Robotics & Automation News

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supply chain automation

Exotec partners with Musinsa to power new automated warehouse for fast-growing K-fashion business

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Exotec, a global provider of warehouse robotics solutions, has announced a partnership with leading South Korean fashion brand, Musinsa.

This collaboration marks Exotec’s first customer deployment in the Korean market and represents an important milestone in the company’s expansion across the Asia-Pacific region. The project will support Musinsa’s continued international growth as global demand for K-fashion continues to rise.

Musinsa is an e-commerce platform and physical retail destination supporting independent Korean labels and luxury brands. Its logistics operations manage hundreds of thousands of SKUs, with inventory levels fluctuating significantly due to seasonal product launches and high-volume sales events. [Read more…] about Exotec partners with Musinsa to power new automated warehouse for fast-growing K-fashion business

Opinion: Autonomy is reshaping logistics, but its real value lies in better decision-making

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By Marcus Schunemann, head of autonomy at Dexory

Warehouses are under growing pressure to do more with less. Labour shortages, rising operating costs and continued supply chain disruption are forcing logistics operators to rethink how goods are stored, tracked and moved.

UK Warehousing Association research shows that recruitment difficulty remains widespread in warehousing, with only 13 percent of employers reporting no difficulty hiring staff and more than half expecting critical skills shortages, indicating a persistent labour gap across the sector.

At the same time, the push towards automation is accelerating. According to McKinsey, warehouse automation adoption is growing at more than 10 percent annually, driven by the need to improve efficiency, resilience and cost control. [Read more…] about Opinion: Autonomy is reshaping logistics, but its real value lies in better decision-making

The Rise of the Autonomous Network Control Tower: How AI is Becoming the Supply Chain’s Central Nervous System

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For a long time, visibility in the logistics industry has been focused on screens loaded with data, providing an almost real-time view into shipments in transit, anomalies or disruptions occurring along the way, the location of trucks and drivers in various parts of the country and the volume of shipments moving through the network.

But as the dynamics of the market continue to shift, simply seeing isn’t enough. Now, there’s a need for autonomous network control towers where AI not only provides visibility into what is happening but also proactively manages the supply chain.

This is precisely what Libera has built: a platform where AI becomes the operational brain of your entire logistics network. [Read more…] about The Rise of the Autonomous Network Control Tower: How AI is Becoming the Supply Chain’s Central Nervous System

Geekplus partners with Mindugar to accelerate warehouse automation adoption across Latin America

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Geekplus, one of the world’s largest warehouse robotics companies, and Mindugar, a provider of industrial storage and racking systems in Latin America, have agreed a strategic partnership.

This collaboration marks a key milestone in Geekplus’s continued global expansion and reinforces its commitment to enabling next-generation supply chain operations across the LatAm region.

Together, Geekplus and Mindugar will deliver integrated, scalable automation solutions tailored to the needs of Latin American businesses. [Read more…] about Geekplus partners with Mindugar to accelerate warehouse automation adoption across Latin America

How Robotics Technology Has Improved Pallet Trucks

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Modern pallet trucks have evolved far beyond the manually operated tools they once were. Robotics technology has transformed these machines into autonomous, intelligent material handling vehicles – commonly known as Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) or Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs).

Robotic technology is reshaping warehouse operations, integrating sophisticated sensors, navigation systems and AI – enabling these machines to manoeuvre, detect and pick pallets without any human intervention.

These modern machines use software and sensors to navigate warehouses independently, significantly improving both the efficiency and safety of warehouse operations. As adoption continues to grow across the logistics sector, understanding what drives this shift is increasingly relevant for businesses looking to stay competitive.

How Advanced Navigation and Mapping Are Streamlining Operations

Modern automated pallet trucks use Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping (SLAM) technology – incorporating Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and 3D cameras – to build real-time maps of their environment. This means they can navigate complex warehouse layouts without relying on floor-embedded wire or magnetic tape for guidance.

Unlike older AGVs, robotics-enhanced pallet trucks do not stop when faced with an obstacle. Dynamic rerouting software enables them to detect obstructions in advance and calculate an alternative path without interrupting their workflow.

This capability alone represents a significant leap forward compared to earlier generations of automated handling equipment, which required costly infrastructure changes whenever a warehouse layout was modified.

The increased flexibility offered by modern AGVs means they can be easily reprogrammed to adapt to changes in warehouse automation layouts, making them far more adaptable than traditional conveyor-based systems.

How Modern Pallet Trucks Improve Operational Efficiency and Productivity

The advanced software incorporated into these pallet trucks enables them to carry out operations with greater precision and speed than manual alternatives. Autonomous pallet jacks consistently outperform manual operators in throughput, not only by moving faster, but by eliminating downtime caused by breaks, shift changes and fatigue.

Introducing automated pallet trucks into warehouse operations drives measurable gains in throughput. Robotic pallet trucks can also work continuously without breaks, fatigue or shift limitations – delivering a more consistent output around the clock.

Using built-in AI-based 3D vision, AGVs can detect both the position and orientation of a pallet to align and lift with precision, even when pallets have not been placed perfectly. The robotic arms integrated into these trucks can detect, pick and stack pallets with millimetre accuracy, reducing the risk of product damage.

When battery levels run low, these trucks autonomously return to the charging station, ensuring they are fully charged ahead of the next shift.

Features of AGVs That Increase Safety and Accident Prevention

Fatigue is one of the most common causes of warehouse accidents, particularly during long night shifts. Since AGVs are battery-powered and equipped with autonomous recharging capabilities, they eliminate the risks associated with human fatigue over extended working periods.

Improved Ergonomics

By handling heavy and repetitive lifting tasks, these pallet trucks also remove the risk of associated injuries. Pallet lifting has been linked to Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs), which result from the repetitive strain caused by manually moving heavy loads.

These can include conditions such as:

  • Herniated discs
  • Lumbar strain
  • Sciatica
  • Tendinitis
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome

Such injuries can cause severe pain and extended absences from work. The implementation of automated pallet trucks mitigates these risks and supports long-term occupational health for workers in the industry.

Collision Avoidance

Robotic pallet trucks are equipped with 360-degree sensors and cameras that provide full situational awareness. They are also designed to stop immediately upon detecting any obstacle, greatly reducing the likelihood of collisions.

The robotic system calculates weight load and speed to determine the exact stopping distance required for a safe halt. In environments where human workers and automated vehicles share the same floor space, this level of precision is essential for maintaining a safe working environment.

Incorporating robotic pallet trucks into warehouse operations significantly reduces the risk of workplace injuries and collisions – protecting goods, reducing downtime and supporting the long-term health of the workforce.

Automated Technology is Redefining Productivity

Robotic technology has delivered clear benefits to those working in manufacturing and logistics. Warehouses have long been hazardous environments, but the inclusion of AGVs offers a meaningful improvement in both safety and accident prevention.

The ability to operate continuously without breaks makes these machines a practical solution for boosting operational efficiency. Automated pallet trucks can help address labour shortages, reduce operational costs and increase flexibility in fast-paced, high-volume warehouse environments.

Whether managing a single-site distribution centre or a multi-facility network, the operational case for AGV integration is clear.

Geekplus reports 50 percent growth in Americas as it pushes embodied intelligence into US warehouse market

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Geekplus says its expansion in the Americas is accelerating, with new signed orders in the region – led by the United States – growing by more than 50 percent year-on-year in 2025.

The growth highlights the increasing demand for warehouse automation in the US, where operators are under pressure to address labor shortages, rising costs, and growing e-commerce volumes.

Globally, the company has built one of the largest installed bases in the sector. Geekplus says it has deployed more than 72,000 robots across more than 40 countries, serving approximately 950 customers, including over 80 Fortune Global 500 companies. [Read more…] about Geekplus reports 50 percent growth in Americas as it pushes embodied intelligence into US warehouse market

Locus Robotics rolls out Locus Array for end-to-end warehouse fulfillment

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Locus Robotics, a provider of warehouse automation systems, has launched Locus Array, which it describes as a “fully autonomous fulfillment system” which combines mobile robotics, an integrated robotic picking arm, and AI-powered perception with autonomous execution to complete end-to-end workflows without manual intervention.

Deployments are already underway with early access customers in North America, as the company prepares to scale Locus Array globally across Europe and APAC to meet accelerating demand for fully autonomous fulfillment. [Read more…] about Locus Robotics rolls out Locus Array for end-to-end warehouse fulfillment

How Procurement Automation Creates Audit-Ready Supply Chains in Manufacturing

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A tier-two automotive parts supplier processing 3,000 purchase orders per month discovered during a customer audit that it could not trace the approval history for 40% of its procurement transactions from the previous quarter.

The orders had been placed, the parts had been received, and the invoices had been paid. But the trail of who approved what, when, and against which budget was scattered across email threads, spreadsheets, and verbal confirmations that nobody had documented.

The audit finding did not result in a financial loss. It resulted in something worse: a conditional rating that put the supplier’s preferred status at risk. [Read more…] about How Procurement Automation Creates Audit-Ready Supply Chains in Manufacturing

Why AI Agents Could Be the Missing Link Between Factory Automation and Real Results?

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A recent report from Eclipse Automation delivered a finding that will frustrate anyone who has spent the last five years investing in factory technology.

While automation is now widespread across North American manufacturing, only a small fraction of businesses are achieving meaningful outcomes from it.

Machines are moving faster, arms are picking more accurately, and conveyor systems run around the clock, yet the productivity needle, for many, barely moves. [Read more…] about Why AI Agents Could Be the Missing Link Between Factory Automation and Real Results?

Flex and Teradyne Robotics expand partnership to scale intelligent automation across global manufacturing

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Flex – one of the world’s largest contract manufacturers – and Teradyne Robotics are expanding their collaboration to accelerate intelligent automation across global manufacturing.

Under the expanded relationship, Flex plays a dual role by deploying Teradyne Robotics solutions within its own production facilities while manufacturing key robotics components that enable scalable automation deployments for Teradyne Robotics customers worldwide.

Teradyne Robotics brands Universal Robots and Mobile Industrial Robots play a central role in the partnership. Flex manufactures key components for UR while deploying its collaborative industrial robots (cobots) and MiR autonomous mobile robots in Flex production environments. [Read more…] about Flex and Teradyne Robotics expand partnership to scale intelligent automation across global manufacturing