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Alibaba increases stake in Cainiao by $3.3 billion

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Alibaba, the world’s largest e-commerce company, has increased its equity stake in Cainiao, a provider of automated logistics systems. The two companies have been partners for some time and last year opened what was reported to be the largest robot-operated warehouse in China. 

The additional investment in Cainiao Smart Logistics Network totals RMB23.3 billion (US$3.3 billion) and increases Alibaba’s equity from approximately 51 per cent to approximately 63 per cent.

The investment method used involved subscribing for newly issued Cainiao ordinary shares in its latest financing round and purchasing certain equity interest from an existing Cainiao shareholder. [Read more…] about Alibaba increases stake in Cainiao by $3.3 billion

Alibaba and Cainiao open China’s ‘largest’ robot-operated warehouse

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Supply chain robotics company Cainiao has installed 700 robots at China’s largest robot-run warehouse to process orders on Singles Day, according to a report on CNBC. 

The warehouse, located in Wuxi, near Shanghai, is owned by e-commerce giant Alibaba, which is also majority-owner of Cainiao, and Singles Day is said to generate more than $25 billion in sales.

CNBC reports that last year, on Singles Day – November 11, Cainiao processed over 800 million packages, and this year, Alibaba expects that figure to surpass 1 billion.  [Read more…] about Alibaba and Cainiao open China’s ‘largest’ robot-operated warehouse

Alibaba business unit Cainiao shows off autonomous delivery vehicle

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Alibaba’s logistics business unit Cainiao has been demonstrating a small, autonomous vehicle designed for goods deliveries. 

Alibaba bought a controlling stake in Cainiao last year and said it would invest $15 billion into developing its logistics network and technologies.

This new vehicle may indicate the direction in which the companies are looking to go.

Cainiao is said to deliver more than 80 per cent of goods ordered through Alibaba websites, according to TechNode.com.

Alibaba is said to be the largest e-commerce company in the world.

 

Logistics trade event CeMAT Asia expecting ‘well over 100,000 attendees’

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Deutsche Messe, organiser of the annual logistics trade event CeMAT Asia, says it is expecting well over 100,000 attendees this year.

The show is already regarded as Asia’s biggest intralogistics fair, and this year looks set to expand its lead, partly through co-location with Apex Asia as well as the launch of new showcase, Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Asia.

The 20th edition of CeMAT Asia will be staged at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, with a record number of exhibitors – more than 700 – presenting their products and solutions for sustainable and automated logistics systems. [Read more…] about Logistics trade event CeMAT Asia expecting ‘well over 100,000 attendees’

Logistics and supply chain: An overview of ‘goods-to-person’ and ‘last-mile delivery’ technologies

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The term “goods to person” in the context of the logistics and supply chain sector refers to technology that brings items from locations within, for example, a warehouse to a human picker while he or she remains in one place, also within the warehouse. 

And while “logistics” and “supply chain” are terms that are often used interchangeably, logistics usually refers to moving goods along public roads or out in the wider world, whereas supply chain refers to the entire journey that the goods make, as well as specific parts of it, such as their processing through a warehouse.

One of the technologies most readily associated with medium- to large-scale warehouses is the conveyor, which has been around for more than 100 years. But in the past few years, warehouse robots have been eroding the total dominance of conveyors by offering what are offering described as “flexible” supply chain systems, in contrast to the “fixed” nature of conveyors. [Read more…] about Logistics and supply chain: An overview of ‘goods-to-person’ and ‘last-mile delivery’ technologies

Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets

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Despite some occasional antipathy towards them, autonomous delivery robots are gaining ground in urban landscapes. 

While some local authorities are unsure about allowing machines to roam free on city streets, most people probably accept that it’s only a matter of time before regulations accommodate the new technology.

Universities, meanwhile, as well as other organizations such as hotels, airports and large companies with extensive grounds of their own, have the opportunity to allow relatively large numbers of these autonomous mobile robots to deliver such things as snacks and maybe books, documents, and other items to students, guests and staff.  [Read more…] about Top 20 autonomous delivery robots: Ready to take over the streets

Alibaba unveils unmanned logistics vehicle featuring lidar

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Alibaba, the world’s largest e-commerce company, has unveiled a new unmanned logistics vehicle.

The “G Plus” was built in co-operation with Alibaba’s logistics business unit, Cainiao, and RoboSense, a developer of robotic technology.

The G Plus is said to be the world’s first autonomous logistics vehicle to use solid-state light detection and ranging (lidar) technology.  [Read more…] about Alibaba unveils unmanned logistics vehicle featuring lidar

Alibaba to invest $15 billion into robotic logistics infrastructure

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Alibaba is planning to invest $15 billion into developing a robotic logistics infrastructure, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Alibaba is said to be the world’s largest e-commerce company, mainly concentrating on the business-to-business sector rather than retail, but until now, it has relied on outside companies to provide its logistics.

Now, the company has invested an additional $801 million to buy a controlling stake in Cainiao Smart Logistics.  [Read more…] about Alibaba to invest $15 billion into robotic logistics infrastructure