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Augmentus expands US presence to meet growing demand for easy Scan and Plan robot programming

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Augmentus will be exhibiting at the Rockwell Automation Fair in Chicago on 16-17 November 2022 as part of its ongoing partnership with Rockwell Automation.

Conventional robot programming is highly difficult and heavily fragmented with the use of proprietary programming languages and extensive training being the industry norm.

As a result, 70 percent of the lifetime costs of robot ownership are software and programming related, and a compounding cost is involved in automating high-mix production environments. [Read more…] about Augmentus expands US presence to meet growing demand for easy Scan and Plan robot programming

6 River Systems unveils new features for its robotic systems for warehouses

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6 River Systems (6RS), part of e-commerce platform company Shopify, has unveiled new features for its robotic fulfillment solution that enhances productivity and flexibility for warehouse operators.

Integrated with 6RS’ SaaS-based Fulfillment Execution System and autonomous mobile robot (AMR), Chuck, these new features position the company as the most configurable warehouse automation solution provider on the market.

6RS provides the “tools and insights needed to maximize operations as fulfillment speed becomes a competitive differentiator for warehouse operators and the merchants they serve”, says 6RS. [Read more…] about 6 River Systems unveils new features for its robotic systems for warehouses

T.I.E. Industrial purchases Robots.com and Robotworx brands

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T.I.E. Industrial, an aftermarket supplier of CNC parts, refurbished industrial robots and general automation repair, has acquired Robots.com and the RobotWorx name.

The asset acquisition expands the T.I.E. brand family, leveraging decades of experience in robotic equipment sales, repair and service to position Robots.com as an end-to-end partner in manufacturing automation.

T.I.E. Industrial did not buy the company but the remaining assets of the website Robots.com and the RobotWorx name. Robots.com is one of the world’s most popular resources to research and source automation solutions from multiple manufacturers. [Read more…] about T.I.E. Industrial purchases Robots.com and Robotworx brands

Plus One Robotics’ parcel handling solutions surpass 500 million picks

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Plus One Robotics, a provider of a parcel handling robotics platform claiming to performing over 1 million parcel picks each day in production, says its platform has reached over half a billion parcel picks globally. 

The company says the 500 million figure is “currently an industry leading metric”.

Erik Nieves, Plus One Robotics’ CEO and founder, says: “Our north star will always be to increase our customers’ total picks per day. [Read more…] about Plus One Robotics’ parcel handling solutions surpass 500 million picks

Geek+ raises $100 million in latest financing round with strategic investment from Intel

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Geek+, a maker of warehouse automation technologies, has closed a new, $100 million series E1 funding series, with the company valued at over $2 billion.

Investors in the round include Intel Capital, Vertex Growth, and Qingyue Capital Investment. The company will use this funding to accelerate its global market expansion and invest in its AMR technology research and development for key product innovation.

In early 2021, Geek+ closed a previously undisclosed series D financing round led by CPE. In 2021, Geek+ registered annual revenue of $150 million and over $300 million in orders. [Read more…] about Geek+ raises $100 million in latest financing round with strategic investment from Intel

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

Yaskawa completes new plant for manufacturing mounting boards and electronic units in China

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Yaskawa Electric, parent company of Yaskawa Mechatronics, one of the world’s largest industrial robot makers, has completed a new plant in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, in China.

The facility has already begun the mass production of mounting boards for servo amplifiers and AC drives as well as electronic units for robot control panels used in its production bases in China.

Yaskawa says that, in China, economic activities are currently “stagnant” because of Covid-19 but demand for factory automation at production sites is increasing due to labor shortages caused by the low birth rate and ageing population, rising labor costs, and the risk of coronavirus spreading. [Read more…] about Yaskawa completes new plant for manufacturing mounting boards and electronic units in China

Universal Robots reports revenue of $83 million in Q2

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Universal Robots, the Danish collaborative robot maker, has reported Q2 revenue of $83 million, describing it as “robust growth” for the company.

Kim Povlsen, president of Universal Robots, says: “In headline terms, second quarter revenue is up 8 percent on the same period last year but in local Danish currency the company has seen growth of 22 percent for Q2.”

Povlsen adds that, measured this way, Universal Robots has seen growth of 30 percent across the first two quarters of 2022 compared to the first half of 2021. [Read more…] about Universal Robots reports revenue of $83 million in Q2

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

Ambi Robotics returns to Berkeley and expands headquarters

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Ambi Robotics, a provider of AI-powered robotic parcel sorting systems for supply chain operations, has unveiled its new headquarters in Berkeley, California to support company growth and new product development.

Ambi Robotics is ramping up installations of AmbiSort systems ahead of peak season as more shipping and logistics brands grapple with surging ecommerce demand.

The new headquarters boasts 33,000 square feet of space for the company to continue its mission to solve the supply chain’s most complex problems while helping people handle more than ever before. [Read more…] about Ambi Robotics returns to Berkeley and expands headquarters