Last week, autonomous mobile robot provider Tompkins Robotics announced a strategic partnership with supply chain automation company GreyOrange. They said their new “zero walk” system can eliminate all walking previously required by human pickers in the distribution center while dramatically increasing order pick rates.
By integrating Tompkins Robotics’ tSort with GreyOrange’s Ranger Goods-to-Person (GTP) robots, a warehouse pick station operator can fill hundreds of orders simultaneously and safely from a single picking station, said the companies. The joint offering will enable companies to fulfill 10 times the e-commerce order volumes in comparison with other automated picking systems, they claimed.
“This ‘zero walk’ collaboration takes e-commerce order fulfillment to pick rates never seen before by the retail industry,” stated John Seidl, retail consulting partner at GreyOrange. “With this new joint solution, e-commerce retailers can achieve picks rates exceeding 500 to 1,000 units per hour while also providing a more ergonomic work environment for associates, helping them attract and retain the best people. It’s really the perfect solution for all retail segments.”
Ranger and tSort integrated through GreyMatter software
Traditional e-commerce order-fulfillment setups require human associates to walk around large warehouses to access a broad assortment of stock-keeping units (SKUs), then spend time and energy walking to a putwall to sort the SKUs to orders for picking.
GreyOrange’s Ranger GTP autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) bring inventory to warehouse associates at a picking station. The company's GreyMatter software orchestrates robots, people, and inventory for fulfillment in distribution centers and warehouses. GreyOrange has core operations in the U.S., Singapore, Germany, Japan, and India.
Orlando, Fla.-based Tompkins Robotics’ tSort is a modular materials handling system whose AMRs can deliver a wide range of items and parcels to consolidation points.
The integration between GreyMatter AI and Tompkins Robotics' warehouse execution software (WES) is key to making the joint offering work, said the companies. The “zero walk” combination of these products can improve ergonomics, efficiency, and productivity, said the partners.
GreyOrange, Tompkins Robotics exhibit at ProMat DX
The increase in online orders around the COVID-19 pandemic has increased demand for robots, according to Tompkins and GreyOrange. With this joint system and automated packing, retailers can fulfill thousands of orders faster, increase customer satisfaction, and improve the work environment for associates, they added. They added that their micro-fulfillment solution can match the productivity of an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) with faster startup and less infrastructure.
“This partnership demonstrates that Tompkins Robotics and GreyOrange are expanding to deliver the leadership and expertise their clients need to transform their businesses for the future,” said Mike Futch, president and CEO of Tompkins Robotics. “From solution detailing to implementation and collaboration on specific projects, the GreyOrange and Tompkins Robotics teams work to provide their partners with business, technical, sales and marketing resources to enable them to grow their business and better support their customers.”
Tompkins Robotics and GreyOrange are each exhibiting at the free virtual ProMat DX 2021 this week. Registered attendees can visit the showcase pages for Tompkins Robotics and GreyOrange.
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