for supply chain disruptions, and automatically identify alternative suppliers.

Before these tools were introduced, teams relied entirely on manual processes, which shifted procurement staff’s focus to higher-value work such as supplier engagement and spend analysis.

ST Logistics has committed to ensuring that productivity gains from AI are channelled into business growth rather than job cuts, that workers are retrained for the roles that automation creates, and that human judgement remains at the centre of its operations.

NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng with ST Logistics employees, union representatives and the company's humanoid robot and robot dog at the Clementi Loop Supply Hub on 15 May 2026.

Looking ahead

For Frederick Wong, the question of whether automation will eventually displace workers in logistics is not one that keeps him awake at night, though he is candid that he does not entirely dismiss it.

“Honestly, yes, a little scared – because new technology means we need time to adapt. But after going through so many automation rollouts that the company has implemented, I’m confident that I will embrace it together with the AI technology and the robots,” he said.

Nine years into a career he says he always wanted, Mr Wong sees a future in which workers like him are not replaced by the machines around them but become the people who oversee them.

“More automation, but not to take away jobs – we control and monitor the robots. Working together with them, not against them.”

Is your company looking to adopt new technologies while ensuring your workers are not left behind? Find out how NTUC’s Company Training Committee (CTC) Grant can support your workforce transformation journey.