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Driving Agility and Flexibility in Material Handling Workflows

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By Daniel Theobald, CIO and co-founder of Vecna Robotics

Self-driving vehicles and their systems are driving agility and flexibility in a time of unprecedented business and labor demands. This is part two of a four-part series focused on robotic integration in the material handling value stream.

Increased customer expectations are affecting every part of the supply chain. People are spending an unprecedented amount of money, and they want more options and quicker service.

This is expanding the range of inventory, increasing inventory turnover rates from days to hours, and changing expectations from free two-day to free within the hour delivery.  [Read more…] about Driving Agility and Flexibility in Material Handling Workflows

Gideon Brothers raises $765,000 to further develop its warehouse robot

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A Croatian company called Gideon Brothers has raised $765,000 to further develop its warehouse robot, according to a story on TechCrunch.com.

The company’s technologies are said to be already in use at some of the largest and most well-known companies in the world.

Tesco, Henkel, Target, Walmart, DHL, DB Schenker, Kuehne & Nagel, and FedEx are among the names Gideon Brothers mentions on its website as customers.

The new money will be used to further develop Gideon Brothers’ autonomous mobile platform, as seen in the main picture, which is from the company’s video (see below).  [Read more…] about Gideon Brothers raises $765,000 to further develop its warehouse robot

30 automation solutions for warehouses and supply chain operations

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It took a while to get going, but after many years of relatively slow progress, now, the market for logistics and supply chain robotics and automation is in good flow. 

A significant number of companies have developed systems for automating warehouse operations – both in the area of software and hardware.

But while Amazon has taken the lead in warehouse automation by building its massive logistics operation around the Kiva Systems robots it acquired, other companies are catching up.  [Read more…] about 30 automation solutions for warehouses and supply chain operations

Efficient supply chains: From quirky packaging to highly functional boxes

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Designers can be awkward sometimes. Actually, they can be awkward a lot of the time. Something to do with the artistic temperament probably. 

To be fair to them, their job is to make their work stand out from what is often an overcrowded marketplace.

So, as a result, in packaging design, for example, you see all sorts of shapes and sizes that could make life really difficult for the people who actually make the physical packaging.  [Read more…] about Efficient supply chains: From quirky packaging to highly functional boxes

Deliver: Growth of e-commerce providing opportunities for robotics and automation companies

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“Deliver” is a series of industry events in Europe aimed at “e-logistics”, an obvious play on the term “e-commerce”. 

E-commerce can, obviously, refer to either online retail or wholesale, or any sales and purchasing activity that occurs in an electronic environment, on electronic devices.

And, in the aggregate, e-commerce is such a big activity now that it is driving growth in many related business sectors such as supply chain and logistics. Hence, e-logistics.  [Read more…] about Deliver: Growth of e-commerce providing opportunities for robotics and automation companies

New study: Mobile robots in logistics centres to exceed $3 billion in 2022

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Automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) used in logistics applications are forecast to enjoy massive growth in the next five years and grow ten-fold to exceed $3bn in 2022, according to a new report from Interact Analysis.

Despite the market being worth just $300m in 2017, the report forecasts that more than 400,000 mobile robots will be installed by the end of 2022.

Whilst AGVs have long been used in manufacturing environments to lower costs and improve efficiencies, logistics and fulfilment centers are a relatively new opportunity.

[Read more…] about New study: Mobile robots in logistics centres to exceed $3 billion in 2022

FedEx stepping up robotics operations to see off Amazon

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Logistics company FedEx is reportedly increasing its robotics operations to see off the challenge from Amazon, according to the New York Times. 

The company has been testing a number of robotic vehicles in its warehouses since last year and is said to be ready to take the next step.

FedEx is said to be partnering with Vecna, a supplier of logistics robots, to automate its warehouses and take the load off human employees.

FedEx also seems to be employing Savioke robots (unit in main picture) for work in the repair and maintenance department.

[Read more…] about FedEx stepping up robotics operations to see off Amazon

Locus Robotics raises another $25 million in funding

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Locus Robotics has raised $25 million in its latest funding round. 

Locus makes autonomous, mobile robots for use in e-commerce fulfillment warehouses, today announced it has secured $25 million in Series B funding led by Scale Venture Partners, a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm investing in the future of work.

Existing investors also participated in the round.  [Read more…] about Locus Robotics raises another $25 million in funding

Logistics 4.0: Facing digitalization-driven disruption

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By Vincent Bamberger, Florent Nansé, Bernd Schreiber, and Michael Zintel, of Arthur D Little

In the past, legacy logistics players (LLPs) such as DHL, Kuehne + Nagel, DB Schenker, UPS and Nippon Express operated in a stable world, where efficiency, standardization and low cost were the keys to success.

However, digitalization has changed this focus, transforming the market.

New, digital-native entrants are better able to adapt to emerging imperatives such as agility, customer centricity and the need to constantly innovate.  [Read more…] about Logistics 4.0: Facing digitalization-driven disruption

You could be seeing things that aren’t there: Google Glass finds new home in old industries

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About four years ago, when Google first showed off its Glass product – a pair of hi-tech spectacles capable of running augmented reality apps – it was met with some scepticism, incredulity even. 

Few people thought it would take off, as interesting as the idea was. Maybe people generally couldn’t see themselves walking around wearing glasses which could be seen as intrusive.

Theoretically, Google Glass could display images on pretty much everything and everyone you looked at while wearing them – and would people in your eyeline appreciate that?  [Read more…] about You could be seeing things that aren’t there: Google Glass finds new home in old industries