Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.13
…providers (3PLs) are competing on faster fulfilment, last mile delivery and stock visibility. A key differentiator in this highly competitive environment is the ability to make quick decisions not only cope with but also capitalise on the rising volumes. Learning from the leaders: Catch Group's transformation One of the best examples of business transformation in Australia is Catch Group, one of the nation’s largest e-commerce marketplaces. In a move that saw it shake up its supply chain strategy, the leading retailer partnered with Körber to deploy more than 100 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its distribution centre in Melbourne, Australia.…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 5.98
…in deals in July 2021 for use in cleaning, deliveries, farming, and security. Other industries represented in transactions tracked by Robotics 24/7 included defense/military, food preparation, and marine/energy. Merger and acquisition activity picked up, with 26 last month in comparison with seven in June, but only a few involving special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs). There was also one notable failure: the shutdown and sale of Hayward, Calif.-based Abundant Robotics Inc., which was working on apple-harvesting robots. Speaking of mergers and mobile robots, even though no amount was announced, ABB Group's purchase of ASTI Mobile Robotics Group is significant, with the Zurich-based…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.53
…maintain high worker productivity, and meet accuracy and customer delivery requirements. People plus robots “That intersection of how people and robots work together is a hugely important and often-overlooked part of the warehouse automation equation, but it’s where a lot of the unseen value exists,” said Ramoutar. In combination with Fetch's cloud-based software and AMRs, Lucas said its software can redistribute the division of labor in the warehouse. Robots can handle tasks best suited for machines, freeing staffers to focus on higher-level work, said the company. For example, in an picking workflow orchestrated by Lucas, a worker could avoid a…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.23
…will reach $625 billion by 2025, with the same-day delivery market growing to $20 billion by 2027. Founded in 2015, STORD's provides shipping visibility, on-demand scale, and a unified logistics network to more than 500 companies. The company raised $65 million in Series C funding in March and said it is growing revenue 300% year over year. Sean Henry, co-founder and CEO of STORD, replied to the following questions from Robotics 24/7 about his company's partnership with Wilmington, Mass.-based Locus Robotics. In terms of the e-commerce surge, what challenges are your customers currently facing? Henry: Our customers are telling us…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.25
…competitive enterprise. Shipments get sorted, packaged, and loaded for delivery, ultimately making their way to customers. Within these processes, there are many moving parts, and robots can improve the efficiency of many of these functions. Whether they work alongside people or relieve them to do other value-added tasks, tireless robots have matured in the past few years to be an intrinsic part of many logistics operations, from the dock to the destination. What can robots do in modern supply chains? With advances in perception, manipulation, and mobility, groups of robots can increasingly do the heavy lifting in warehouses, fulfillment centers,…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 2.80
…said it offers the added benefit of a nationwide delivery system of some 2900 MSSC-trained instructors and 1900 MSSC-qualified test sites, mostly at high schools and community colleges, as well as 72 technical field representatives in all 50 states. “Given the close fit between these FANUC and MSSC Certifications, we will encourage our entire nationwide network to use both to prepare individuals to build a robust pipeline of world-class robotics operators,” said Neil Reddy, CEO of MSSC. “The digital transformation of manufacturing globally requires the U.S. to build a highly competitive, next-generation, front-line workforce capable of keeping pace with technological…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.63
…that work alongside us and improve our quality of life,” he said. In addition to logistics work like package delivery, bipedal robots eventually will have the intelligence and safety capabilities to help people in their own homes, added Hurst. In a related project, Cassie has become adept at walking up and down stairs without lidar or cameras. Hurst and his colleagues presented a paper on that capability at the Robotics: Science and Systems conference scheduled for July 12 to 16.
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.62
…kitting operations.” AmbiKit can automate product bundling for faster delivery, increasing order accuracy and reducing operating costs, said Ambi Robotics. It added that its new system includes a five-robot line to augment the pick-and-place tasks associated with one of today’s fastest-growing e-commerce opportunities: online subscription boxes. “Retailers and global e-commerce brands are operating in a year-round ‘peak’ season,” stated Jim Liefer, CEO of Ambi Robotics. “In order for high-growth brands to fulfill online orders, companies are deploying AI-powered robotic systems to increase resilience in the supply chain. AmbiKit can immediately improve efficiency by deploying into existing workflows and successfully pick…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 7.72
…of micro-fulfillment centers, mobile robots for indoor use, and delivery drones and robots. Legacy, brick-and-mortar retailers faced shutdowns, staffing shortages, and tightened profit margins during the pandemic, causing many to delay projects and investment in new technologies, said STIQ, which does business as Styleintelligence. At the same time, larger e-commerce players such as Ocado Group PLC and Amazon.com Inc., which had acquired Whole Foods in 2017, experienced rapid growth and sought partnerships with existing grocers. As a matter of perspective, even if e-grocery doubled in size, it grew to only 10% of total grocery revenue, according to industry analysts. As…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 9.93
…customers online. About Instacart and Fabric Instacart provides same-day delivery and pickup services from nearly 55,000 stores across more than 5,500 cities in North America. The company said its delivery service is available to over 85% of U.S. households and 80% of Canadian households. Its enterprise technology also powers the e-commerce platforms of some of the world’s biggest retail players, supporting their websites, applications, and deliveries. Instacart offers an Instacart Express membership that includes reduced service fees and unlimited free delivery on orders over $35. Founded in 2015, Fabric is a retail technology company on a mission to enable on-demand…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.93
…Do the partners envision this information being gathered by delivery vehicles, utility trucks, or autonomous passenger vehicles? Right now, Motional’s autonomous vehicles are being developed as robotaxis for passenger transportation. Those robotaxis will be the vehicles used for energy infrastructure monitoring. What sorts of insights have you gained or are you looking to gain? Motional and Eversource are still evaluating the insights. We look forward to sharing our findings as we continue to collaborate. How would more data benefit municipalities? Is this technology more relevant for suburbs or even rural areas? There many ways this type of data could be…
Found in Robotics News & Content, with a score of 3.16
…that have nothing to do with floor cleaning, like delivery robots and shelf scanning. Our pilots with Walmart on in-store delivery are mostly for restocking to back rooms and stockers. Customers also like to have AMRs pull carts for trash runs. They go to drop zones, drop off and pick up carts. The cloud is also a huge feature for managing fleets of robots. Speaking of fleets, who should manage the different types of AMRs that are emerging? Thomason: Depending who you ask, you'll get different answers. Formant and InOrbit will say there should be a centralized company or software.…