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Compact Scalability and Accessible Warehouse Automation

Posted on by David Priestman

LogiMAT 2025 will take place at the Messe Stuttgart convention center from March 11–13, 2025. In Hall 3 at booth 3B67, Movu Robotics, member of the stow Group, will demonstrate its leadership in accessible and advanced warehouse automation. The showcase will highlight how Compact Scalability – an intelligent and adaptable concept for automated logistics systems – is redefining flexibility and efficiency in modern warehousing.

Movu Compact Scalabilty is a groundbreaking approach that seamlessly combines innovative robotics, intelligent software and state-of-the-art hardware to redefine how businesses meet their fulfillment demands. Movu’s scalable solutions maximize storage capacity within the same footprint while adapting effortlessly to the customer’s needs – vertically, horizontally, and with seamless integration. This scalability offers a key advantage, enabling businesses to expand their storage and throughput capabilities without requiring major overhauls to their existing infrastructure. Movu Compact Scalability empowers businesses to grow smarter, faster, and more efficiently.

Presented in Stuttgart, the Movu atlas ASRS is designed with modularity for flexible expansion. It can be added or removed on demand fluctuations, peak seasons, or business growth. The pallet shuttle system allows for incremental investments rather than a large upfront overhaul, making it cost-effective and highly efficient. As demand grows, the system can scale horizontally by additional aisles and lanes that can be seamlessly added.

Able to operate in temperatures between -25°C and 40°C, Movu atlas provides a solution for both ambient and cold store warehouses. It brings unmatched experience and expertise as the industry’s leading 2D shuttle provider. In the recent years, Movu successfully installed a huge number of shuttles in over 100 projects from all industries in Europe and North America. By adding an integrated Lift, the Movu atlas system transitions into a dynamic 3D storage environment and scales vertically ensuring compact scalability. As a result, throughput is boosted and valuable floor space is saved with high-speed lifts up to 2.5 m/s achieving faster replenishment cycle times and order fulfilment.

At LogiMAT 2025, Movu showcases, how the Movu atlas system with integrated Lift can be further expanded by the integration of a Picking Tunnel. The highly efficient and space-optimized pathway will be integrated into the ground level of a Movu atlas ASRS to facilitate streamlined order picking. Designed specifically for high-density pallet storage and retrieval, the tunnel enables seamless interaction between automated shuttles, vertical lifts and manual or robotic picking processes with autonomous mobile robots, such as Movu ifollow. The intelligent and versatile AMR operates autonomously, navigating without the need for any external infrastructure. Advanced sensors and mapping technologies allow the robot to adapt seamlessly to its environment. Equipped with cutting-edge obstacle detection and navigation systems and available in several models, supporting loads from 300 kg to 1.2 tons, ifollow can be tailored to meet specific operational requirement and operating in temperatures from -25°C to +40°C.

At the show, Movu also presents Movu escala, an all-in-one, rack-and-robot storage and retrieval system to handle totes. It maximises warehouse resilience by leveraging modular applications for unparalleled adaptability. Automatically moving up, down and within storage locations, each shuttle reaches up to five units deep. No need for space-consuming conveyors, lifts or aisles; this high-speed, high-density system is one of the world’s most flexible 3D ASRS for bins. Integrating seamlessly with Movu escala for future proof automated order preparation at the picking workstation, a new version of Movu eligo picking robot is a state-of-the-art robotic solution designed for high-speed and highly efficient item picking operations. It can pick up to 1200 items per hour, reduce the number of manual ‘touches’ required for order fulfilment or replenishment and can reach a pick success rate greater than 99%. Equipped with advanced vision systems, AI-based algorithms and versatile handling tools, eligo is tailored for modern warehouses that demand precision, speed and adaptability in dynamic environments.

In Stuttgart, Movu will also feature Movu Overfill Detection, an intelligent, camera-based vision system designed to ensure the seamless operation of automated storage systems for bins like Movu escala. This innovative solution identifies items and bins that exceed storage boundaries, preventing overfilled bins from entering the system and ensuring safe, uninterrupted operations.

Live-demonstration of future-ready warehouses

Stefan Pieters, CTO at Movu Robotics, commented: “At LogiMAT 2025, we will showcase our vision of Compact Scalability in warehouse operations. We are excited to demonstrate how accessible automation and integrated solutions deliver significant scalability advantages, enabling businesses to respond swiftly to market demands and optimize costs through incremental system growth. With stow supplying dedicated racking for Movu’s atlas and escala, our booth will unite Peak Performance Racking with intelligent automation. Visitors will experience firsthand how customers benefit from a seamless, single point of communication provided by a ‘one-stop shop’ approach, designed to achieve high-performance warehousing.”

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Avoiding Christmas Peak Overload with Robotics

Posted on by David Priestman

Robotic solutions for automated storage and retrieval, as well as order picking, provide the secret to successfully hitting seasonal peaks – and can give a competitive edge at this crucial time of trading, writes Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics.

Imagine having the technology that gives you the ability to meet Christmas peaks successfully. Flexible robotic automated warehousing solutions are fulfilling many Christmas wishes by helping retailers and logistics operations overcome the challenges of peak trading season, in addition to gaining a competitive edge.

Over recent years, the seasonal peak in demand for many sectors has stretched into what has become known as the ‘Golden Quarter’, which runs through a series of festivals including the seemingly ever-growing event of Halloween, the post-Thanksgiving shopping extravaganza that is Black Friday and on into Christmas.

This peak season may well be spreading even further. Research by McKinsey found that US consumers’ holiday shopping is starting earlier and lasting longer this year, with most starting in October or earlier and 40% intending to start in November, compared with 35 percent in 2022.

Forrester is forecasting that total end of year holiday retail sales in the US will reach $969 billion, reflecting a 4.3% year on year (YoY) increase. Retailers are at the sharp end of the Golden Quarter when they generally make most of their sales. For many, it generates more revenue than the first three quarters of the year combined. The volume of goods to process to meet this demand can suddenly increase on average, depending on sector, by around 40%.

Christmas itself is the summit of the peak period. According to Statista, among the three leading European countries, the total value of Christmas spending in 2023 – both online and instore – is forecast to be the highest in the United Kingdom (UK) with almost £85 billion followed by Germany at nearly £74 bn and France at £62.83 bn.

This boom in trading has the potential to overload supporting logistics operations lacking in preparedness, creating a balancing act between driving sales and maintaining profitability. A recent survey led by Deposco of 200 supply chain leaders working for European retailers, manufacturers, wholesalers or 3PL/4PL firms found that 41% of European supply chain executives expect this year’s peak retail season to be more challenging than that of 2022, with only 18% believing it will be less difficult.

Adding to this is the requirement to handle an ever more complex assortment of goods to fulfil ever growing numbers of ever smaller orders. Customer expectations on lead times are shrinking from days to just hours, placing pressure on businesses to stock, pick, pack and ship from smaller, local facilities, and efficiency in handling returns is gaining far greater prominence as retailers battle to protect margins.

With profit margins under intense pressure and given the crucial role warehouse operations play in ensuring that customers are not let down, retailers are looking for flexible and cost effective intralogistics solutions that can help to improve their bottom line and achieve their priorities – including continuity of customer service levels. Competition is so intense that there are no second chances for a late or erroneous shipment and brand value can be swiftly eroded through poor delivery experiences.

So, it’s all hands to the pumps – except there aren’t enough available hands. Staff are generally not plentiful on potentially expensive agency books. Many among a company’s existing staff will have booked holidays, there may be an increase in sick days over the festive period, or staff may simply not be keen to work unscheduled overtime.

How to cope

Forward planning and flexible intralogistics are essential to meet demand and cope with an unexpected influx. To support the need for flexible intralogistics processes it makes sense to have in place easily adaptable, robust and reliable equipment that not only performs everyday functions, but can also be scaled up whenever necessary to meet peak demand.

A growing number of companies are adopting robotic solutions in their logistics processes. They provide far greater flexibility than conventional automated handling systems, and can seriously boost productivity, throughput and operational accuracy, even in ‘steady state’ operations. Pallet and bin shuttle systems for automated storage and retrieval are a prime example. With modular design, acting as a set of building blocks to minimise complexity and cost of upgrading, these systems are highly scalable –installations can start small and then expand or, if needed, they can downsize just as easily.

Shuttle systems provide a high density, multi-pallet position automated storage and retrieval system that maximises storage capacity while also removing manual handling, helping to reduce both personnel risk and picking errors. Self-powered robot carriers transport pallets on the rails within the storage lanes of the racking where the pallets are housed, and on the rails of the main lane that runs across the storage lanes it serves. Software manages the shuttle traffic within the system, issuing orders from a Warehouse Management System (WMS).

Using picking robots at the workstations of bin shuttle storage systems add to this flexibility. So will using Autonomous Mobile Robot (AMR) systems for pallets and additional load carriers to provide flexible transport to and from the shuttle systems, as well as used as ‘cobots’ to support order picking operations.

The benefit in terms of handling peaks is the ability to add individual robots – either shuttles, AMRs or picking arms, as demand requires. Much easier than complex reconfiguration of conventional, stacker crane-based automated systems. In addition, with shuttle systems, robots can be moved between the levels of a system to optimise throughput.

With these kind of robotics systems, the joy for companies coping with seasonal peaks is that you don’t have to use, and incur the expense of, the whole capacity. At low volume times, just use a few robots – at the peak, introduce the whole fleet.

Bringing automation to all warehouses

Robotics in the form of shuttle systems and AMRs, such as those offered by Movu Robotics, bring easier automation solutions to all warehouses. In particular, they provide opportunities for SMEs, with as few as 5000 pallet locations, to steal a march on larger retail organisations that may have committed to less than flexible, fixed automated systems. With the combination of intelligent software and advanced robot technology, SMEs can leverage the flexibility, speed and performance of this kind of goods-to-person automation as a low-CapEx project. This ensures that when it comes to opportunities for automation, no warehouse is left behind.

Simple, standardised plug and play solutions for warehouse automation and robotics are more accessible and more scalable. They also create an impressive business case for companies. Even operating ‘off-peak’ at well below capacity there is a rapid Return On Investment with labour redeployed to other tasks, such as picking. But it is at peak times when these systems really come into their own, ramping up throughput without any corresponding increase in labour, and minimising the burden on dispatch and delivery operations. Movu recently installed an atlas 2D robotic shuttle system for a company serving the Chocolate industry, for which Christmas is a significant peak alongside Easter. The flexibility that the shuttle system provides not only helps it to manage these peaks but also facilitates future growth.

By choosing Intelligently designed and flexibly integrated robotic automated warehouse solutions, retailers, manufacturers and logistics operations can meet their fulfilment promises, even during peaks, while saving money. And, importantly, automation isn’t ‘just for Christmas’. It can be scaled and flexed to give benefits throughout the year, in both peak and slack seasons, bringing a multitude of savings. This kind of wise deployment of automation enables a business to not just simply survive, but to thrive.

No Warehouse Left Behind

Posted on by David Priestman

Re-brands are sensitive and critical operations and the warehouse automation sector is no exception. David Priestman attended the launch of Movu Robotics in Belgium, late September.
“Automate, in a easy way, the distribution centres of our customers. Democratise automation.” This is the mission statement espoused by Jos de Vuyst, CEO of stow Group, at the launch of Movu Robotics, formerly known as stow Robotics. With a large existing client base for its racking, storage, silo and rack clad products stow Group is well-positioned to sell and integrate robotics and automation technology. It can scale-up fast.

The company wants to help these facilities transition to automated operations, thereby not leaving any warehouse behind in the darkening warehouses of the future. “Plug and play, dense, low-energy usage systems with fast deployment,” is the offering, according to de Vuyst. Automation provides a productivity boost and is scalable, with no need for new warehouse infrastructure.

The rationale for a new brand name – Movu – is because the ‘stow’ name is perhaps too associated with rack and storage – traditional materials handling. Disconnecting from this and switching to a ‘catchy’ new brand fits the mission statement. Employing more than 300 employees by the end of this year across Europe and the US, Movu Robotics expects order intake of more than €300 million in 2023.

The Movu Robotics portfolio comprises automated storage, picking and transport for pallets, bins and items, offering an easy buying journey, competitive pricing, cost savings, quick delivery, high density storage and space optimisation. The portfolio allows end customers and integrators globally to benefit from a seamless and user-friendly warehouse automation ecosystem.

The portfolio includes:
• ‘Movu atlas’ – Pallet shuttle for multiple deep storage
• ‘Movu ifollow’ – slimline AMR for collaborative picking or transport of pallets, made near Paris. A unique selling point of ifollow is that it works in deep freeze areas of a warehouse.
• ‘Movu escala’ – Robotised 3D storage and fulfilment system without lifts
• ‘Movu eligo’ – Integrated picking robot arm
All Movu systems are controlled and managed via their own warehouse execution software (WES).

The impressive, iconic headquarters in Lokeren, situated between Antwerp and Ghent, combines modern offices with manufacturing operations for atlas and escala robots (500 per week) under a single roof. There is also an experience centre – one of the biggest in Europe – where the latest technologies are showcased live to customers and partners. One factor in choosing its location is the desire to partner with local Universities to recruit young engineers.

I asked de Vuyst to describe the journey taken by stow Group leading to the launch of Movu Robotics:
“Since 1987 stow Group has grown rapidly into a €1 billion global company that today ranks among the top two racking manufacturers in the world. Originally a family-owned company, then owned by Kardex for a decade, a management buyout in 2013 was backed by private equity funding. The racking business of stow stands out in the sector by having a production footprint spanning Europe with 10 racking factories and a network of 20 sales companies giving direct access to, and close contact with, the customer. Our racking solutions are customised around standard products, enabling us to have highly automated factories. This results in stow being a cost leader as well as fast growing and very profitable.

“stow Robotics was born the day we started writing Warehouse Control Software (WCS). We are now developing our own WES suite and control software on the machines, which we build ourselves. We will not develop our own WMS as it is too complex. We are evolving into a supplier that can provide an automated pallet warehouse, from a small scale operation up to large projects. The investment climate is softening a bit, big investment decisions are taking a bit longer, due to high interest rates.”

Will we see ‘Dark Warehouses’ (without workers)?

“I’m a big fan in principle. The ideal is racks and robotics, but you must go high. Labour is disruptive, people often hate working in warehouses. Forklift usage is falling, as will conveyor coverage and manual picking. We have the products to achieve a dark warehouse via four or five main technologies.”

How is Movu Robotics positioned in the market?

“We expect double-digit growth. The global material handling equipment market size is forecasted to reach $350 billion by 2030, driven by AS/RS systems and robotics. By our Movu Robotics positioning and portfolio we are very confident of becoming an essential player in this market. Movu Robotics will follow the same development path as stow Racking, so we will build a network of sales companies in the main territories allowing us both channels to the market: direct and through integrators – not just to new customers, like competitors do.

“Where many companies are built around one automation product, we have an integrated ecosystem of scalable, automated warehouse solutions for pallets and bins. That’s quite rare, and the portfolio will continue to grow. We will take a deep dive into some vertical markets and develop specific automation products for particular sectors. One trend is third party logistics operators beginning to automate. We’re strong in cold stores, pharmaceuticals and food logistics.

“We want to offer the possibility of automation to SMEs that have a few thousand pallet locations. While bigger projects are generally more complex, a straight forward pallet project of, for example, 80,000 pallet locations requiring 60 shuttles has a low complexity and fits our profile. If, however, that same warehouse had sorters, a mix of complex software and machines we don’t have in our portfolio, then we’d defer to a systems integrator.” Movu does not offer robots-as-a-service as the company offers a broad range or solution.

Supermarket of Materials Handling

How do the business units in stow Group benefit from each other?

“stow Racking and Movu Robotics together are a unique one-stop-shop with proven interfaces that combines best of racking and robotics. Sales is another of the most important synergies between stow Racking and Movu Robotics, with many leads for automation coming via the racking side, which has 10,000 customers across Europe and US. Many of these customers take the decision at some point to automate their operations. stow Racking has more than 200 sales people globally, which also bring leads for robotics and automation products.

“Movu Robotics benefits from having the strength of stow Group behind it, with all of its management experience and expertise. Another important factor is the backing of Blackstone, a private equity company with a vast experience in logistic real estate, who are very supportive. Also, stow Racking activity successfully generates cash, fuelling growth in Movu Robotics without the need for continual equity rounds.”

How does the company’s culture drive development?

“While stow Group has become a large organisation, with a well organised corporate structure, it still has the dynamics of an SME company. We have direct contact with our people through a relatively flat management structure, which gives an agility and dynamism that is popular with our customers. This allows us to attract talent to support our know-how in engineering, software and other departments. Joining Movu Robotics is more akin to working in a start-up than a corporate environment. While enjoying an agile environment, staff also gain the support of being in a solid company.”

Where do you see the stow Group and Movu Robotics in five years?

“stow Group will continue to grow the racking business, we will definitely not lose interest in the racking business. Racking is an essential and profitable part of the Group, so it is important that it continues to grow. Having established stow as a racking market leader in Europe, with approx. 30% market share, we started to build the US business over the past 18 months, where there is huge potential. We have created a sales office in Chicago and have just taken the decision to build our first racking plant in the US – the location is not yet fixed. With strong sales in this market, it no longer makes practical sense to ship containers of racking across the Atlantic. We’re not excluding the Asian market later on in the future, just not now.

“Of course, we will continue to grow Movu Robotics. While entering the market with systems that are easier, standardised, scalable, and flexible, in the next five years we will be tackling more complicated projects. I think in five years’ time, Movu Robotics’ activity will be equivalent to, or even exceed, that of stow Racking, creating two very strong legs for the stow Group.”

What about further acquisitions and new products?

“Coming from a manufacturing background, doing things ourselves is in our DNA. We will develop our own technologies as much as possible, only seeking partnerships when we don’t have the time to develop them ourselves. For example, it makes no sense to start developing vision technology on our own. In such cases we will partner with an appropriate supplier or licence it in. AMRs with forks or for bins and gripping technology are interesting. The sales side is different because we want to grow as fast as possible and whilst we are developing our own sales network are open to work together if we find a good partners for specific regions.”

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.

Can Mobile Robots Solve Skills Shortage?

Posted on by David Priestman

With the labour pool for warehousing running dry, it is time growing warehouse operations look to mobile robots to share the work, explains Frazer Watson, VP-Sales UK/Ireland at iFollow.

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) offer one of the more cost effective and flexible automation solutions to enable logistics operations to optimise their labour force. This is particularly the case when it comes to the intensive process of accurate order picking and the energy sapping and time consuming necessity of moving goods around a warehouse.

Finding ways to optimise labour has never been more relevant as a list of ingredients is being stirred into a skills shortage stew, which is threatening to take a considerable toll on UK organisations. In addition to sustained low levels of unemployment, the UK labour force remains smaller than it was prior to the Covid pandemic, according to research company Fitch Ratings. In its special report called: ‘Shortfall in UK Labour Supply to Persist’ it detects a ‘curious movement in the UK work demographic’, with a significant proportion of over 50s having left the workforce, and estimates that had the UK’s labour force continued to grow at its 2015-2019 trend rate, it would be around 2.5% bigger than it is today. The Recruitment & Employment Confederation estimates that if labour shortages are not addressed, the UK economy will be £39 billion worse off each year from 2024.

While the UK is not unique in experiencing shortages of workers, numerous commentators in the logistics sector point to changes following Brexit that have reduced the available pool of EU-based workers. This is perhaps a more salient issue for UK warehousing, which is among the sectors hardest hit by the labour shortage as it continues to expand on the back of developments such as supporting continued growth of ecommerce operations. Adding weight to this claim is a survey published last summer by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). It revealed that 86% of companies across its membership had experienced warehouse operative staff shortages in the prior two years.

Furthermore, the shortage is combining with persistent inflation to drive upward wage growth. Such a situation can potentially influence broader logistics decisions, such as prioritising labour availability over other strategic business decisions when it comes to locating warehouse operations. Locations that have traditionally attracted distribution sheds have created strong competition among employers for a dwindling pool of labour.

Improving productivity in warehousing through the route of increasing wages is unlikely to be sustainable for many, while investing in training has always been a less than a popular notion in UK business. Faced with the likelihood of long-term staff shortages, many UK warehouse and distribution centre operations are already turning to technology as an aid.

Technology is transforming warehouse work

As entire supply chains become ever more connected, technology enables retailers and their logistics providers to deliver improved service to consumers. Established technologies already include Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), data capture, voice recognition, RFID, pick by light, and all kinds of automated solutions for storage, retrieval, transport and packaging. The advent of mobile robots has moved this on a further step.

Rarely does technology replace people completely, in most instances it complements existing staff, creating collaborative working. This is certainly true of mobile robots, which can take on the more onerous, laborious and time consuming, yet simple tasks such as transporting goods around a warehouse. This leaves their human colleagues to be deployed where they are more productive, such as at the pick face, and creates a vastly more efficient way of working where more can be done with fewer people. Consequently this reduces the pressure on finding staff.

This pressure is particularly heated during peaks, when it’s not just a question a finding people in numbers sufficient to cope with increased orders, but staff that can hit the ground running to maintain service levels. Mobile robots carry on their tasks irrespective of conditions and hours. When businesses scale up or hit peak trading, extra robots can be easily added. This also allows a stepped approach to automated warehouse functions, beginning with one unit and building up a fleet as required, or units can be switched with different capacity models. And because AMRs do not require fixed infrastructure, their routes and duties are extremely flexible, with the programming of tasks via an intuitive fleet management interface.

Optimising labour with mobile robots

Premium mobile robots will have virtues that will allow labour to be optimised even further. An iFollow AMR, for example, can transport two roll cages at once, to a total load of 1,500 kg. This means a picker can work with multiple AMRs simultaneously, so potentially, on a single pick walk an operator supported by two AMRs could be assembling the orders for four different stores or customers. Through this kind of collaboration with the worker, which iFollow calls ‘Duo Picking’, the robot not only frees up a role but it will also reduce time required to carry out a pick. This can bring up to 50% improvement in pick rates by comparison with purely manual methods.

Far from replacing people completely, actively working with technology in ways like this will also increase the appeal of warehouse jobs to tech-savvy young people – a demographic that has the sector has found hard to attract and retain. Unfortunately, warehouse work has acquired a reputation for being hard on employees, low paid and has never ranked among the most desired of occupations. However, unlike many other sectors competing for the same limited labour resource, the work is full time and offers great career path opportunities. Indeed, many of today’s Logistics Managers started out on the warehouse floor. Working with mobile robots adds an attractive and interesting element into the job.

So mobile robots not only offer a collaborative solution that means fewer staff are required, particularly during peaks, but they also add a high tech element to warehouse work that makes the sector more attractive to the kind of recruits an increasingly technology-driven industry desperately needs. Becoming less reliant on labour certainly offers a practical proposition and joins other long-term gains from investing in reliable mobile robots. Their predictable costs, productivity boosting capabilities and flexibility in deployment to handle changes in business are a great way for warehouse operations to reduce their reliance on the availability of people.

Robots Revolutionize Cold Chain Logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

The global cold chain logistics and storage market continues to grow, now valued at $138.97 billion, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.2% from 2023 to 2030. Therefore, the cold chain turns to automation to meet internal productivity needs and customer expectations and that’s where mobile robots play an essential role.

“Autonomous Mobile Robots will contribute significantly to efficient and productive use of increasingly vital cold storage. This kind of automated solution is not a question of luxury but one of need ” explains Vincent Jacquemart , CEO of iFollow.

‘Efficiency’ here has several connotations. There is the efficient use of the available space. Many cold stores are quite small – often ‘cold rooms’ within larger buildings. But demand for cold space, from private companies’ own facilities to ‘public’ stores operated by a 3PL for multiple customers, is increasing. In the food chain in particular, companies from processors to distributors and retailers are looking for larger facilities – the Cold Chain Federation (CCF) has identified 678 units of over 50,000 square feet, and there are many that are much larger still. But cold stores are expensive to build and equip, and although the CCF recently estimated that some 16.7 million square feet of new space is under construction or being fitted out, that may not meet increased demand, especially as so much of the existing stock (34%) is over 25 years old and some of this is converted, not always very effectively, from other uses.

Cold stores must also be efficient in operation, which is key at a time of gas and electricity bills rising remorselessly. Although a well-built, equipped and run cold store uses a lot less energy than is commonly supposed, there is still an imperative to improve storage density and operations to minimize the heat coming in through open doors. And contrary to popular opinion, cold chain warehousing is not usually about minimally manned, long-term, bulk storage. Many cold chains move goods in and out of stores rapidly and involve all the break-bulk, order-picking, stock rotation and other operations familiar to ambient warehousing. That has to be performed just as efficiently and productively but in much more arduous conditions.

This means that labour, too, has to be deployed efficiently. In November, the Cold Chain Federation noted “10 percent to 20 percent shortage rates” among its members. The pool of workers prepared to perform arduous, even hazardous, tasks in cold conditions is decreasing. In addition, there is an increasing realization of the need to limit the length of time that workers spend in the cold before taking a break in warmer areas, and of the long-term impacts of heavy manual tasks in cold conditions.

Given all this, the cold store would seem an obvious arena for the introduction of automation. But this is not without its problems. There are technical issues – operation at low, and especially sub-zero, temperatures, can embrittle and otherwise degrade materials including metals, plastics and rubber tires. Electric and electronic components can be affected by ice and condensation. Batteries, in particular, have degraded performance and shorter lives at low temperatures. Fixed mechanization, such as conveyors, takes up refrigerated space that isn’t being used to store the goods. There are safety and operational issues too – it isn’t easy to perform complex control operations or to ensure that people are adequately protected from machinery when workers are wearing heavy and cumbersome protective clothing and both their physical and mental agility may be compromised by the low temperatures alongside the hazards of condensation and ice.

Not all AMRs can work in cold storage. iFollow, however, has a range of robots for cold chain logistics that transport from 300 kg to 1500 kg payload down to -25°C and is specific to the cold store environment. This is due to its approach to safeguarding electronics and batteries. The temperature of key electronic components is regulated by an iFollow-developed servo system which eliminates condensation (and therefore, icing,) at temperatures as low as -25° – a particular issue when moving regularly between cold and temperate spaces. This also means that battery life is not degraded. Depending on the size of AMR, between 12 and 18 hours of autonomous operation are available from a 2-hour charge time. Fewer battery charges or changes obviously improve productivity, but also reduce the space needed for recharging.

Using AMRs rather than ride-on vehicles eliminates the known hazards of the latter – present in any warehouse operation but exacerbated in cold and slippery conditions. Specialized cold-store standard trucks are also not cheap.

Operator control is also suited to cold store conditions. It is not reasonable to expect workers to input complex instructions while wearing heavy gloves or to require them to take their gloves off for extended periods. The Mycelium WCS software from iFollow, which is compatible with all available WMS/ERP systems, can be used through any computer or tablet with most instructions available through just one or two clicks.

AMRs do not require the segregated space of conveyor-based systems and they can turn in their own footprint, unlike most AGVs which require a defined bend to corner. This maximizes storage space, or to put it another way, minimizes the volume of fresh air being refrigerated. Also unlike AGVs, AMRs do not require semi-permanent predefined pathways, thus allowing more flexible use of warehouse space. They also do not require especially smooth and even floors – an issue with some older or converted cold stores – indeed, the implementation doesn’t usually require any expensive infrastructure at all.

An ability for an AMR to carry two roll cages at once, to a maximum load of 1,500kg offers an advantage, particularly in the cold store environment because it reduces the number of times doors have to be opened and closed. That not only reduces energy loss and minimizes the potential for condensation, but reduces the hazard from the, typically, fast-acting cold store doors.

The AMRs are designed with safe, collaborative use in mind. Lidar navigation prevents the vehicle from colliding with permanent fixtures, with goods left blocking aisles, or of course with the attendant workforce (who, clad in thermal headgear, may not always be aware of the traffic around them). The typical maximum speed is 1.7m/s – a brisk walking pace – with linear and angular speeds and accelerations closely controlled.

In typical order-picking use, one operator might work with two AMRs within a defined pick zone, selecting items to roll cages or destinations. The operator can receive pick-list instructions by voice terminal, RF terminal or tablet, and of course, the AMRs are simultaneously receiving their complementary movement instructions. Picking this way can yield 50% better productivity than the conventional manual approach while optimizing the picker’s movements. AMRs can equally be used for the variety of shuttle movements required in the store, moving goods between locations. Through an intuitive fleet management interface, the scenario can be simply generated, and the robotic system works out the movements required.

AMRs, then, can improve the efficient use of cold store space both by increasing productivity and minimizing ‘wasted’ space. The latter, along with reduced door openings, helps with energy efficiency, as does the non-degrading battery performance. The efficiency of scarce and increasingly expensive labor is maximized, and perhaps most importantly, the safety and welfare of both goods and staff are addressed. There is a clear logic in letting AMRs carry the load in cold stores.

Cold Robots for Cold Chain Logistics

Posted on by David Priestman

Autonomous Mobile Robots will contribute significantly to efficient and productive use of increasingly vital cold storage. This kind of automated solution is not a question of luxury but one of need, explains Frazer Watson, VP-Sales UK/Ireland at iFollow.

There are a number of factors that have tended to limit the effective deployment of automation in cold stores. But with design features addressing many of these issues, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) offer a way forward in applying automation to improve cold store efficiency and productivity.

This has become critically important given how issues such as Brexit, the pandemic, war in Ukraine and the weather have each highlighted the role chilled and frozen warehousing has in creating resilience in our food supply chains; not forgetting of course how Covid revealed the centrality of low temperature storage in medicine and pharmacology. Research and development and many advanced industrial processes also depend on the ability to maintain goods and materials at low temperatures.

Efficiency in everyway

‘Efficiency’ here has several connotations. There is the efficient use of the available space. Many cold stores are quite small – often ‘cold rooms’ within larger buildings. But demand for cold space, from private companies’ own facilities to ‘public’ stores operated by a 3PL for multiple customers, is increasing. In the food chain in particular, companies from processors to distributors and retailers are looking for larger facilities – the Cold Chain Federation (CCF) has identified 678 units of over 50,000 square feet, and there are many that are much larger still. But cold stores are expensive to build and equip, and although the CCF recently estimated that some 16.7 million square feet of new space is under construction or being fitted out, that may not meet increased demand, especially as so much of the existing stock (34%) is over 25 years old and some of this is converted, not always very effectively, from other uses.

Cold stores must also be efficient in operation, which is key at a time of gas and electricity bills rising remorselessly. Although a well-built, equipped and run cold store uses a lot less energy than is commonly supposed, there is still an imperative to improve storage density and operations to minimise the heat coming in through open doors. And contrary to popular opinion, cold chain warehousing is not usually about minimally manned, long term, bulk storage. Many cold chains move goods in and out of store rapidly, and involve all the break-bulk, order-picking, stock rotation and other operations familiar from ambient warehousing. That has to be performed just as efficiently and productively, but in much more arduous conditions.

This means that labour, too, has to be deployed efficiently. Logistics UK last October claimed that “13 percent of traders are reporting severe warehouse staff shortages”; in November, the Cold Chain Federation noted “10 percent to 20 percent shortage rates” among its members. The pool of workers prepared to perform arduous, even hazardous, tasks in cold conditions is decreasing. In addition, there is an increasing realisation of the need to limit the length of time that workers spend in the cold before taking a break in warmer areas, and of the long-term impacts of heavy manual tasks in cold conditions.

Overcoming technical issues

Given all this, the cold store would seem an obvious arena for the introduction of automation. But this is not without its problems. There are technical issues – operation at low, and especially sub-zero, temperatures, can embrittle and otherwise degrade materials including metals, plastics, rubber tyres. Electric and electronic components can be affected by ice and condensation. Batteries, in particular, have degraded performance and shorter lives at low temperature. Fixed mechanisation, such as conveyors, takes up refrigerated space that isn’t being used to store the goods. There are safety and operational issues too – it isn’t easy to perform complex control operations, or to ensure that people are adequately protected from machinery, when workers are wearing heavy and cumbersome protective clothing and both their physical and mental agility may be compromised by the low temperatures alongside the hazards of condensation and ice.

Not all AMRs can work in cold storage. iFollow, however, has a range of robots for cold chain logistics that transport from 300 kg to 1500 kg payload down to -25°C and is specific to the cold store environment. This is due to its approach to safeguarding electronics and batteries. Temperature of key electronic components are regulated by an iFollow-developed servo system which eliminates condensation (and therefore, icing,) at temperatures as low as -25° – a particular issue when moving regularly between cold and temperate spaces. This also means that battery life is not degraded. Depending on the size of AMR, between 12 and 18 hours of autonomous operation are available from a 2-hour charge time. Fewer battery charges or changes obviously improve productivity, but also reduce the space needed for recharging.

Using AMRs rather than ride-on vehicles eliminates the known hazards of the latter – present in any warehouse operation but exacerbated in cold and slippery conditions. Specialised cold-store standard trucks are also not cheap.

Operator control is also suited to cold store conditions. It is not reasonable to expect workers to input complex instructions while wearing heavy gloves or to require them to take their gloves off for extended periods. The Mycelium WCS web app from iFollow, which is compatible with all available WMS/ERP systems, can be used through any computer or smartphone with most instructions available through just one or two clicks.

AMRs do not require the segregated space of conveyor-based systems and they can turn in their own footprint, unlike most AGVs which require a defined bend to corner. This maximises storage space, or to put it another way, minimises the volume of fresh air being refrigerated. Also unlike AGVs, AMRs do not require semi-permanent predefined pathways, thus allowing a more flexible use of warehouse space. They also do not require especially smooth and even floors – an issue with some older or converted cold stores – indeed, implementation doesn’t usually require any expensive infrastructure at all.

An ability for an AMR to carry two roll cages at once, to a maximum load of 1,500kg offers an advantage, particularly in the cold store environment because it reduces the number of times doors have to be opened and closed. That not only reduces energy loss and minimises the potential for condensation, but reduces the hazard from the, typically, fast acting cold store doors.

Collaborative order picking

The AMRs are designed with safe, collaborative use in mind. Lidar navigation prevents the vehicle from colliding with permanent fixtures, with goods left blocking aisles, or of course with the attendant workforce (who, clad in thermal headgear, may not always be aware of the traffic around them). Typical maximum speed is 1.7m/s – a brisk walking pace – with linear and angular speeds and accelerations closely controlled.

In typical order-picking use, one operator might work with two AMRs within a defined pick zone, selecting items to roll cages or destinations. The operator can receive pick-list instructions by voice terminal, RF terminal or tablet, and of course the AMRs are simultaneously receiving their complementary movement instructions. Picking this way can yield 90% better productivity than the conventional manual approach, while optimising the picker’s movements. AMRs can equally be used for the variety of shuttle movements required in the store, moving goods between locations. Trough an intuitive fleet management interface, the scenario can be simply generated, and the robotic system works out the movements required.

AMRs, then, can improve the efficient use of cold store space both by increasing productivity and minimising ‘wasted’ space. The latter, along with reduced door openings, helps with energy efficiency, as does the non-degrading battery performance. The efficiency of scarce and increasingly expensive labour is maximised, and perhaps most importantly, the safety and welfare of both goods and staff is addressed. There is a clear logic in letting AMRs carry the load in cold stores.

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