GXO Logistics Signs Global Agreement With 6 River Systems to Expand Robotics Use

GXO more than tripled its use of collaborative mobile robots last year, and it plans to add hundreds more this year and beyond.

6 River Systems


The Chuck mobile robot is designed to work with warehouse staffers.
GXO Logistics plans to add hundreds of Chuck collaborative mobile robots from 6 River Systems to its operations in the U.S. and Europe as it

Collaborative mobile robot, or CMR, fleets are growing rapidly. GXO Logistics Inc. today announced that it has made a multi-year agreement with 6 River Systems Inc. to expand its use of CMRs in its contract logistics operations in the U.S. and Europe.

“6 River Systems’ Chucks provide a huge boost to the retention of our team members and deliver a substantial sustained increase in operational productivity,” stated Sandeep Sakharkar, chief information officer at GXO. “This agreement fortifies our long-term partnership with 6RS, ensuring rapid deployment of popular productivity-enhancing warehouse collaborative robots that give our customers a competitive advantage.”

Greenwich, Conn.-based GXO Logistics claimed that it is the world’s largest pure-play contract logistics provider. It has about 120,000 team members across more than 900 facilities totaling approximately 200 million sq. ft. The company said it “partners with the world’s leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and e-commerce solutions, at scale and with speed.”

GXO quickly scales up robot fleet

GXO said it is rapidly expanding its use of technology to meet demand for outsourcing logistics from current and new customers, with hundreds of more robots planned.

Along with productivity improvements, the company said its use of innovative technology helps with employee recruitment by creating a safer and more engaging workplace.

The Chuck robots can help reduce training time for new team members by as much as 80%, said GXO. The collaborative mobile robots use sensors to navigate and are capable of operating in multi-tier installations, directing employees to the correct inventory on multiple levels, processing more goods and maximizing available space.

They also reduce walking distances for employees and speed operations such as stocking, picking, and sorting items, according to Waltham, Mass.-based 6 River Systems.

“Our extended partnership with GXO proves that our wall-to-wall fulfillment solutions provide our customers with the ability to scale their global operations,” said Rylan Hamilton, co-founder and co-CEO at 6 River Systems.

“In less than five years, GXO has been able to utilize 6 River Systems innovations to address some of their biggest opportunities and create a trusted fulfillment ecosystem for their customers,” he added. “We look forward to delivering great business outcomes to GXO with this new phase of our strategic partnership.”

Logistics automation keeps growing 

The global market for logistics robots could expand from $2.8 billion in 2020 to $10.8 billion by 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.94%, according to Research and Markets.

The research firm attributed the growth to e-commerce demand and cited North America as a leading region. However, it also noted expense and COVID-19 constraints as challenges.

Peerless Research Group (a sibling organization to Robotics 24/7) found that many logistics businesses are just beginning to automate and that most expect to add robotics in the near future for applications such as picking, sorting, and case/tote transport.

Picking with Chuck, 6 River Systems' autonomous mobile robot (AMR), is system directed to maximize efficiency. Setting up order totes on Chuck is fast with a simple barcode scan to get the picking process started quickly. Chuck's interface directs associates to each pick location in the most optimal path. With put-to-light technology, Chuck tells you exactly what item to be picked and where to place it on Chuck. Dynamic zoning also ensures pickers don't cross paths between picks and reduces the amount of time between handoffs.

Email Sign Up

Get news, papers, media and research delivered
Stay up-to-date with news and resources you need to do your job. Research industry trends, compare companies and get market intelligence every week with Robotics 24/7. Subscribe to our robotics user email newsletter and we'll keep you informed and up-to-date.

6 River Systems

The Chuck mobile robot is designed to work with warehouse staffers.


Robot Technologies