THG Fulfil, fulfilment and courier management solution, has announced a partnership with intelligent robotics provider, Libiao. The collaboration will see the installation of 430 state-of-the-art T-sorting robots into THG Fulfil’s automated Manchester warehouse facility, a move projected to increase operational capacity by approximately 75%.
The T-sorting robots are set to be operational in September 2025, providing THG Fulfil with the capacity to output c1 million units per day – a move that will strengthen THG Fulfil’s ability to manage peak demand as it onboards new brands and retailers ahead of the holiday season.
THG Fulfil provides solutions by seamlessly integrating automation, AI-driven technology and proprietary software, delivering customer satisfaction. The strategic implementation of Libiao’s innovative robots is testament to THG Fulfil’s commitment to leveraging advanced automation to enhance speed and improve efficiency across its ecommerce operations. The modular and flexible design of the T-sorting system allows for dynamic scalability, enabling THG Fulfil to rapidly adapt to fluctuating consumer demand, regardless of seasonality.
Libiao’s T-sorting robots are renowned for their high stability and fault tolerance capabilities, boasting a remarkable sorting accuracy of up to 99.9%. The system is engineered to sort for multiple destinations simultaneously, with electroplating robots operating on optimal paths to maximise sorting efficiency. The technology also offers significant space-saving advantages due to its low footprint requirements and versatile deployment options across warehouse levels.
Furthermore, THG Fulfil is Libiao’s UK distribution partner, enabling brands and retailers to access Libiao’s cutting-edge robotics solutions and benefiting from THG Fulfil’s proprietary technology, optimisation and know-how. Brands and retailers will also benefit from rapid deployment capabilities, with installation of Libiao’s robotics solutions possible in as little as three weeks. This short project cycle contributes to fast and high return on investment, resulting in a typical return period of less than three years.
Tom Killeen, COO, THG Ingenuity, said: “We have always believed that fulfilment is a core driver of customer excellence and brand reputation. Our collaboration with Libiao further solidifies our commitment to providing brands and retailers with industry-leading, scalable automation solutions that optimise everything from pick and pack to final mile delivery, ultimately enhancing customer experience and driving loyalty. Our unique approach, which often sees 95% of all units sold moving through some form of automation, combined with our late NDD cut-off times of up to 1am, is truly what sets us apart. We are committed to investing in the future of logistics, while empowering our clients to meet and exceed evolving consumer expectations with unparalleled efficiency.
Jason Zhang, VP of Sales – Europe, Libiao, said: “We’re excited to partner with THG Fulfil, showcasing the elegance and scalability of Libiao Robotics’ solutions. Our compact, modular robots enable rapid plug-and-play deployment. With THG Fulfil as our UK distribution partner — leveraging their vast retail network and warehouse automation expertise — we look forward to expanding Libiao’s reach across new industries. At Libiao, our mission is to make the world more efficient, and this collaboration is a meaningful step toward that goal.”
The expression ‘Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’, often attributed to Irish playwright Oscar Wilde, is applicable to the industrial landscape today as designers from Libiao Robotics, a pioneer in the invention of its award-winning AirRob automated warehouse storage system, walked through the exhibition halls at the recent CeMAT Asia event in Shanghai. For there on display were numerous imitations of AirRob, some being promoted by blue chip intralogistics manufacturers, and others by less well-known producers.
Speaking after collecting the 2024 Wu Qing Yi Logistics Innovation Award for Libiao’s AirRob system at the 12th Global Intelligent Logistics Industry Development Conference, Ms. Xia Huiling, CEO of Zhejiang Libiao Robotics Co., Ltd., addressed this proliferation of AirRob-like systems recently introduced by industry competitors, saying: “We have seen many excellent companies launch similar products based on the design concept of the AirRob system. It is my view that imitation promotes technological innovation, but plagiarism hinders innovation. I would like to talk about my views from three aspects:
“First of all, from a product perspective, I think this phenomenon shows that the concept and value of the AirRob solution have been recognised by the industry, which shows that we are heading in the right direction to change the world. Thank you for your affirmation of Libiao! Secondly, from an individual perspective, AirRob is a product that the Libiao innovation team has spent a lot of time and effort to bring to the market. Imitation behaviour does bring some emotional experiences to the Libiao innovation team at certain moments, but our focus and goal is always on how to provide customers with better solutions, how to protect customers’ time and safety through technological innovation. It is our quest to enable the logistics industry become more efficient and smarter. Finally, Libiao hopes that everyone will pay attention to our passion for innovation and belief in innovation through our systems. If AirRob can inspire the innovative spirit of more imitators and ignite the fire of innovation, Libiao is willing to be one of the few sparks.”
Innovation Advantage Through Strong Competition
When asked how Libiao manages to maintain its innovation advantage in face of fierce competition from within the industry, Ms. Xia cited four distinct points: “First, we understand that imitation is an inevitable phenomenon in the development of the industry. Just like when our ‘mini yellows’ (Libiao’s highly acclaimed AMRs) first appeared, they also encountered many imitators and the pressure was really great at that time. But at the same time, we are also very grateful to those strong competitors. As the saying goes: ‘To succeed, you need friends, and to achieve great success, you need strong competitors.’ It is these competitors that have driven our growth.
“Second, each of Libiao’s product designs is based on a deep understanding of the industry, aiming to solve pain points, provide value to customers, and solve problems fundamentally. Therefore, Libiao attaches great importance to intellectual property protection and has deployed a comprehensive patent strategy around the world, especially in developed countries, where strict legal systems can be used to safeguard its rights and interests. It is precisely because of its insistence on originality that Libiao is respected in the industry, and many industry leaders are willing to discuss the future with us, to share technology and dynamics, which allows us to ‘stand on the shoulders of giants’.
Xia Huiling
“Third, I think innovation can be divided into original creation and re-creation. Original creation requires special genes and the spirit of ‘making the world better’. Libiao has always insisted on original creation since its establishment; my definition of re-creation is to repeat innovation on the basis of original creation. Imitators belong to re-creation, and the goals of re-creators are relatively consistent, namely economic benefits. However, the values of original creation and re-creation are different, and their contributions to the world are also different. Libiao’s ultimate goal is to ‘make the world more efficient’.
“Finally, despite the tremendous changes in the logistics industry, there are still many pain points and on-site problems that need to be solved. Libiao hopes to lead the industry into a new era of healthy competition and collaboration through its own persistence and practice. Therefore, we call on more companies to join the ranks of innovators with the goal of ‘making the world more efficient’, focus on solving the core pain points of the logistics industry, and promote the industry to develop in a more efficient, smarter and more sustainable direction.”
Future Developments
As competitors circle the market aggressively with their AirRob-like products hoping to capture business from high-volume retailers and eCommerce operations, Ms. Xia is focused on Libiao’s future development strategy. “I feel that competition in the logistics industry is not fierce,” she acknowledges. “The reason why everyone feels that competition is fierce is more because of homogeneous competition, that is, price wars, which is also what everyone calls ‘volume’.
“Libiao has always insisted on differentiated competition. By solving new problems and creating new scenarios, we let users realise that modern technology can support their imagination and break the shackles of traditional thinking. Users can reorganise and optimise processes like building blocks. We are also very happy to cooperate with all parties to give full play to their respective advantages and provide more innovative possibilities and imagination space for the logistics industry. Just as the Internet once reshaped the physical industry, the logistics industry is now standing at the forefront of such a transformation.”
In a highly competitive industry sector, where technology is developing at a considerable rate, Libiao has recorded tremendous growth by bringing innovative – some have described them as pioneering – products into the marketplace that are designed to solve real challenges customers have in real situations. AirRob, which was nominated for a prestigious IFOY Award in 2023, is a prime example of that, and it is therefore no surprise that it has spurned AirRob-like imitations from companies who looked on jealously at the technology and realised they needed to catch up. Ms. Xia believes that by continuing to innovate, further growth will come.
“We hope that all our peers can realise that competition is the driving force of industry progress, but true success comes from contribution to society,” she said. “The future of the logistics industry is full of opportunities and challenges. As I said before, we are being imitated by others actually because we are doing the right thing. We are on the right path, and there is no hesitation. Engineering culture is the DNA of Libiao. We will continue to focus on flexible automation technology innovation and create value for customers. Libiao believes that true success comes from a deep insight into customer needs and unremitting efforts. We are willing to work with users and partners to protect customers’ time and value and make the world more efficient,” concluded Ms. Xia.
Kuehne+Nagel has introduced a new robotised order sorting system from Libiao Robotics at its multi-client Châtres warehouse, situated south-west of Paris, France. The new technology is designed to improve productivity, accommodate high volumes during peak times, develop collaborative technologies to support human resources, and reduce repetitive manual tasks.
Logistics provider Kuehne+Nagel is automating its Châtres logistics centre in the Seine-et-Marne region by deploying collaborative autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) supplied by Chinese company Libiao Robotics. Kuehne+Nagel claims it is the first third-party logistics provider (3PL) in France to use automate order sorting in such a way, and the first of its warehouses worldwide to be equipped with the technology.
Dedicated to fulfilling orders for customers in the eCommerce and fashion sectors, the Libiao solution, “enables teams to maintain continuity of operations while remaining flexible and responsive, particularly during seasonal peaks or site changes”, explains Christophe Vandrome, Contract Logistics Director at Kuehne+Nagel France.
The robots – nicknamed ‘mini yellows’ by Libiao Robotics and its customers thanks to their distinctive colour – receive packed and pre-labelled parcels in their tilting platforms from warehouse operatives and transfer the parcels to the correct bin ready to go out for delivery. As well as saving time, the collaborative technology has led to a reduction in error rate, which is now close to zero, according to Kuehne+Nagel.
The integration of collaborative robots in warehouses is necessary, particularly in sectors where seasonal variations in volumes are significant. Robotic technologies are effective solutions for managing these fluctuations, not least because of their ease of use.
These collaborative robotic technologies, “are designed to meet customers’ needs while focusing on the well-being and efficiency of employees”, adds Vandrome. “Our teams are delighted to have these robots, because they enable them to reduce the drudgery of logistics tasks and concentrate on higher added-value operations such as personalising parcels.” The robotisation of the facility is also leading to the creation of new jobs and new skills in areas such as robot maintenance.
With around 50 Libiao AMRs, the Châtres installation was integrated by Körber Supply Chain Software, Libiao’s global partner-integrator for the past three years. The solution is a further building block in a wider project to adopt collaborative, flexible and scalable technologies. In an initial, successful pilot project, Kuehne+Nagel set up a system of nine Libiao robots deployed as part of a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) approach to help sort parcels, envelopes and goods. Thirty per cent of the orders placed during the last peak season were processed using the sorting robots during this first phase. The company has now gone one step further with a wider deployment of a new generation of robots to consolidate items by order.
