Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.94
July 19, 2021
The economy heats up and workers are not available to fill all the open positions. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released, The America Works Report: Quantifying the Nation’s Workforce Crisis. Now labeled a ‘crisis,’ the labor shortage is impacting companies in all regions, every size, and all industries. Organizations are facing enormous obstacles to find workers and are frustrated as they try to fill open positions as they scramble to employ able-bodied people, many times forgoing skills and talent. The Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report fell below expectations and stated that there were 8.1 million job openings in the…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 11.91
July 18, 2021
No longer science fiction, farm robots are already here—and they have created two possible extremes for the future of agriculture and its impacts on the environment, argued agricultural economist Thomas Daum in a “Science & Society” article published this week in the journal Trends in Ecology & Evolution. One is a utopia, where fleets of small, intelligent robots farm in harmony with nature to produce diverse, organic crops. The other is a dystopia in which large, tractor-like robots subdue the landscape through heavy machinery and artificial chemicals. Daum described the utopian scenario as a mosaic of rich, green fields, streams,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 8.48
July 16, 2021
Crocs Inc. has partnered with Bastian Solutions LLC for a new storage and fulfillment center in the Dayton, Ohio, area. The companies said the new facility, called “Saltwater,” will support Crocs' current and anticipated growth and will be one of the most automated facilities in the region. At 750,000 sq. ft. (69,6773 sq. m), the new facility is the latest addition to Crocs’ growing Dayton-area campus and will bring its total operating footprint to more than 1.2 million sq. ft. (111,484 sq. m.). The casual footwear company is now hiring for positions across a variety of departments, including shipping, receiving,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.42
July 14, 2021
Material Handling Systems Inc., which provides automation and software for materials handling, this week said it has spun out from its research and development organization a dedicated robotics division. MHS Robotics is developing advanced technologies in-house and nurturing external relationships to deliver market-ready systems for e-commerce and parcel logistics facilities, said the company. “We’re a team of problem solvers, inventors, and innovators with the expertise to engineer automated solutions for real-world logistics challenges by working closely and cooperatively with our customers,” stated Dean Terrell, senior vice president of R&D at MHS. “This agile approach accelerates the pace of development and…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.70
July 14, 2021
Fetch Robotics Inc., which provides cloud-connected robots, today announced a new integrated case pick-to-pallet system with The Körber Group. The system dynamically integrates the movement of Fetch's Freight500 and Freight1500 autonomous mobile robots with Körber's warehouse management systems. The partners said their combined offering can orchestrate warehouse associates and robots and optimize care-picking workflows. In the past year, growing e-commerce demand has put stress on distribution centers (DCs). In addition, longstanding shortages of skilled labor have made it difficult for companies to hire and retain staffers, accommodate seasonal fluctuations, and rely on temporary workers to operate forklifts, said San Jose,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.12
July 13, 2021
MHS, a single-source provider of material handling automation and software solutions, has launched a dedicated robotics division spun off from its research and development organization. Known as MHS Robotics, the group develops advanced technologies in-house and nurtures external relationships to deliver market-ready robotics solutions for e-commerce and parcel logistics facilities. “We’re a team of problem solvers, inventors and innovators with the expertise to engineer automated solutions for real-world logistics challenges by working closely and cooperatively with our customers. This agile approach accelerates the pace of development and gets us quickly from the lab into a live operational environment, where the…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.34
July 12, 2021
The Kroger Co. last week said it plans to expand its Great Lakes Distribution Center in Delaware, Ohio, with partner KNAPP AG. Kroger, which claims to be the largest grocer in the U.S., said it will add new technologies to the facility renovation, which it expects to be completed this summer. “Kroger’s investment in KNAPP’s latest technology allows the Great Lakes Distribution Center to improve efficiency in replenishing our stores, enabling us to quickly deliver fresh food to our customers,” stated Tony Lucchino, vice president of supply chain and network strategy at Kroger. “The expansion of the facility is part…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 25.94
July 12, 2021
Micro-fulfillment is on everyone’s lips these days, or so it seems. Major supermarket chains including Kroger, Walmart, and H-E-B have started micro-fulfillment center projects, tapping automation companies that offer robotic, high-density storage and picking systems, which can be placed inside a store or a so-called “dark store” that fulfills online orders for a compact geographic area. But for all the attention on the micro-fulfillment center (MFC) trend to date, it’s mainly taking hold in grocery. It does, however, overlap with the concept of hyperlocal fulfillment, which almost every retailer or e-commerce brand is trying to achieve in some form. The…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 1.70
July 09, 2021
The “2021 MHI Annual Industry Report,” conducted with Deloitte, opens with a quote from John Paxton, CEO of the Materials Handling Institute. “Supply chain resilience has never been more important,” he wrote. “Companies that made investments in digital technologies prior to the pandemic were more prepared and able to adapt, survive and even thrive during this disruption. They will also be ready when the next crisis inevitably hits.” Historically, when it came to the adoption of automation and emerging technologies, warehousing and distribution took a wait-and-see approach. For example, the automotive industry has been using robotics since General Motors installed…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.77
July 09, 2021
Ranpack Holdings Corp., which provides paper-based packaging for e-commerce and industrial supply chains, yesterday said it has invested in Pickle Robot Co., which has developed robots for sorting, loading, and unloading packaged goods. The investment complements and expands Ranpak's existing automation portfolio, said the Concord Township, Ohio-based company. “We are investing in leading-edge technology to further accelerate Ranpak’s global leadership in packaging automation,” stated Omar Asali, chairman and CEO of Ranpak. “This strategic investment in Pickle Robot, combined with our addition of R Squared Robotics, further solidifies our focus on automation and ultimately unlocks new opportunities to deliver efficiencies, cost-savings,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 4.87
July 08, 2021
Berkshire Grey Inc., which makes supply chain automation including robotics and artificial intelligence, yesterday announced the completion of its new Robotics Innovation Center and headquarters in Bedford, Mass. The company said the new center will showcase its capabilities for customers, partners, and investors. “Our new Innovation Center is strategically located in the Boston metro area, allowing us to leverage the strong regional talent pool in AI and robotics,” stated Tom Wagner, CEO of Berkshire Grey. “This center provides the space needed to continue our technology development and to help our customers adapt and transform their supply chain operations.” “Competitive pressures…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 6.25
July 08, 2021
BALYO SA, which designs and develops robotic trucks for materials handling, yesterday said it has opened its own logistics center in Moissy-Cramayel, France, southeast of Paris. FM Logistic will operate the distribution center, which will be part of a Prologis property and enable BALYO to demonstrate its technological innovations at scale and meet with clients and partners. “We are very proud to be working alongside BALYO to operate this reference center,” stated Yannick Buisson, CEO for France, Central Europe, and Western Europe at FM Logistic. “With this partnership, we will be able to provide our expertise as a supply chain…
