Sereact
CEVA Logistics deployed Sereact's systems to handle return logistics at two Zalando fulfillment centers in Europe.
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Sereact
CEVA Logistics deployed Sereact's systems to handle return logistics at two Zalando fulfillment centers in Europe.
Sereact, Zalando and CEVA Logistics announced the launch of AI-powered automated returns processing across fulfillment facilities in Germany (Greven) and Poland (Świebodzin).
Sereact said that the deployment is powered by Cortex, the company’s physical AI platform, which enables the dual-arm robotic systems to autonomously process returned fashion items.
The company said that this marks the initial phase of a broader initiative to scale returns automation across Europe.
Sereact said that returns management remains one of the most complex operations in fashion e-commerce logistics. The company said that because returned items often arrive poorly packed and disheveled, it creates a uniqueness that defies conventional robotic pre-programming.
Sereact said that its Cortex platform groups previously unseen objects - identifying, grasping and sorting items dynamically - without requiring article-specific training or predetermined article sets.
“One of the toughest challenges is returns handling, due to its extreme operational nature and scale, unpredictable volumes, manual quality checks, seasonality, value decay and a disproportionately high cost per unit,” said Chris Walton, SVP, Contract Logistics, at CEVA Logistics. “Our Robotics-as-a-Service model classifies items faster, reduces manual touchpoints, and delivers consistent, predictable quality on a large scale. For our customers, this transforms returns from a cost driver into a controlled, high-performance service.”
In July 2026, Zalando joined Sereact’s Series B round as a strategic investor, and the partners are actively collaborating to scale intelligent automation across their shared European logistics footprint.
“At the heart of our collaboration with Sereact and CEVA is a fundamental belief: true innovation happens when technology and human potential advance together,” said Masood Choudhry, SVP, Logistics, at Zalando. “By solving the most complex challenges in modern fulfilment today, we are actively shaping the future of e-commerce logistics for fashion and lifestyle.”
Sereact said that its technology is designed to work alongside humans. By taking on highly repetitive handling, the company said that its robotic system reduces physical strain on employees, allowing them to upskill into higher-value roles where human expertise and judgement are required.
“Returns are the hardest manipulation problem in fashion logistics,” said Dr. Ralf Gulde, co-founder and CEO of Sereact. “If a system only works on articles it has seen before, it does not work in a returns operation at all. Running this in production with CEVA at Zalando volumes is the strongest proof point we have.”
In July 2026, Sereact announced that it was scaling AI-powered robotics deployments with Arvato across three sites in Europe and the U.S.
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