Jungheinrich, Automha enter strategic partnership

Jungheinrich and Italian warehouse automation and intralogistics specialist Automha, a Comau company, announced a strategic partnership.

Together, the two companies said that they have developed a two-way pallet shuttle for high-density pallet storage.

Shuttle technology gains importance

The companies said that the new platform combines Automha's shuttle experience with Jungheinrich's strengths in system integration, software and lifecycle services. The aim is to provide companies with an economically viable entry point into warehouse automation while creating a development path toward more advanced automation in existing facilities.

Automha and Jungheinrich said that many companies face the challenge of increasing material flow performance without fundamentally modifying existing buildings or infrastructure. At the same time, requirements for space utilization, productivity and process reliability continue to grow.

The companies said that shuttle systems address these challenges and are therefore becoming increasingly important. Jungheinrich said that the two-way shuttle jointly developed with Automha, the UP-Carrier GTJ, is designed to meet these needs.

The companies said that UP-Carrier GTJ has been specifically developed as an entry point into warehouse automation. It can be integrated into existing warehouse environments and increases storage density without requiring major structural changes.

Automha and Jungheinrich said that initially, pallet transport will continue to be handled by industrial trucks. As operational requirements evolve and automation levels increase, the companies said transport processes can subsequently be automated, creating a clear migration path from manually supported operations to a fully automated material flow.

From brownfield warehouses to integrated automation

The companies said that the strategic significance of their partnership extends far beyond the shuttle itself. Through the close collaboration between Automha and Jungheinrich, the companies said that their customers benefit from an offering in which shuttle technology, racking systems, conveying technology, software integration and service are optimally coordinated.

Automha and Jungheinrich said that this enables projects to be planned more quickly, implemented more efficiently and supported throughout their entire lifecycle by a single partner.

"Not every company begins its automation journey with a fully automated warehouse," said Dr. Tobias Harzer, chief automation officer at Jungheinrich. "What matters is a development path that leverages existing infrastructure while opening the door to further automation. With this solution, customers can start where they are today, gradually develop their material flows and align investments with the growth of their business."

The companies added that the platform can be integrated into existing IT and warehouse environments and, if required, expanded with additional automation technologies such as Jungheinrich Mobile Robots. With this offering, Jungheinrich said that it has expanded its shuttle portfolio with an offering that provides an economical entry into automation while supporting customers across different stages of warehouse development, from existing warehouses to fully automated, high-density pallet storage systems.

Strategic addition to the shuttle portfolio

Jungheinrich said that its cooperation with Automha forms part of the company’s technology-agnostic integration approach. Depending on customer requirements, Jungheinrich said that it combines its own technologies with selected partner offerings to create end-to-end automation systems.

While four-way shuttles, such as those offered by partner Movu Robotics, are primarily deployed in fully automated high-performance pallet warehouses, the offering developed together with Automha addresses applications in existing warehouse environments and customers seeking a gradual entry into automation. The shuttle was developed from concept to market readiness within nine months, and is already deployed in more than 200 projects across over 25 countries.

"This partnership demonstrates how specialized shuttle technology and global integration expertise complement each other," said Gianni Togni, VP, sales and marketing, Automha. "Together, we are creating solutions that enable companies to modernize their warehouses in a targeted way and make more efficient use of their existing infrastructure.“

With Automha, Jungheinrich said that it further strengthens its position as a system integrator supporting customers throughout their entire automation journey, from the first automation step in brownfield warehouses to fully integrated material flow systems.