Körber chooses robotics-as-a-service for next phase of e-fulfillment journey

Körber has decided that the next phase of its journey in e-fulfillment will use robotics-as-a-service.

The technology company which employs more than 12,000 people worldwide says RaaS “empowers businesses to adapt and thrive in new era of supply chain complexity”.

Ever-increasing consumer demand and labor challenges are top of mind for many supply chain executives amid double-digit growth rates in e-commerce.

To ensure their supply chain operations are able to survive in today’s digital economy, organizations need to increase efficiency, flexibility and scalability.

Adding to a depth and breadth of supply chain technologies spanning warehouse management, warehouse control, voice, order management, simulation and more, Körber has unveiled its plans to extend its robotic service partnerships to combine the technology, services and expertise of some of the world’s top solution providers.

Körber’s Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) program will provide simple access to a global network of robotics service partners for every business size and industry, emphasizing Körber’s value on collaboration and dedication to meeting its customer’s needs.

This offering will provide unique opportunities to reduce operational costs and time to deployment, by allowing customers to purchase robots “as-a-service”, rather than as one large upfront expenditure.

Joe Couto, executive vice president robotics and 3PL at Körber business area supply chain, says: “The autonomous mobile robots (AMR) sector in particular, has seen tremendous growth in recent years.

“Customers across the globe are looking for solutions in various operational areas to meet spikes in demand and address complexities around labor, safety and warehouse associates’ wellbeing.

“Körber has made it its mission to help companies worldwide respond to these challenges faster, while keeping fulfillment time and costs as low as possible. Körber’s flexible robotics and accompanying automation solutions have brought scalable fulfillment operations to numerous customers around the globe, and now we are bringing it to the next level.”

Körber’s AMR offerings are a key part of its extensive portfolio of supply chain technology, and the new RaaS option aims to allow broader access for organizations to leverage AMR capabilities.

The decision also allows easier access for companies looking to build heterogenous AMR fleets, taking advantage of different AMR use cases from multiple Körber partners.

John Santagate, vice president robotics and voice at Körber business area supply chain, says: “The greatest benefit of working with Körber is seizing the opportunities of the digital era through a single source.

“A lot of organizations continue their investments into automated technologies in the supply chain, but few leverage the potential of integrated solutions. More than ever, businesses need a partner with broad capabilities to conquer supply chain complexity.”

The announcement was made at Körber’s annual user conference, Elevate, which was held recently in Orlando, Florida.