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The meteoric rise of e-commerce has continued to challenge supply chains to keep prices low while also meeting consumer expectations of same-day or next-day delivery. Warehouse operators are increasingly investing in automation—specifically, autonomous mobile robots or AMRs. Global e-commerce sales have increased 26.7% year over year, from $3.3 trillion in 2019 to $4.8 trillion in 2021, according to market observers.…
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Inventory control at the warehouse level is simple, right? You just need to follow warehouse management system processes, set some minimum SKU levels, and be diligent about scan verifications to track consumption. While that worked 20 years ago, in today’s world, with automated systems to store inventory, you may need a warehouse execution system or WES. Forget global supply chain…
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Fully autonomous lift trucks aren’t in that many DCs just yet, but they are seen as a high-growth solution given issues like labor shortages and escalating fulfillment pressures. It’s estimated by research firm Interact Analysis that approximately 10,800 robotic lift trucks shipped globally in 2021, or about 0.6% of the total lift truck market. Still, the day may come when…
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In that same report, CBRE states that the average cost to return a $50 item is as much as 66% of the original sales price – up from 59% in 2020. That means greater pressure on already-thin profit margins and the risk that a successful, if challenging, peak season grows less successful over time. For sellers, that means time is…
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Supply chain adoption of automation is continuing to accelerate. Berkshire Grey Inc. yesterday announced that it has received $14 million in new orders since November 2021. The company said the orders include $8 million from new customers and $6 million of follow-on orders from its anchor accounts. “We continue to demonstrate strong commercial momentum with these new orders,” stated Tom…
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It’s been dubbed “The Great Resignation.” Workers across the country are leaving their jobs in record numbers to pursue higher pay, better working conditions, and other career opportunities. A whopping 38 million workers called it quits by the end of 2021—some even leaving the workforce altogether due to concerns or constraints around COVID-19. Now it’s up to employers to address…
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Lidar makers are in the midst of a funding growth spurt. Growth Capital Acquisition Corp. last week announced that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, declared effective its Form S-4 registration statement. The statement includes a definitive proxy statement in connection with a special shareholder meeting to consider a proposed business combination with lidar provider Cepton Technologies Inc.…
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While Boston Dynamics Inc. is best known for videos of its legged robots, the company has continued to pursue commercial applications. DHL Supply Chain last week announced that it is investing $15 million in robots from Boston Dynamics to further automate its North American warehouses. According to their multiyear agreement, the companies will start with Stretch, a robot designed for…
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Much of North America's freight travels by tractor-trailer truck on highways, but the addition of autonomy, modularity, and electrification to locomotives could give the older transportation mode new life. Parallel Systems last week came out of stealth and announced that it has raised $49.55 million in its Series A round. The Culver City, Calif.-based startup said it plans to use…
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While the hardware for collaborative robots, industrial automation, and mobile robots may not yet be commoditized, suppliers increasingly say that software and data are major differentiators. There is also a lot of hype around artificial intelligence, so it’s important to understand what robots are actually capable of doing right now. The ways in which robots navigate dynamic environments, identify and…
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While autonomous and semi-autonomous warehouse systems may not yet be commoditized, their ability to make the most of scarce labor is increasingly valuable. Phantom Auto this week announced that it has received $42 million in funding, as well as purchase orders from logistics providers ArcBest and NFI Industries for thousands of its Phantom-powered forklifts in the coming years. “We have…
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Cyngn Inc. and Columbia Vehicle Group yesterday announced that they have begun producing self-driving Columbia Stockchasers using Cyngn's Enterprise Autonomy software. The companies said their growing fleet will make autonomous industrial vehicles available to more customers. “Customers have been looking for ways to automate their workflows for years, and we believe that the time is right to bring self-driving capabilities…
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Photoneo is a leading provider of robotic vision and intelligence. Based on a patented 3D technology, the company said it has developed a high-resolution, high-accuracy 3D camera to unlock the full potential of powerful, reliable, and fast machine learning, as well as to reduce training and deployment time. By bringing intelligent robots into the field, Photoneo helps companies in the…
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The calendar may have flipped to 2022 but, seasonality aside, the same supply chain challenges remain. Whether you’re struggling to increase operational efficiency, offset warehouse labor shortages, enhance the experience for your customers (whether you are a retailer or 3PL), or reduce risk through improved resiliency of your supply chain operations, we talked (or wrote) about it. To help guide…
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Supply chain disruptions have increased demand for automation, and warehouse robot providers are busy scaling up to meet that demand. Exotec Solutions today announced $335 million in Series D funding, bringing its valuation to $2 billion. The Lille, France-based company said it plans to use the funding for large deployments worldwide and to hire 500 engineers by 2025 to accelerate…
Ultrasonic sensing enhances robotics perception
Cybernetix Ventures’ event kicks off Robotics Tech Week 2026 slate of events
Preview the manufacturing and warehouse components that will be on the…
Preview the manufacturing and warehouse robots and software that will be on…
