Engineering and Entrepreneurship Meet the Needs of E-commerce
Article from MHI Solutions Magazine
When Eric Gilbert, founder of Excel3PL, switched from a mechanical engineering degree program at Oklahoma State University to an industrial engineering (IE) program, he was not thinking about the supply chain industry as a career. His mix of school, work and personal experiences not only led him to work in the supply chain industry, but also to form his own logistics company.
“I chose industrial engineering because it addressed both the people and business sides of engineering,” said Gilbert. He also minored in entrepreneurship, which for him was a natural fit with IE. “While at OSU, I got to work in the New Product Development Center, which was part of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, and worked on a manufacturing facility layout.” He then had a co-op position at a Walmart distribution center in Auburn, Alabama, where the company was implementing an AGV pilot program.
“Not long after I arrived, the employee overseeing the program left, and I was told to do the best I could,” said Gilbert. “I couldn’t believe I was a student with the responsibility of a $5 million program, but it was a great learning experience.”
