Subscribe

Tag: AMR

Rockwell Completes Acquisition of Clearpath Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), one of the world’s largest companies dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, has announced it completed its acquisition of Ontario, Canada-based Clearpath Robotics Inc., a leader in autonomous robotics, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for industrial applications.

The acquisition includes Clearpath Robotics’ namesake research division, a leader in developing autonomous technology for the innovation market, and the industrial division OTTO Motors, which provides AMRs, the next frontier in industrial automation and transformation. Both divisions report to Rockwell’s Intelligent Devices operating segment.

“We are delighted to welcome the Clearpath Robotics and OTTO Motors teams to Rockwell,” said Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation. “This acquisition marks a turning point for our customers around the world. Rockwell is simplifying and transforming the difficult yet critical function of material handling throughout the manufacturing plant with an end-to-end production logistics solution. Production logistics is key to optimizing operations across an entire facility and bringing the Connected Enterprise to life.”

OTTO Motors will be featured at Rockwell’s Automation Fair, the world’s premier industrial automation and digital transformation event, Nov. 6-9 in Boston, where customers will see firsthand the significant impact that AMRs will have on productivity and safety across operations.

According to Interact Analysis, the market for AMRs in manufacturing is expected to grow about 30% per year over the next five years, with an estimated market size of $6.2 billion by 2027. This acquisition is expected to contribute a percentage point to Rockwell’s fiscal year 2024 revenue growth.

“Not only do AMRs connect islands of automation; they are often one of the final major elements that help manufacturers achieve autonomous production logistics, enabling significant value creation for the manufacturer and their customers,” said Amar Mehta, EY Americas Strategy and Transactions Advanced Manufacturing Leader. “Rockwell is a leader in the key hardware, software, and services that are needed to integrate AMRs into a manufacturing plant. With this acquisition, Rockwell enhances its ability to take manufacturers on a full end-to-end digital transformation for their production environments.”

Movu Robotics Opens HQ and Experience Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

Movu Robotics, supplier for designing, developing, and implementing innovative and easier warehouse automation solutions, announces the opening of its new headquarters located in Lokeren, in the East Flanders province of Belgium.

Under a single roof, the facility houses engineering, R&D and production departments. It also features a state of the art of Experience Centre – one of the biggest in Europe where Movu Robotics’ latest technologies can be demonstrated live in operation to customers and partners. Logistics Business was given a tour on Monday.

As an independent business unit within the stow Group with different requirements to the stow Racking brand, Movu Robotics requires its own premises to produce its growing range of increasingly popular shuttles and robots. Movu’s new headquarters provides the room to support the continued and future significant growth in the robotics and automation business unit.

Lokeren is an ideal location: not too far from stow Group’s headquarters and conveniently situated between Ghent and Antwerp, which gives good access to a pool of skills required by the business, which is important given the number of people Movu will continue to hire going forward. The building itself combines a rare set of characteristics: it has large office area, covering approximately 5000 square metres, combined with a 10,000 square metre surface for logistics and manufacturing operations.

In addition, the building has an area of approximately 2500 square metres where it has a high ceiling, which provides the ideal space for the Experience Centre. which provides the ideal space for the Experience Centre. At 100m long, 25 metres wide and 20m high the Experience Centre is bigger than many actual warehouses, providing the ideal venue for Movu Robotics to present its product portfolio technologies: Movu atlas pallet shuttles, Movu escala bin shuttles, Movu ifollow AMRs and the new picking arm robot Movu eligo are all showcased in action, in a real life warehouse setting.

Visitors to the Experience Centre can see a 20m high Movu atlas pallet shuttle rack with lifts, has shuttles transporting pallets operating inside. There are Movu ifollow AMRs picking up pallets from
the racks and transporting them to different locations. AMRs can also be seen supporting picking from racking. There is a huge Movu escala bin shuttle warehouse containing 1000 bins with shuttles
operating inside. The Movu escala also demonstrates the Movu eligo picking robot application as well as conventional pick stations. A special attention is also devoted to the Movu software. Visitors can get deep insights into the self developed Movu Warehouse Execution System that is formed by three pillars: Movu ops for managing all operations, Movu tower for checking the available resources and selecting the most suitable shuttle or AMR and Movu pilot that ensures the execution of the order at the level of the individual shuttle or AMRs.

The Experience Centre has integrated everything possible into the demonstration rack, including a tunnel under the rack, a stairway around the vertical lift, a mezzanine with a picking area. There are also many software screens around the centre demonstrating the controlling software and how visibility of what is going on in a warehouse can be provided from a distance.

The expansive footprint of the Experience Centre provides room for three versions of every Movu Robotics system in its product portfolio o ne providing a permanent demonstration set up to be
available anytime ; a second set up for R&D purposes, which allows Movu to test new generations of products, or to test customer products for specific set ups; a third installation is for testing all products after assembly, before shipping to the end customer site.

In addition to customer visits there will be industry groups visits and workshops in the Experience Centre, which will act as a live and dynamic demonstration of what is possible now and, through
examining trends and market direction, how the needs of tomorrow can be answered.

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “The new Movu Robotics headquarters in Lokeren is a centre of excellence, bringing together sales, R&D, manufacturing and one of Europe’s largest materials handling Experience Centres to provide a concentration of knowledge and expertise around robotics and automation. Creating a close connection between research, production and customer visits to the Experience Centre enhances Movu’s interaction with customers and provides the company with rapid market feedback to fuel our continued innovation and growth path.”

Körber Celebrates Milestone with Geek+

Posted on by David Priestman

Körber and Geek+ are celebrating the third anniversary of their strategic partnership. Geek+ is one of Körber’s trusted global robotic partners, making this anniversary an important milestone in Körber’s journey to provide businesses worldwide with efficient, scalable and sustainable end-to-end logistics solutions.

With more than 30 implementations in eight regions and thousands of bots successfully deployed, Körber and Geek+ continue to revolutionise warehouse operations through an extensive portfolio of Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) solutions. Through this partnership, customers have seen productivity gains in excess of 100%, accuracy improvements of up to 99.99% and a reduction in walking distances of up to 82% across the warehouse.

Customers throughout Europe, America and Asia Pacific are currently advancing their supply chain operations with flexible automation solutions from Körber and Geek+, relying on the combined expertise of a global leader in AMR technology and Körber’s broad capabilities in end-to-end consulting, conceptualisation, integration and support. By increasing picking accuracy, reducing labour costs, and improving productivity and efficiency, robotics also help create safer and more ergonomic workplaces where warehouse associates can avoid tedious and risky tasks, focus on more value-added activities, and enjoy a more collaborative and satisfying work environment.

One example includes the implementation of a highly innovative logistics software and automation landscape for the biggest 3PL eCommerce warehouse in Eastern Central Europe, run by 3PL logistics start-up Boxy. András Táncsics, CEO of Boxy, stated: “Relying on cutting-edge technology provided by Körber, together with partners like Geek+, has helped us to maintain an efficient flow of goods, enhanced shipping performance, and reliability in light of the steady growing pressure of customer demands. We truly believe that these types of automation and software solutions are the future of the industry and our competitive edge on the market. Therefore, we keep a close eye on these technologies together with our partners and always try to be in the forefront of innovation.”

Recent customer successes also include one of the largest AMR deployments in Eastern Europe at DB Schenker, one of the leading global logistics service providers. In Australia, Körber and Geek+ have collaborated with leading Australian retailers such as Officeworks. In North America, S&S Activewear, a leading wholesale distributor of apparel and accessories, will rely on a high velocity picking system from Geek+ with Körber’s expertise in the design, deployment and support of this transformative system to meet evolving demand and optimize fulfilment.

“The supply chain has undergone tremendous changes in recent years, with an ever-increasing demand for efficiency and productivity while continually requiring more sustainable practices. We need innovative solutions to answer new challenges to be cost-efficient and competitive while also sustainable. Driven by huge developments in AI and machine learning, robots can help by addressing these challenges, at scale,” said Lit Fung, VP and Managing Director, Overseas Business at Geek+.

“Particularly in the growing eCommerce segment, robotics continues to be a true gamechanger for the logistics landscape to introduce greener, safer and more ergonomic operations,” said John Santagate, Vice President Robotics at Körber Business Area Supply Chain. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with one of the leading global AMR providers, helping companies worldwide optimise their operational success and conquer their supply chain complexities.”

Geek+ entered its first global partnership with Körber in 2020, with expansion rapidly accelerating since then – showcased by 30,000 robots deployed that helped save 140,000 tons of carbon emissions and 16 million KwH in energy in 2022. Together with Geek+’ growing portfolio of robotic solutions, Körber continues to enhance access to an unparalleled breadth and depth of supply chain solutions, spanning warehouse management, warehouse control, simulation and voice, to help those who move goods do good.

Dexory Announces Investment from Schenker

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexory has secured additional investment with Schenker Ventures, the corporate investment arm of DB Schenker, strengthening further their position in the market. This investment will allow greater focus on introducing the DexoryView solution across Europe and into the US in the coming months.

Following the recent $19m Series A funding announcement in June, this partnership continues to strengthen Dexory’s leading position on providing real time visibility across the supply chain.

Dexory’s solution addresses the urgent need for improved visibility, better space utilisation and increased efficiency in warehouse operations around the world. Dexory brings together autonomous robots, capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across a warehouse, with powerful analytics and insights. This powerful combination provides comprehensive visibility across individual warehouses of any size, as well as connecting sites across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

For warehouse operators, guaranteeing flawless ‘on-time, every time’ order fulfilment is paramount to satisfying the expectations of today’s consumers. “Technology that operates autonomously, provides real-time insights, possesses intuitive interfaces, and seamlessly integrates can lead to a revolutionary transformation in the day-to-day efficiency, productivity and precision of warehouse operations”, says Andrei Danescu, CEO and Co-founder of Dexory. “I’m delighted DB Schenker shares our vision for full visibility across supply chains and have great confidence in our technology, ambitions and growth plans. Their industry expertise will help us grow into new territories and maximise the capabilities of the tech while bringing fantastic value to their sites, a great partnership for both.”

DexoryView, a one of a kind platform, conducts comprehensive warehouse scans within a few hours – a 100 times faster than human efforts and other inventory collection technologies. Moreover, DexoryView serves as a digital replica of the physical warehouse, nurturing not only management but also performance optimisation. This innovative feature empowers the software to simulate, optimise, and forecast future scenarios, freeing warehouse colleagues to engage in more complex tasks.

“The potential and evident success of Dexory’s technology within the global logistics landscape in a short space of time is impressive. Dexory has engineered a solution that not only boasts seamlessness and user-friendliness, but also provides a remarkable depth and speed of inventory data collections setting Dexory apart, enabling efficient and accurate insight.” says Paulina Banszerus, Head of Venture Capital, Schenker Ventures.

The strong execution-driven team behind the vision for DexoryView goes beyond inventory management, the technology’s visualisation is impressive, whilst being scalable in the future. And that’s what makes Dexory a great fit to our innovative portfolio. We’re really pleased to be part of Dexory’s exciting future.”

With ongoing conversations to partner with DB Schenker in the various territories, Dexory aims to continue to embed accurate real-time data into its customers’ supply chains worldwide, making it the new standard for the warehouse of the future.

stow Announces New Robotics Brand: Movu

Posted on by David Priestman

stow Group, a globally recognized leader in the design, manufacturing, and implementation of advanced storage solutions and automated warehouse systems, announces the launch of the new ‘Movu Robotics’ brand, developed to strengthen its Robotics business unit and to meet increasing customer demand for Automation and Robotics solutions. The new brand replaces the name ‘stow Robotics’ as of now.

Movu Robotics is a new and dynamic warehouse automation brand that stands out by bringing easier logistics automation solutions to the world’s warehouses and ensuring that, when it comes to opportunities for automation, no warehouse is left behind. Movu is based in new headquarters located in Lokeren, near Antwerp in Belgium that, under a single roof, includes engineering, R&D, production, and a state of the art Experience Centre where the latest technologies can be demonstrated live in operation to customers and partners.

stow Group is a highly successful company with 40 years’ experience as a supplier of logistics and materials handling solutions , and a product DNA based on racking. As customer and market demand for automated solutions increase s driven by labour shortages, the need to increase profitability, efficiency, flexibility, accuracy as well as shortening lead times stow has been delivering innovative solutions to meet these challenges.

stow Robotics was e stablished in 2021 a s part of the stow Group and has developed a comprehensive and competitive portfolio of automation and robotics solutions for pallets, bins and items that provides a more energy efficient and practical alternative to stacker crane bins and items that provides a more energy efficient and practical alternative to stacker crane based solutions-based solutions. This comprises Movu atlas, a leading pallet shuttle system; Movu escala, an innovative ramp shuttle solution for totes/bins; Movu ifollow, a collaborative Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) system for pallets and additional load carriers: and the new picking robot Movu eligo.

Despite all their advantages, automated technologies and robotics are perceived by many customers as being complex, expensive, resource intensive with long lead time for installation. Movu Robotics addresses this issue by bringing easier automation to the world’s warehouses.

Movu – No warehouse left behind

For projects in the main vertical markets, especially in e-commerce, FMCG and cold storage in Europe and North America, Movu Robotics will deliver simple, standardised plug and play solutions that require less engineering and grant short lead times for execution, allowing customers to keep their operations running.

Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group told Logistics Business: “Faced with challenges of labour shortages, cost increases, storage density, growing volumes and improving accuracy, companies are turning to robotics and automation for solutions. Movu Robotics offers an offers an integrated ecosystem of standardised and scalable automation technology that speeds roll out and reduces risk for all for all kinds of customers. We want to democratise materials handling through bringing the opportunities of easier automation and robotics to warehouses that would otherwise find them hard to attain. Expecting the global material handling equipment market to reach USD 350 billion and understanding the key driver AS/RS systems and Robotics systems for this, we are optimistic that Movu Robotics will become an essential player.”

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics, commented: “Smart enough to make any operation feel simple and easy, Movu robots help to take a load off the customers’ minds as well as their shelves. Our solutions are designed to make warehouse automation and robotics not only more accessible, but also more scalable. They will enable any warehouse around the world – big or small, regular or awkwardly shaped – to be upgraded and become more productive, more efficient and more successful. This is the philosophy behind our brand claim: ‘’Movu – No warehouse left behind’.”

Group structure

stow Group now has two independent brands under its roof: stow Racking and Movu Robotics. While both of these brands retain their independence, they strongly impact each other in terms of expertise, know how, technology and global resources. All products, business activities and operations of stow Group in the field of Robotics and Automation, including R&D, production, sales and finance, will be grouped as an independent and standalone business unit under the Movu Robotics brand in the new headquarters in Lokeren. This includes the operations of the ifollow business, which is now the brand name of AMRs offered by Movu.

The management team will be led by Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group and Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics. Both stow Group and Movu Robotics are driven by a strong a strong team of board members, comprising experience from the Logistics Industry and from other sectors.

Movu Robotics technologies

Unlike many automation companies that have a single product, the new Movu Robotics brand includes a range of key technologies: Movu atlas pallet shuttles, Movu escala bin shuttles and Movu ifollow AMRs for pallets and roll cages that work either standalone or as collaborative robots. Joining these is the new Movu eligo picking robot, which is offered as a picking workstation for escala.

Movu Robotics provides solutions for easier automation that can make better use of every corner of the warehouse – irrespective of the customers’ storage space or what they are storing, conveying, picking or handling. Customers gain the key advantage of seamless integrated racking and robotics solutions – for example, the Movu atlas shuttle system working with Movu ifollow mobile robots, or Movu eligo acting as a workstation for Movu escala. A key benefit is that a customer talks to a single face representing a single partner, providing efficient project management and reliable lead times. They will also receive efficient project commissioning for a safe and resilient supply chain that assists in delivering high service levels to their customers.

Autonomous sub–systems for minimal TCO

Technologies in the Movu Robotics product portfolio can be integrated into a single autonomous sub-system as a solution, with components including racking, shuttles or AMRs, software, wifi and commissioning. This enables easy installation, adaptability to new business needs through simple integration of new applications and a minimal Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach. This makes upgrading warehouses easier, not only for existing users of logistics automation who want to upgrade their systems with plug and play robotics and automation, but also those yet to adopt automation but who urgently want to take the first step.

Standardisation and simplification, which is an essential part of Movu Robotics, results in shorter lead times and lower engineering costs, producing higher profitability. To maximise flexibility, Movu Robotics systems are modular in design, acting as a set of building blocks to minimise complexity and cost of upgrading. This makes the systems highly scalable – installations can start small and then expand or, if needed, they can downsize just as easily. Modularity also enables a fast roll out for projects.

For not leaving any warehouse warehouse behind, Movu Robotics will target the market with a dual strategy: providing end users with a direct channel, for which Movu relies on a network of sales offices in main territories. Its portfolio of simple, standardised, scalable, and flexible systems provide opportunities for SMEs with as few as 5000 pallet locations to automate, to address challenges such as labour shortages and cost efficiency -– a huge growth area. The other part of this strategy is the indirect channel where Movu can supply a fully functional storage sub-system from its portfolio to a systems integrator for integration into a complete project. All of this is supported by a global network in customer service and stow’s 40 years’ industry experience.

Movu Robotics is consistently working to improve existing technology for the customer, with innovation, R&D and entrepreneurial thinking being an integral part of the dynamic business unit. The next product launch is planned for 2024, to further expand the portfolio.

Movu Robotics’ headquarters in Lokeren, Belgium, combines a 5,000 square metre large office area with a 10,000 square metre surface for logistics and manufacturing operations under a single roof, next to a state-of-the-art experience centre – one of the biggest in Europe — where where the latest technologies are showcased live to customers and partners.

Things for Mobile Robot Manufacturers to Consider

Posted on by David Priestman

Mobile robot manufacturers need to take a range of factors into consideration when selecting planetary gearboxes, writes Mike Gulliford, Managing Director, Apex Dynamics UK. The global mobile robots market is expanding rapidly and forecasts for mobile robot revenues were recently increased as a result. With such a wealth of opportunities in the market for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs), manufacturers providing products that meet customers’ needs will see sales grow.

Strong outlook for mobile robots and planetary gearboxes

Precision gears are an essential component within the motion control systems of mobile robots, and planetary gearboxes will continue to play a significant role in the market going forward. Just under 50% of precision gear products sold in 2022 had a planetary design, according to market intelligence specialist Interact Analysis, demonstrating the enduring popularity of planetary gearboxes. In fact, mobile robots are predicted to become the #1 industry for planetary gear products by 2026, as high levels of demand continue within the mobile robot industry, driven by labour shortages and increased demand for warehouse automation in the wake of the Covid-19 e-commerce boom.

Planetary gearboxes are ideal for mobile robots

Planetary gearboxes are the ideal compact high-precision servomotor solution for mobile robots, with estimates showing that the vast majority of mobile robots employing precision gear products will have planetary gears (~95%) by 2026. It is of paramount importance that mobile robot manufacturers select the best precision planetary gearboxes for the specific needs of their robots and applications.

Here are seven key factors to consider when using planetary gearboxes in mobile robots, in order to ensure optimal performance, reliability and efficiency:

1. Torque and Power Requirements
Torque and power requirements are specific to the intended applications and payloads. Manufacturers must carefully address the torque demands of each robot’s motors and actuators in order to select planetary gearboxes that can handle loads effectively. Ensuring adequate torque ratings for planetary gearboxes can help to prevent premature wear, overheating and potential system failure.

2. Efficiency and Gear Ratios
A crucial element of mobile robot design, planetary gearboxes generally offer higher efficiency than other types of gearboxes. Manufacturers should carefully evaluate the efficiency of gearboxes and consider the gear ratios that suit each mobile robot’s operational needs. The selection of proper gear ratios ensures optimal motor speed and torque output, which translates into better energy utilization and enhances overall performance.

3. Size and Weight Constraints
Compact autonomous systems such as mobile robots often have limited space and weight allowances. Planetary gearboxes are known for their compact and lightweight designs, making them the preferred choice for many manufacturers. Manufacturers must give consideration to selecting gearboxes that fit within the space constraints and adhere to the weight limitations of their mobile robots without compromising performance.

4. Backlash and Precision
Precision gearboxes are designed to have low or zero backlash, meaning the clearance between interlocking teeth is much smaller than in standard gearboxes. This improves the accuracy and repeatability of robot movements, which is particularly important in applications where fast, precise movement is required, such as industrial automation or medical robots. Choosing planetary gearboxes with minimal backlash helps to maintain positional accuracy and reduce errors.

5. Lubrication and Maintenance
Choosing the correct type of lubrication and understanding the maintenance needs of planetary gearboxes is vital to ensure the smooth and efficient operation of mobile robots. For example, sealed gearboxes or those with extended intervals between lubrication may be preferred by mobile robot manufacturers in order to reduce maintenance requirements and extend system uptime.

6. Durability and Reliability
These factors are key to the overall longevity of mobile robot systems, with some robotic applications operating in or exploring harsh environments, or carrying out heavy-duty material handling tasks. Mobile robots operate in a range of environmental conditions, including extreme temperatures, and environments heavy on moisture and/or dust, with some even designed to operate in underwater environments.

Intense operating conditions make it crucial for mobile robot manufacturers to select gearboxes that are made from high-quality materials and that are precision manufactured to ensure they can withstand the rigours of the application, with adequate protection against corrosion, ingress and environmental contaminants. For example, all Apex Dynamics UK gearboxes are made in our CE and ATEX-certified manufacturing facility and come with a 5-year warranty.

7. Cost and Availability
A further consideration for mobile robot manufacturers is the cost of the gearboxes they are selecting for their mobile robots and their availability on the market. It is important to strike the correct balance between required performance and budget constraints to ensure the project (and product) remains economically viable. Furthermore, good delivery times for planetary gearboxes are crucial to ensure products are ready to ship to customers. At Apex Dynamics UK, we guarantee delivery within 3-4 weeks, combining high quality products with reasonable prices, excellent customer service and support.

With an array of possibilities to choose from when it comes to planetary gearboxes, there is the potential to find the right fit for each mobile robot and its potential applications. By considering the variables above, manufacturers can make informed decisions and help to ensure they develop robust, best-in-class products, with high performance, low backlash, precision, durability, minimal downtime, and success in their respective applications.

At Apex Dynamics UK, we supply products to the mobile robot industry and our new GL series of precision planetary gearboxes has been specifically designed for AGV applications. With a unique rotary housing that allows a drive wheel and pulley to be mounted over the exterior, Apex Dynamics’ GL helical planetary gearboxes are available with a shaft input (GLS), which allows the gearbox to be driven by belt and pulley. GL gearboxes are fitted with helical planetary gears hardened to 840 HV, patented input and output sealing, and a patented input bearing system that ensures perfect concentricity, making them the ideal choice for mobile robots.

Robotic Fulfilment Provider Doubles Picks in 11 Months

Posted on by David Priestman

Locus Robotics, a global leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse automation, has announced that its AMR solutions have now picked more than two billion units, reinforcing the company’s position as a premier robotic fulfilment provider for the warehouse and logistics industry. This new milestone comes just 11 months after reaching the industry-first landmark of 1 billion picks in 2022.

“Achieving the two billion picks milestone is an incredible accomplishment for our company and for our customers,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “This event is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our incredible team and the dramatic productivity improvements we deliver to drive our customers’ growth and success.”

Reaching this milestone took just 358 days, with the last 100 million picks taking just 27 days – an average of 3.7 million picks per day. By comparison, it took more than six years to make the first billion picks, and 1,542 days to pick the first 100 million units. LocusBots have now traveled more than 37 million miles in customers’ warehouses, the equivalent of more than 1,370 times around the Earth or 77 round trips to the Moon.

“Achieving the remarkable milestone of two billion picks demonstrates how Locus’s intelligent automation solution can transform warehouse operations,” said Keith Price, CIO of Concordance Healthcare. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Locus team to leverage the power of advanced robotics and automation to drive even greater warehouse fulfillment optimisation in the years ahead.”

“Locus’s consistent innovation, user-centric approach, and genuine dedication to customer relationships puts them at the forefront of warehouse automation,” said Alan McDonald, vice president of continuous improvement at Geodis. “This milestone is a testament to its technological leadership and synergistic collaboration. We look forward to building on our work together and driving even greater efficiency improvements in the future.”

The AI and data science-driven LocusOne platform serves as an enterprise-level fleet manager, overseeing complex warehouse fulfilment workflows that support diverse use cases, clustering tasks to create optimal robot missions and reduce unproductive worker walking time. Locus’s unique multi-bot approach decouples workers from orders and tasks to dramatically improve worker productivity.

Proven at enterprise scale, labour-challenged 3PL, retail, health care, and manufacturing operators can seamlessly add robots to increase capacity or meet growth in any operation in just minutes to optimise productivity in their operations, reduce costs, and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.

The LocusOne warehouse automation execution platform enables the smooth orchestration of multiple robotic form factors at enterprise-scale within a single coordinated platform. It provides real-time optimisation of tasks to be completed within the four walls and across multiple levels in warehousing and manufacturing environments. LocusOne optimises robotic task allocation, route planning, and resource use, while delivering real-time business insights into warehouse operations.

Locus Robotics is an enterprise-level, warehouse automation solution, incorporating powerful and intelligent, AI-driven autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that operate collaboratively with human workers to dramatically improve product movement and productivity 2–3X. Supporting more than 120+ of the world’s top brands and deployed at 270+ sites around the world, Locus Robotics enables retailers, 3PLs and specialty warehouses to efficiently meet and exceed the increasingly complex and demanding requirements of today’s fulfilment environments.

Locus Robotics Building New Global HQ

Posted on by David Priestman

Locus Robotics, a global leader in autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for warehouse automation, has broken ground on its new global HQ in Wilmington, Massachusetts, USA. The expansion stands as a reflection of the company’s remarkable growth and its unwavering commitment to future innovation in the rapidly advancing field of warehouse automation.

“We’re thrilled to break ground on our new headquarters in Wilmington,” said Rick Faulk, CEO of Locus Robotics. “This is a significant milestone that reflects our robust growth trajectory and our dedication to revolutionising the warehouse automation sector with cutting-edge, AI (Artificial Intelligence)-driven robotics solutions.”

The nearly 200,000 sq ft/18,580m² facility in the Boston area will serve as the hub for Locus Robotics’ expanding global operations and will house Locus’s dynamic team of engineering, manufacturing, and operations professionals dedicated to driving innovation in robotics warehouse automation. The extra space also provides room for future expansion and growth.

With its AI and data science-driven LocusONE Warehouse Automation Platform at the core of the Locus solution, the company continues to empower labour-strapped 3PL, retail, healthcare, and manufacturing businesses to optimise productivity in their operations, reduce costs, and stay competitive in the rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape.

The LocusONE Warehouse Automation Platform enables the smooth orchestration of enterprise-scale multiple robotic form factors within a single coordinated platform. LocusONE optimises robotic task allocation, route planning, and resource use, while delivering real-time insights into warehouse operations.

Faulk also emphasised the company’s goal of contributing further to the local economy. “Our new facility will stimulate job creation and innovation within the region, aligning with our vision of fostering world-class technological advancement and economic growth,” he added.

With this new milestone, Locus Robotics reiterates its commitment to delivering game-changing solutions that enable businesses to optimise their warehouse operations, enhance productivity, and meet the evolving demands of the market. The ground-breaking of the new headquarters lays a solid foundation for the company’s continuous growth and future innovations, affirming Locus Robotics’ position as a global leader in warehouse automation.

With more than 230 sites under contract around the world – some having as many as 500 LocusBots per site – the Locus solution efficiently and seamlessly orchestrates the operation and management of multiple robot form factors, and provides forward-looking, real-time business intelligence, critical for optimising productivity, proactively managing labour, and managing costs.

Locus Robotics‘ revolutionary, multi-bot solution incorporates powerful and intelligent autonomous mobile robots that operate collaboratively with human workers to dramatically improve piece‐handling, case-handling, and pallet-moving productivity 2X–3X, while optimising labour and making efficient use of warehouse space. Locus helps retailers, 3PLs, and specialty warehouses efficiently meet and exceed the increasingly complex and demanding requirements of fulfilment environments. Easily integrating into large-scale new and existing warehouse infrastructures without disrupting workflows, Locus transforms productivity without transforming the warehouse.

Locus’s EMEA presence is centrally located in Amsterdam, with an APAC presence located in Singapore.

 

LiBiao Robotics Opens Frankfurt HQ

Posted on by David Priestman

As part of its ongoing growth strategy autonomous mobile robot-based parcel and post sortation solutions specialist, LiBiao Robotics, has opened a new European headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany.

The site features modern office space, product demonstration zones and a showroom where interested parties can see LiBiao’s range of autonomous sortation robots and discover the many ways that the technology can benefit their business.

“Frankfurt is the perfect location for our new European hub,” said Xia Huiling LiBiao Robotics’ founder and CEO (pictured). “Apart from providing a base for our European sales and service teams, the new premises will be a place where logistics professionals can learn how LiBiao’s robots can improve their productivity and cost efficiency. The opening of the new office in Frankfurt highlights LiBiao Robotics’ commitment to the European market and is further evidence of our plan to build on our success in Europe and continue to expand our activity across the region.”

Several of the biggest names in the European logistics industry already rely LiBiao sortation robot technology at some of their busiest sites. For example, Packeta – the biggest online fulfilment and parcel delivery business in the Czech Republic – uses 170 LiBiao robots to sort as many as 10,000 packages per hour at its Prague facility; and, Hellenic Post – the state-owned provider of postal services in Greece -introduced a LiBiao system at its Thessaloniki sorting hub in 2022.

LiBiao’s sorting robot technology has been specifically developed as an extremely cost-efficient and flexible alternative to the high CapEx fixed tilt-tray and cross-belt conveyor-based sortation systems that have traditionally been used within parcel, post and ecommerce operations.

More compact than other AMRs currently on the market, LiBiao robots require minimal floor space within which to operate to achieve the same parcel throughput statistics as conveyor-based systems and, because they have no fixed infrastructure requirements, they can be easily adapted to cope with any spikes in throughput.

Worldwide, an estimated 30 billion parcels are processed using LiBiao AMRs each year by companies as diverse as Walmart, Uniqlo and China Post.

Xia Huiling adds: “It is obvious from the feedback that we get that Europe’s logistics community is increasingly conscious of the benefits that our innovative approach to sortation brings. With ecommerce only likely to become ever more competitive, Europe’s retailers and their logistics partners cannot afford to overlook the significant operational advantages that LiBiao’s AMR-based sortation solutions deliver.”

Established in 2016, LiBiao Robotics is a modern high-tech enterprise specialising in the development of robotic systems for the post, parcel and logistics sectors. The company’s autonomous mobile robot technology is in operation across China, Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and the USA, LiBiao Robotics is based in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province.

Greek Post Using LiBiao Parcel Sortation

Posted on by David Priestman

Some two years after introducing LiBiao robotic parcel sortation technology at its sorting centre in Athens, Hellenic Post (ELTA), the state-owned provider of postal services in Greece, has introduced additional robots, chutes and induction stations at the site.

The investment means throughput capacity at the Athens facility has been significantly increased and allows ELTA to provide next-day delivery services to several additional destinations throughout Greece. In all a total of 120 LiBiao autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are now deployed at the sorting centre in Athens. They scan each parcel’s barcode, weigh the package and, directed by sensors, empty it into the appropriate mail sack sited around the platform on which the robots travel.

Initially introduced as part of ELTA’s digital restructuring programme which was established to tackle the growing number of parcels generated by the growth of online shopping, the AMR-based sortation solution has enabled ELTA to improve the efficiency of its workforce by assigning personnel to more productive tasks.

Before the LiBiao sorting system went live, ELTA had undertaken parcel sorting manually – which was obviously extremely time consuming and labour intensive. It was also prone to errors which caused parcels to be delayed. Late deliveries were not only frustrating for ELTA’s customers and courier partners but also extremely costly for the company.

Since the parcel sorting function has been handed over to the LiBiao robots the process is three times faster, ensuring next-day delivery, while errors have been virtually eliminated.

With the additional robots, ELTA can now handle close to 125,000 parcels weighing up to 10 kg every day and, because each robot only needs to be recharged for five minutes every four hours, on-site power consumption and energy costs are minimised.

Based on the performance of the first phase of the installation ELTA expect this latest investment to pay for itself within two years.

Evi Arguriadou, ELTA’s head of sorting operations, comments: “Since the introduction of robotic technology our Athens facility has come to be regarded as a centre of excellence within our industry. We regularly host visits from executives from other parcel delivery services companies across Europe who are interested in the technology we have deployed. We are happy and proud to do so.”

LiBiao Robotics’ founder and CEO, Xia Hulling,commented: “The initial installation at ELTA and the recent extension highlights perfectly why LiBiao autonomous mobile robot (AMR)-based sortation technology is proving an attractive alternative to the high CapEx fixed tilt-tray and cross-belt conveyor-based systems that have historically been used within many busy parcel and e-commerce operations.”

Xia Hulling continued: “With no fixed infrastructure requirements, modular AMR-based systems are scalable and offer complete flexibility with additional robots easily introduced as and when they are needed. And, I am pleased to say that several of the companies that have visited ELTA’s Athens site to see the system in operation for themselves have become LiBiao customers too!” she added.

Established in 2016, LiBiao Robotics is a modern high-tech enterprise specialising in the development of robotic systems for the post, parcel and logistics sectors. The company’s autonomous mobile robot technology is in operation across China, Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia and the USA, LiBiao Robotics is based in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s Zhejiang province.

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.