Dexterity Inc. today announced a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Corp. to deploy 1,500 Dexterity-powered robots in warehouses across Japan by 2026. Prior to this agreement, Sumitomo invested in Dexterity through Presidio Ventures Inc., its U.S.-based corporate venture capital arm.
“The full-task robots we have deployed have only increased demand for flexible automation that can operate in existing workflows and infrastructure,” stated Samir Menon, CEO of Dexterity. “Partnering with Sumitomo will accelerate Dexterity’s customers in getting FTE [full-time equivalent] robot systems up and running in their facilities.”
Redwood City, Calif.-based Dexterity offers robots for logistics, warehouse, and supply chain customers. The company said its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform equips robots with the vision, sense of touch, and intelligence to multi-task, handle complicated goods, and achieve beyond-human throughput in repetitive tasks.
Dexterity expands robot capabilities
Dexterity claimed that it solves labor shortages by delegating material handling tasks such as sortation, palletizing, and fulfillment so employees can focus on higher-level, cognitive work. The company’s full-stack systems are in production 24/7 with a support and performance guarantee. Dexterity said its robots excel in existing infrastructure with unpredictable environments.
Dexterity said its intelligence platform provides machine learning-enforced capabilities to automate tasks that were previously out of reach for robots. It can help them build multi-SKU pallets on the fly, singulate and induct messy flows of parcels and bags, and pick and pack easily damaged items like bread and cake, said the company.
To date, Dexterity’s engineers have developed, tested, and overseen the installation of all its robots, resulting in more than 40 million goods picked in production at warehouses across the U.S. It offers them through a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model.
The company raised $140 million in Series B funding a year ago, and it recently partnered with supply chain systems provider Dematic to expand deployments in North America and Europe.
Sumitomo to aid Japanese expansion
The exclusive distribution agreement with Sumitomo, a Japan-based Fortune 500 multinational, will enable Dexterity to offer its RaaS business to Japanese warehouses. The companies said their partnership will expand access to full-task robots in Japan and ensure that these systems will fit within existing workflows.
Sumitomo will also work with Dexterity to open a demonstration facility in Japan in October 2022. The company said the facility will show Japanese supply chain leaders how inbound and outbound materials at a warehouse can be connected with intelligent robots.
Sumitomo plans to deploy Dexterity’s parcel singulation and induction system with its first Japanese customer by the first quarter of 2023.
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