Ricoh USA Inc. and 6 River Systems LLC today announced an initiative to support warehouse efficiencies. RICOH Service Advantage will complement 6 River Systems' existing service team for its “Chuck” collaborative mobile robots and expand its geographical reach to provide technical support to customers faster.
The global warehouse automation market will increase from $15 billion in 2019 to $30 billion by 2026, predicted Statista, with more and more retailers looking for solutions to quicken the pace of fulfillment.
“The demand for our automated retail solution is significant, especially with retailers continually looking for ways to get their products into consumers' hands faster via seamless experiences,” said Eran Frenkel, vice president of technical operations at 6 River Systems. “By partnering with Ricoh, we're able to focus on making our solutions more widely available, which ultimately helps our customers quickly and efficiently meet their fulfillment goals.”
Jerome Dubois and Rylan Hamilton, who were previously executives at Kiva Systems (now Amazon Robotics), founded 6 River Systems in 2015. The Waltham, Mass.-based company said its autonomous mobile robots are operating in more than 20 facilities in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. They fulfill millions of units each week for customers including Lockheed Martin, CSAT Solutions, ACT Fulfillment, DHL, GXO Logistics, and Office Depot.
RICOH Service Advantage to support 6RS robots
6 River Systems said its software and Chuck robots empower warehouse associates to work faster and more efficiently, improving uptime. Ricoh said it will provide expert technical and customer support through RICOH Service Advantage, whose infrastructure will enable 6 River systems to continue expanding quickly across the U.S.
Ricoh's certified technicians will work alongside 6 River Systems' engineers to support Chucks, from calibration and floor mapping to routine maintenance, preventative maintenance, and retrofits. The company also provides end-user operator training for Chucks, including use of the device charging dock and facility re-mapping procedure, helping to ensure optimal robot usage.
“Our collaboration with 6 River Systems is a prime example of how our stable and trusted infrastructure – coupled with a team of more than 10,000 service delivery professionals supporting and maintaining more than 1 million devices across the U.S. – helps solve our customers' problems,” said Jim Kirby, vice president of Service Advantage at Ricoh USA.
“Together, we are addressing some of the biggest challenges and opportunities in retail today, including supply chain operational efficiency such as retail and warehouse automation,” he added. “By expertly assisting with service and support for companies like 6 River Systems, we are helping them maintain focus on what matters most – innovation that solves supply chain hurdles and moves business forward.”
Ricoh offers resources
Ricoh also offers a whitepaper on modern automation and a webinar on “How Automation and Robotics Companies Are Meeting Increased Customer Service and Support Demand.”
With an 85-year history, Ricoh Group is a leading provider of digital services and information management, as well as print and imaging solutions designed to support digital transformation and optimize business performance.
The Tokyo-based company offers products and services in about 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2021, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,682 billion yen (approximately $15.1 billion U.S.).
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