Brightpick releases Giraffe robot with 20-foot (6-meter) reach for the warehouse

Brightpick, a provider of warehouse automation offerings for order fulfillment, has unveiled Brightpick Giraffe, a robot capable of reaching heights up to 20 feet (6 m).

With this advancement, Brightpick said its users can now achieve up to three times the warehouse storage density of manual operations and double the density compared to the previous Brightpick offering.

Giraffe will work alongside Autopicker

Brightpick Giraffe is designed to work alongside Brightpick Autopicker robots for automated order picking. It retrieves storage totes from upper-level shelf locations and delivers them to lower levels, where an Autopicker can access them for picking (up to a height of 11 feet / 3.4 m). After the pick is completed, Giraffe returns the product tote to its original upper-level storage location.

This system maximizes both density and throughput by storing slower-moving items on upper levels (accessible to Giraffes) and fast-moving products within easy reach of Autopickers on lower levels. In a typical setup, the system will include one Giraffe for five Autopickers, which Brightpick said creates an optimal balance between cost, density and performance. Beyond their primary tote retrieval function, Giraffes can also handle inventory replenishment and order picking using goods-to-person stations.

“Brightpick has always excelled at providing high throughput and maximum labor savings at a competitive price,” said Jan Zizka, CEO of Brightpick. “Now, with Giraffe, we deliver these same benefits as well as improved warehouse space utilization through expanded storage density.”

The Brightpick Giraffe features a telescopic lift that retracts during travel, reducing its height to 8.5 feet (2.6 m). The company said this design ensures easy deployment in warehouses, as each robot arrives pre-assembled, enabling customers to add Giraffes to their fleet with minimal installation time and effort.

Multiple U.S. installations planned for 2025

Two U.S. companies are set to deploy Brightpick Giraffe in 2025.

E-commerce retailer The Feed is an existing Brightpick customer currently operating 48 Autopickers at its Colorado fulfillment center. The Feed will expand its system with an additional 25 Autopickers and 6 Giraffes, which Brightpick said will boost throughput by 50% to 75,000 picks per day - and double storage capacity.

The second customer is McGuff Company Inc., a family- and veteran-owned medical wholesale business established in 1972. McGuff’s catalog features medical products - including injectable medications - and services that support a diverse range of healthcare customers worldwide. McGuff will deploy 12 Autopickers and 4 Giraffes at its California warehouse. This integrated system will enable a throughput of more than 850 picks per hour, which Brightpick said will ensure precise handling and faster fulfillment of critical medical products.

Brightpick will demonstrate a Giraffe prototype during LogiMAT 2025 (March 11-13) in Stuttgart, Germany.