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…to concerns or constraints around COVID-19. Now it’s up to employers to address the labor shortages. Some industries are feeling the strain more than others, particularly those that faced hiring and retention challenges long before the current wave of “quits.” This includes the warehousing and distribution sector. Why the growing labor shortage? The older generation of warehouse workers is gradually…
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…ecosystems. The disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting hit to the economy have underscored the need for greater resilience and efficiency. We all know that long supply chains sacrifice agility for price, and the pandemic showed us that many companies had pursued low costs to their detriment and risk of a lack of adaptability. Supply chain managers may…
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…warehouses are still manual. The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced demand in e-commerce among Caja Robotics' customers. They realized they need to grow exponentially.” Hanna Yanovsky, CRO & EVP, Caja Robotics “Then there's the 'Amazon effect,' as the industry pioneer acquired Kiva Systems in 2012 and helped create a category and expectations,” she told Robotics 24/7. “People now expect same-day delivery, and…
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…in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the demand for robot flexibility is changing and growing. Warehouse and distribution center operators face challenges retaining workers, and end-of-line tasks such as palletization can cause strain and are costly, according to gripper maker OnRobot. The company said its latest grippers meet the need for easier-to-use robots. “Safety was the initial consideration…
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…network Raising money during the COVID-19 pandemic can be challenging for robotics startups, with meetings curtailed and many companies chasing e-commerce order fulfillment. Fortunately, Plus One could rely on its experience and network of contacts. “Plus One has been around for a while—since 2016, with a seed round in 2017,” recalled Nieves. “We've had benefit of investors watching us for…
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…why injuries are increasing, and COVID-19 as increased pressure for worker safety.” “There are a lot of players in this market, but it's a fragmented industry, including telematics,” he noted. “In automotive and trucking, autonomy is huge, but in offroad or industrial mobility, it's just starting to grow.” “Since we came out of stealth, our revenue has more than doubled…
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…For example, during the current COVID-19 crisis, many of our customers have seen unanticipated peaks as the demand on ecommerce spiked. They were able to rapidly add additional Chucks and temporary labor to adjust for this demand, far more quickly than otherwise possible. And in some cases, they picked up and moved Chucks across their different facilities to support regional…
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…and labor challenges around the COVID-19 pandemic affected interest in Vecna's systems? Are there any that are in particular demand? Malloy: With the lockdowns in April 2020, the company had time to hone its offerings. We couldn't get into warehouses, and there was an acceleration of need combined with a good product-market fit. It was not just a technical problem…
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…responds to e-commerce shifts The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that the traditional supply chain is not sufficiently responsive to consumer behavior, according to Attabotics. Busineses need to integrate AI for transparency, predictive analytics, and network optimization, it said. “Materials handling was pretty old-school, with lots of conveyance and telemetry reporting used very reactively,” said Mark Dickinson, vice president of software…
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…programmed from a tablet.” “When COVID-19 hit, we had just gone into the market, and hospitals couldn't take in new automation,” recalled Isaksson. “We went out to one hospital, and after one hour, flowbot ONE could be used. Then there was the realization that it was so simple—three people could do the job instead of five people, and microbiologists were…
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…humans in the loop Despite COVID-19 and economic worries, supply chain snafus and worker shortages have helped companies understand the value of automation, said Kiva Allgood, president and CEO of Sarcos. “The pandemic has been an accelerant for robotics, as companies have had to rewrite their standard operating procedures or SOPs,” she told Robotics 24/7. “Companies are desperate for new…
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…accelerated e-commerce demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, MassRobotics, a consortium dedicated to growing the Massachusetts robotics ecosystem, launched the AMR Interoperability Working Group. Its stated goal was to “improve the use and adoption of autonomous mobile robots” by enabling different robots from different vendors to share status information so they work together more efficiently. “The ability to have…
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…because of trade conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and rapid innovation,” said Stephen Graham, president of metrology and production software at Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division. “For example, electrification is changing the automotive industry. Companies need faster time to market in the face of new entrants like Tesla.” Manufacturers can use the new platform to equip greenfield factories or retrofit existing production…
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…of e-commerce demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in groceries, has been well-documented, but the growing use of automation isn't as straightforward, finds a recent study. “E-Grocery Infrastructure 2021” from London-based STIQ Ltd. examines the growing pains around the adoption of micro-fulfillment centers, mobile robots for indoor use, and delivery drones and robots. Legacy, brick-and-mortar retailers faced shutdowns, staffing shortages,…
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…than safety Trade conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic, and recent geopolitical problems have affected parts availability, but Dextrous Robotics was able to work around it, said Drumwright. “While some suppliers said it would take 40 weeks to get a part, it just entailed us to pay attention to longer lead times,” he said. “That was an issue on a vanshingly small…
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