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Ottonomy closes $3.3 million seed funding round

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Ottonomy has closed its seed funding round of $3.3 million, bringing its total funding to date to $4.9 million.

The funding is planned to support the scale of Ottobots for fully autonomous airport, retail and restaurant deliveries with its robots.

The funding round is led by Pi Ventures who back deep tech startups. Connetic Ventures and Branded Hospitality Ventures and the Founder & CEO of Addverb Technologies, Sangeet Kumar, also joined this round; making the group a dynamic mix from retail, food and robotics industry investors for Ottonomy’s seed round. [Read more…] about Ottonomy closes $3.3 million seed funding round

Ready to Automate? 5 Expert Insights on the Warehouse of the Future

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A new report explores trends and key considerations for warehouse and distribution center executives implementing automation.

Automation is changing the way our world works, and it’s probably already a part of your daily life.

Even the ways you watch TV and shop are likely influenced by automation, from artificial intelligence-powered suggestions on what series to begin next, and algorithms that conveniently present you with ads for your favorite brand of sneakers. [Read more…] about Ready to Automate? 5 Expert Insights on the Warehouse of the Future

DHL opens new ‘highly automated’ fulfillment center for flatpack furniture giant IKEA

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DHL Supply Chain, Deutsche Post DHL Group’s contract logistics specialist, is opening a new, “highly automated” fulfillment center in Bergkamen, Germany, for its customer, the Swedish flatpack furniture giant IKEA.

The new state-of-the-art DHL facility has been commissioned to help the home furnishings group handle its fast-growing B2C online business in Germany, which grew significantly during the pandemic and required IKEA to rapidly expand its B2C fulfillment capabilities.

The multi-customer site in Bergkamen boasts 40,000 square meters of warehouse space and is part of the neighboring DHL Supply Chain Unna Campus, which is less than 10 kilometers away. [Read more…] about DHL opens new ‘highly automated’ fulfillment center for flatpack furniture giant IKEA

Siemens expands robotic activities with Geekplus

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Geekplus, a manufacturer of autonomous mobile robots, has expanded its collaboration with electronic components manufacturer Siemens Switchgear Shanghai with the second phase of a smart manufacturing automation project.

The expansion introduces more of Geekplus’s goods-to-person picking and materials handling robots to the multi-robot configuration and opens up a further 3,000 sq m of automated warehousing space. The system achieved a delivery accuracy rate of 100 percent, with materials accuracy of over 99.98 percent in the production line.

Siemens Switchgear Shanghai first joined forces with Geekplus in 2019 and successfully built a full-process flexible automated intelligent logistics factory using four types of Geekplus robots: P800R goods-to-person picking robots, MP1000R moving robots, RS2 tote-to-person robots, and X-series four-way shuttles for high-density storage. [Read more…] about Siemens expands robotic activities with Geekplus

Robots in retail: Delivering the goods in 2022

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By Ritukar Vijay, CEO at Ottonomy

Retailers are feeling the heat from rising labor costs, and are increasingly looking to automated solutions to keep worker costs down.

According to a February 28, 2022 story in The Wall Street Journal, US retailers spent 4 percent more cash on labor costs in the fourth quarter of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.

Big box brands like Target, Costco, and Walmart are all raising wages above beyond the $15 minimum wage level to secure the staffing they need to stay competitive. For retailers, restaurants, and other consumer-facing businesses, the wage growth issue stems from a burgeoning problem – not enough workers. [Read more…] about Robots in retail: Delivering the goods in 2022

Hai Robotics partners with frictionless supply chain company Pop.capacity

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Hai Robotics has formed a partnership with frictionless supply chain company Pop.capacity.

With this partnership, Pop.capacity will be able to include Hai Robotics solutions as part of its portfolio offering to its customers in an effort to reduce friction points within their warehouses.

Pop.capacity is pioneering the frictionless supply chain. By combining years of supply chain experience, and a never before seen technology, they are uniquely positioned to bring a disruptive new solution to an industry full of unnecessary friction. [Read more…] about Hai Robotics partners with frictionless supply chain company Pop.capacity

South Korea AutoStore integrator Asetec joins the RightHand Robotics partner integrator network

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RightHand Robotics, a provider of autonomous robotic picking solutions for order fulfillment, and Asetec, a logistics automation ICT company, have partnered for future robotic logistics center integration projects in South Korea.

As an AutoStore integrator, Asetec will combine the world’s leading robotic storage system and other matched technologies with RightHand Robotics’ award-winning RightPick item-handling solution to expand its offerings with a diversified range of automation.

Founded in 1996, Asetec is a turnkey integrator for logistics centers, providing customers with consulting and engineering, automation design and construction, and AI software solutions (WMS/TMS/OMS/WCS). [Read more…] about South Korea AutoStore integrator Asetec joins the RightHand Robotics partner integrator network

Serve Robotics partners with Piestro to deliver robot-made pizzas

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Piestro, a maker of a robotic pizzeria, is partnering with Serve Robotics, a maker of autonomous sidewalk delivery robots, to offer customers a totally robotic pizza delivery service.

When a customer places an order, Piestro’s scheduling system will notify Serve’s fleet and the nearest available robot will pick up the pizza for transport from a Piestro pod.

The partnership will roll out in the coming months, as Piestro deploys units within Serve delivery areas.  [Read more…] about Serve Robotics partners with Piestro to deliver robot-made pizzas

GXO partners with 6 River Systems for supply of warehouse robots

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GXO Logistics, one of the world’s largest contract logistics providers, has reached a multi-year global agreement with 6 River Systems, a robotic fulfillment solutions provider, to meet the demand for collaborative mobile robots – also known as autonomous mobile robots – in its logistics operations across the US and Europe.

Sandeep Sakharkar, chief information officer at GXO, says: “6 River Systems’ Chucks provide a huge boost to the retention of our team members and deliver a substantial sustained increase in operational productivity.

“This agreement fortifies our long-term partnership with 6RS, ensuring rapid deployment of popular productivity-enhancing warehouse collaborative robots that give our customers a competitive advantage.” [Read more…] about GXO partners with 6 River Systems for supply of warehouse robots

Guide on Risk Management Strategies for Freight Forwarders

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Risk Management Tips for Freight Forwarders in the Post-Pandemic Economy



Freight forwarders are an integral part of the global economy. Global trade would not function without their logistical expertise.

But as the world shifts to globalization, supply chains are becoming more complex. How can freight forwarders deal with old and emerging trends? Here are risk management strategies for freight forwarders in the post-pandemic era. [Read more…] about Guide on Risk Management Strategies for Freight Forwarders