Robotics 247 Jan23

SPECIAL FOCUS ISSUE
JANUARY 2023
How to Make Supply

Chains More Robust
with Robotics
CONTENTS EDITOR’S NOTE
W
Automation Continues to Play a Key Role in Helping Businesses ith a new year
Build Resilient Supply Chains comes new
AMRs, robot arms, and automated storage can increase flexibility. reasons to
Logistics Robots and AI Realize Visions of a More Robust adopt or add automa-
Warehouse Ecosystem tion. We’ve already seen
Here are examples of how to optimize warehouse operations with robots. supply chain disruptions
from trade conflict, a global pandemic,
FORTNA Robotics Head Discusses How Automation Can Help and even a ship stuck in the Suez
Handle Holiday Demand Canal. More recently, industry observ-
Now’s the time to identify applications and partners, says Stephen Dryer. ers have cited chronic labor shortages
Hawesko and IWL Build Agile Fulfillment With Mobile Robots and inflationary pressures as reasons
A leading German wine retailer implemented robots to optimize picking. for robotics. What will 2023 bring?
The bottom line is that warehous-
Tecsys Partners With SVT Robotics to Deliver Warehouse
es and factories need to maximize
Management and Robotics Integration
efficiency. We’ve heard “resilience” as
Tecsys’ Elite software includes plug-and-play connectivity.
a potential benefit more and more,
OMRON Opens New Automation Center in Singapore, Uses Open thanks to scalable fleets of mobile
Robotics’ RMF Interoperability Standard robots and software that can provide
OMRON has opened five other automation centers in Asia-Pacific. greater visibility into operations.
FORTNA Emerges From MHS Global and Fortna Merger Businesses producing everything
for Materials Handling Automation, Integration from electronics to groceries have
Company said it’s a leader in omnichannel and parcel distribution systems. moved from evaluating to deploying
robots. However, they should still
Gap Inc. Includes Automation in New Texas Facility to Execute
examine their processes, existing
on E-Commerce Strategy
workforce, and prospective partners
New Customer Experience Center to serve the Southwest.
and suppliers with care.
How Smart Software Can Reduce Logistics Challenges in Robotics This Special Focus Issue looks at
There are benefits to connecting mobile robots through orchestration. examples of supply chains building
Reshoring Is at Risk From Global ‘Education Gap’ in Automation, flexibility with robotics. It may be
Finds ABB Survey early days for reshoring production,
Eight in 10 education pros say robots will shape employment. but robots and machine learning are
increasingly designed to be easy to
Robust.AI Unveils Software Suite, Hardware Product
integrate with enterprise systems —
The company also developed a concept autonomous mobile robot.
and one another.
ARM Institute Awarded American Rescue Act Grants
to Help U.S. Manufacturing Be More Resilient Eugene Demaitre, Editorial Director
Institute to use federal funding to bolster U.S. industry. Comments? E-mail me at
edemaitre@peerlessmedia.com
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ccontreras@peerlessmedia.com COVER PHOTO: OSARO
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robotics247.com SPECIAL FOCUS ISSUE

Learn
more!
AMRs address
the challenges
in today’s
warehouse
If labor shortages or elevated demand are

negatively impacting your warehouse fulfilment,
then you’re likely thinking about Autonomous
Mobile Robots (AMRs). With so many AMR choices
available, it can be hard to understand which ones
present the best fit for your organization’s unique
situation. You therefore need partner with a
holistic approach and significant experience
in both software and automation.
That partner is Körber.
We would not be able to keep up with The Körber and Ariat partnership is focused
volume, without the addition of the around teamwork. Especially as one of our
robots.” core values, we couldn’t be happier to have
Körber as a partner. They’re focused on how
Theron Neese
we both grow together and how we make each
Chief Supply Chain Officer
other better and that is invaluable.”
Alyssa Brainard
Read the case study: Project Manager
https://tinyurl.com/7msc8dcb
Read the case study:
https://tinyurl.com/552absdp
SUPPLY CHAIN AUTOMATION
Automation Continues to Play

a Key Role in Helping Businesses Build
Resilient Supply Chains
OSARO offers robotic systems for bagging, induction, and piece picking. Source: OSARO
From AMRs and AGVs to robotic arms and automated

storage and retrieval systems, automation is helping
to increase flexibility and throughput.
BY CESAREO CONTRERAS
O
perators are turning to driven by the COVID-19 pan- Now, they are looking to have
robotics to help transi- demic. With disruptions to the more parts on hand in cases of
tion away from just-in- global supply chain, many manu- disruptions and to plan ahead.
time inventory manage- facturers and distributors strug- Robotics suppliers said they
ment practices to more gled to find adequate compo- can provide customers with
flexible supply chain operations. nents, particularly in automotive greater tools that allow for more
Part of the move has been and electronics. efficient onsite management and

taking “a data-first approach to

their supply chains,” he added.
Robotics firms partner up to

satisfy U.S., global demands
To help meet automation de-
mands as companies move
production closer to home, they
have formed local partnerships
with systems integrators.
Addverb Technologies and
McMurray Stern in Novem-
ber announced that they are
working together to expand
Addverb’s market efforts in the
U.S. McMurray, a warehouse
predictive data analytics. structure,” the company said automation systems contractor,
For example, Attabotics in a recent release announcing will begin to sell Addverb’s range
claimed that its products can the newest version of its of robots, including the Multi-
help companies reduce their Attabot. “Inside the structure, Pro mother-child pallet shuttle,
warehouse space requirements robotic shuttles move in three- the Zippy guided sortation robot,
by 85%. The company makes dimensional space to store and the Quadron carton shuttle, and
automated storage and retrieval deliver goods to workers on the the Dynamo autonomous mobile
systems (ASRS) that allow cus- perimeter that pick, pack, and robot.
tomers to better take advantage ship modern commerce orders.” Noida, India-based Addverb
of vertical space. Murphy said Attabotics’ opened U.S. offices in Irvine,
“This allows retailers to move system also addresses labor Calif., in September. In addition,
their facilities to higher-density challenges and increases effi- the company opened a robotics
urban areas, usually your more ciency using software and data. research and development center
expensive real estate, and get- The company has partnered with in Fremont, Calif.
ting that product closer to the AltaML and the Alberta Machine Luke Lee, Addverb’s mar-
consumer and reducing last-mile Intelligence Institute to better keting head of America, told
shipping,” Sean Murphy, director take advantage of AI and ma- Robotics 24/7 the company chose
of innovation at Attabotics, told chine learning. Using these and to partner with McMurray Stern
Robotics 24/7. Internet of Things (IoT) technol- because of its experience in the
The Attabotics System is ogies, the company said it can industrial automation market
made up of Attabots, small help customers better track and and “deep understanding of the
shuttle robots that can move bins optimize their inventory. storage needs in warehouses.”
up 16 in. in height and 100 lb. in “The just-in-time method of “We are bringing partners
payload capacity. supply chain suffered the most,” along to leverage their relation-
“Attabotics’ scalable micro- Murphy said. “Customers now ships, and they leverage our
fulfillment system condenses have to think strategically about unique manufacturing capabil-
traditional warehouse aisles what they stock ahead of time.” ities and robots,” he said.
into a single, vertical storage Customers are increasingly SVT Robotics and OSARO

tions director of applications at

Bastian Solutions, explained the
benefits of enabling various types
of automated systems in a facility
to communicate and interact
with one another.
“By integrating piece-picking
robots with the back end of an
ASRS, experienced integrators
can turn a goods-to-person
(GTP) system into a highly
efficient goods-to-robot (GTR)
system,” he wrote. “This fully
automated solution can improve
the speed and flexibility of
custom order fulfillment while
simultaneously reducing the
amount of labor associated with
Inc. also recently announced ment at Zenni Optical’s e-com- order picking.”
that they had formed a part- merce distribution operations “In today’s environment, this
nership. SVT Robotics makes in Novato, Calif.,” the company allows end users to allocate their
SOFTBOT, a robotics platform said. “Each system includes a workforce to more value-added
designed to help people install FANUC robot arm, a Pregis services and improve job sat-
robots in their facilities. OSA- automated bagging system, and is isfaction and retention,” noted
RO makes robotic piece-picking installed with automation exper- Kohler. •
systems designed for e-com- tise from NPSG Global.”
merce markets. In a column published in Cesareo Contreras is associate
In a release announcing the Robotics 24/7, Matt Kohler, solu- editor at Robotics 24/7.
program, OSARO said it and
SVT have worked together to
deliver better products to cus-
tomers.
SVT has joined OSARO’s
new Partner Alliance program,
which the company said it
formed to “optimize every stage
of a customer’s purchasing and
deployment process.”
Founding members of the
program include FANUC Ameri-
ca, Pregis, and NSPG Global.
The value of collaboration

“OSARO is currently deploying
its OSARO Robotic Bagging
Systems in a production environ-

THE ULTIMATE ROBOTICS RESOURCE
dedicated to real-world applications from
the entire robotics ecosystem.
Robotics247.com
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / WAREHOUSE
Logistics Robots and AI Realize Visions

of a More Robust Warehouse Ecosystem
Here are examples of how warehouses and distribution centers
worked with technology providers to optimize their operations.
BY JIM ROMEO
velopment of smarter and more

capable robots to move goods.
Logistics robot ecosystem builds

While some warehouses have au-
tomated, plenty still have not, ac-
cording to research conducted by
M14 Intelligence on the future
of robotics in the warehouse.
“More than 80% of the ware-
houses today have no automation
whatsoever,” stated the analyst
firm in mid-2021. “However,
since last decade, about 15% of
the warehouses are being mech-
anized, while only 5% are using
HAI Robotics provided sophisticated automation equip-
100 robots to WINIT’s ment and solutions. This brings
warehouse in the U.K.
Source: HAI Robotics immense market opportunities
for the companies in the ware-
housing automation ecosystem.”
WINIT is a Shanghai-based, 50,000 pieces daily, said the M14 went on to say that it
cross-border warehouse operator. company. expected the market for ware-
It has deployed about 100 robots Such gains are becoming house automation to grow by a
in one of its facilities in Birming- more common as more ware- factor of 1.5 by 2025 and that
ham, U.K. The logistics robots houses and logistics settings it could reach $37.6 billion by
move around the 30,000-sq.-ft. adopt automation. Along with 2030. The report calculated the
warehouse without any confu- e-commerce fulfillment centers compound annual growth rate
sion, helping workers pick and and huge distribution centers, (CAGR) between 2021 and 2030
sort goods. warehouses are busier than to be about 10%.
The HAIPICK A42 systems ever since the height of the “The adoption of autonomous
from HAI Robotics helped im- COVID-19 pandemic. mobile robots (AMRs), technol-
prove the efficiency with which As the tempo of e-commerce ogy that eliminates significant
goods are handled by nearly increases, so has demand for nonproductive walking time in
fourfold compared with manual supply chain efficiency and warehouses, has progressed from
work. The robots handle nearly resilience. This is driving the de- early-stage pilots about four years

C-StoreMaster said Geek+’s technology has helped improve

picking accuracy to 99.99% at its facility in Huntsville, Ala.
Source: Geek+
ago to multiple at-scale deploy- created 30 jobs as C-StoreMaster In the warehouse design pro-
ments today,” noted McKinsey rapidly expands its distribution cess, C-StoreMaster was vigilant
& Co. in an article about omni- network. of employees and their routines
channel solutions. “The applica- “To bring the first multi-level within the warehouse. The robots
tion of robotics and all its accom- shuttle system of its kind in the needed to eliminate the need to
panying technology is soaring.” country to Huntsville is a great walk long distances or lift heavy
accomplishment for our team,” goods for order fulfillment.
Geek+ robots work in stated Sharan Kalva, president of Freed from having to walk
C-StoreMaster warehouse C-StoreMaster. “Innovation has miles per day, workers can now
C-StoreMaster specializes in always been at the forefront of enjoy amenities in the new
tobacco and beverage products, our business, and with this new facility including a workout area,
servicing more than 4,500 inde- warehouse, C-StoreMaster is set a pool table, a air hockey table,
pendent convenience stores and up for success for years to come.” and a track.
over 6,000 chain stores through- C-StoreMaster partnered
out the U.S. The company with Geek+ to incorporate three AI provides the brains
recently opened a 130,000-sq.-ft. automation technologies in of the operation
automated distribution center in its new warehouse, improving Not only are different types of
Huntsville, Ala. picking accuracy to 99.99%. logistics robots with disruptive
The warehouse is outfitted The company has tripled to capabilities coming to market,
with more than 82 robots from quadrupled its picking pro- but they are also being designed
GeekPlus Technology Co., which ductivity, according to Rick to be easier to use. In some
specializes in smart logistics. DeFiesta, executive vice cases, supply chain automation is
Though the robots do much of president of sales and solutions almost self-serve.
the work, the new center has at Beijing-based Geek+. The software powering logis-

fering allows customers to coor-

dinate the operations of anything
mobile, said Cogniteam and
634AI. This includes real-time
safety alerts for human-driven
vehicles or navigating AMR fleets
through busy warehouses.
Translating a vision
with logistics robots
The addition of logistics robots
will be instrumental to the suc-
cess of many corporate strategies
in the near term, particularly for
retailers, according to McKinsey.
“Automation capabilities will
play an influential role in the
future size and scale of omni-
tics robots increasingly involves prietary, AI-powered, centralized channel networks,” it said. “To
complex algorithms to perform “control tower” that harmonizes successfully navigate the many
very precise tasks. The develop- indoor operations. The Kfar choices for automation, retailers
ment of artificial intelligence can Saba, Israel-based company said must have an informed perspec-
be quite challenging, but it can MAESTRO is part of its infor- tive on where automation can
help robotics hardware adapt to mation management-as-a-service create value, reduce risk, and
unique warehouse environments (IMaaS) offering, which allows improve reliability across an
and functions. After all, no two for administration of essential increasingly complex network of
facilities are identical, even with- operational infrastructure. fulfillment nodes.”
in a brand. By effectively managing the “Retailers should then use
Recently, Cogniteam part- delivery of services and data a three-step process—strategy,
nered with 634AI to further de- with AMRs and AI, respectively, design, and implementation—to
velop robotics AI and operational warehouse operators can improve translate their vision into an
software. Cogniteam’s Nimbus is their safety and productivity, said optimal automated warehouse,”
a drag-and-drop platform to de- 634AI. Cogniteam and 634AI McKinsey said.
velop, analyze, and manage robot said the combination of their “Lights-out” or fully automat-
fleets in real time. technologies is suitable for logis- ed warehouses are still a ways
Nimbus contains a library of tics applications where the role off. Developers, integrators,
algorithms that enable robots to of robots varies. and users should keep the idea
map, navigate, and make de- Nimbus helps expedite of translating their visions into
cisions autonomously, said the robot operations by supplying optimal automated warehouses
Petah Tikva, Israel-based compa- an ecosystem for development, in mind as robots continue to
ny. The platform’s plug-and-play deployment, and management spread and offer more robust
feature allows operators to au- with cloud connectivity. It melds operations. •
to-configure the AI and expedite well with MAESTRO, which is
the time to using it in AMRs. targeted at transforming industri- Jim Romeo is a freelance writer
634AI, a subsidiary of SIXAI, al spaces, claimed the partners. and contributor to Robotics 24/7
developed MAESTRO, a pro- The unified and modular of- based in Chesapeake, Va.

AUTOMATION / OMNICHANNEL FULFILLMENT
FORTNA Robotics Head Discusses How Automation

Can Help Handle Holiday Demand
Even if warehouses hadn’t automated for the recent
holiday rush, they should start identifying applications
and partners now, says Stephen Dryer.
BY EUGENE DEMAITRE
A
fter Black Friday
and Cyber Monday
comes the rush for
holiday shipping.
Automation offers fast and
accurate e-commerce order
fulfillment. Flexibility and
addressing customer needs
are key characteristics to
look for in warehouse robot-
ics, according to FORTNA.
Atlanta-based FORTNA
was recently formed from
the merger of materials
handling systems integrator
MHS Global and warehouse
software provider Fortna
Inc. The combined compa- ASRS and goods-to-person systems are among the options for e-commerce providers
ny said it offers customers to handle peak demand. Source: FORTNA
technologies to “optimize
operations in the face of COVID-19 continues to reshape retail
continual upheaval.”
Stephen Dryer, senior We saw a spike in e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic, but
global product manager at some activity has shifted back to brick-and-mortar retail. How does that
FORTNA, discussed with affect retailers and warehouse operators?
Robotics 24/7 how automa- Dryer: The trend of past 20 years has been toward more online and
tion can help supply chains omnichannel activity; then COVID accelerated everything. I have spo-
cope with peak demand. ken with many customers that had built their networks for three to five
years, but that capacity got consumed within a few months.
Companies have a choice of more automation, expanded facilities,
or networking to add capacity. Five to 10 years ago, they could just add

more labor, and three years ago, some customers It’s typically demanding work—heavy lifting, no
still thought that labor pressures would subside. temperature control, long hours. Once, you could
Now, it’s well-understood that that’s not going to expect a higher wage, but it’s now competing with
change. Labor is highly scarce. The need for auto- other service-type jobs that are a bit less taxing and
mation is not going away. more comfortable.
Now, there’s a greater shortage of labor. I saw
Have trends like reshoring of a sign at a fast-food restaurant that was offering
manufacturing increased, and a starting salary similar to that of a DC down the
what do they mean for supply street—it’s not sustainable.
chains? Companies have to get more creative with how
Dryer: In the immediate term, they hire. If they want to hold onto people, they
customers can’t follow a just- need to offer more fulfilling work. This drives a
in-time model anymore. To greater need for automation.
rely on the warehouse or DC Once in place, automation becomes a draw for
Stephen Dryer, [distribution center] in a tight talent, providing a better career path for those who
FORTNA. time frame means more storage want to develop their skills and widen their horizons.
Source: LinkedIn
capacity.
The micro-fulfillment trend Distribution centers drive demand
is putting capacity closer to population centers and Are there any particular types of automation in high
having a fast way of processing orders to consumers. demand in distribution centers this year? Have new
The shift from brick and mortar has changed products helped with certain applications?
dramatically since COVID. I recently bought a
couch, and I went to a store to see and feel it. I Dryer: We have quite a bit of chaos and randomness
went to get rung up, and the associate mentioned a in warehouses and DCs that made them harder to
configuration tool on the store’s website. automate in the past. Robots couldn’t handle that
I got on my phone and reconfigured the couch. variability.
The site told me to get some parts in store and oth- Better machine vision, grasping, manipulation,
ers shipped. I got them bundled, which took a little artificial intelligence and machine learning, and
longer. This is a good example of merging the online mobility make more possible today.
and in-store purchasing experience. Some newer products in high demand are robots
There are still some challenges—it needs to be that fit within a defined task that a person would be
more omnichannel, more dynamic. Retailers need doing. This includes collaborative robots and auton-
to invest in software for both the front and back omous mobile robots [AMRs].
ends to give the same experience. [At FORTNA], we’re very familiar with induc-
tion onto sorting systems. Robots designed to fit in
Competition for workers intensifies the same physical footprint as space people occupy
What are the common holiday challenges facing today can help with ROI [return on investment] and
warehouses and distribution centers? Has anything the thought process of customers. They don’t have
different emerged recently? to rebuild a facility or rethink workflows.
Induction is a task that’s good by definition for
Dryer: One big thing I’ve been seeing is that there’s robots. It’s highly repetitive, mundane, takes four
more competition now for warehouse jobs and other to eight hours, and doesn’t require temperature
jobs in the economy, making it harder to get people control.
to do the seasonal work. On the mobile robotics front, there has been a

pure capex [capital expenditure],

it’s a massive missed opportunity.
Robotics as a service [RaaS] is
a more iterative approach and
more of an opex [operational
expenditure] play.
Software is the true enabler
here. With machine learning
opportunities, every time an
advanced robot interacts with its
environment, it should be getting
smarter. You need a feedback loop
to get the most out of automation.
RaaS and customer expectations
Speaking of RaaS, what do you

mean—leasing, renting, etc.?
large uptick over an extended period. “Low-hanging Dryer: RaaS can be configured in
fruit” includes long-haul transport, point-to-point different ways. First and foremost, it could just be the
materials handling, ASRS, directed picking, and software or vision portion of a solution. This is more of
some goods-to-person [G2P] automation. a SaaS, or software-as-a-service, play, in my opinion.
Alternatively, it could be the entire robot in an
What is something that many warehouse operators as-a-service model. It might be a mix of some capex
don’t yet know about the potential of robotics? Are and opex to minimize initial cash outflow and give
there common misconceptions? What can go wrong? visibility into ongoing costs. If you combine the full
Dryer: [At FORTNA], we think putting in a robot as service of robots including replacement under a
a point solution is a bad approach. Rather than an single fee, that is what I consider true RaaS.
island of automation, it should instead be consid- Beyond this, there are opportunities for truly align-
ered as part of integrated solution, with upstream ing business outcomes for both supplier and end user
and downstream processes and coordination with by pricing for productivity. That’s ideal for maintaining
other workflows in facilities. uptime and meeting the increasing volume demands
To be successful, think of the bigger picture. that are being placed on end users’ networks.
As for educating the market, not all robotics appli-
cations have gotten through Gartner’s “trough of How interested are your customers in RaaS? What
disillusionment,” but mobile robots are at the “slope capabilities are they looking for?
of enlightenment.” Dryer: We still see more of a preference for capex,
While robots are ready for prime time, the but it’s shifting to RaaS and moving performance
market may not know they’ve arrived. For example, enhancements out.
companies may not know about robotic induc- Among the common terms in service-level agree-
tion or have had bad experiences in the past. This ments is the rate of intervention or expectations for
represents a challenge that robotics providers must human-machine interaction. However smart they
overcome. may be, robots won’t be able to solve all problems,
Another thing to keep in mind is that the latest and there will be edge cases. We try to build in as
robots are not traditional pieces of automation. much exception-handling intelligence as possible.
They’re not “set and forget.” If they’re bought as For example, for sorter induction, we do things

like pick confirmation. By checking orientation and customers that don’t want to make massive upfront
oversize items, there’s an opportunity to make a investment but want to scale.
correction before the next stage. There’s also picking with configured ASRS and
In the same way, there are limitations due to micro-fulfillment systems, combined with other
physics. We’ve implemented reject mechanisms to automation for fulfillment out to the shipping oper-
remove items outside what the robot can handle. ation. There are a lot of opportunities in that whole
They’re routed to manual workstations in a way that workflow to automate.
doesn’t slow down the operation. Operators should also think about what’s appro-
Last is human intervention, which we try to priate to automate from Day 1, which is different
minimize even further by giving remote access to from two to three years down the line. What’s the
robots. With remote access, technicians can often minimum level of automation that makes sense
give robots a nudge in the right direction, allowing upfront? Then design for growth.
them to get back to autonomous operation. While things are working decently as of today,
If all that fails, an alarm is thrown, and a person natural, economic, or geopolitical crises are nev-
on site must help. We set up our solutions so excep- er far away. Therefore, supply chains cannot be
tions are handled in the best possible ways. allowed to continue to be brittle.
As the new robotics lead

at FORTNA, what are some
of your goals?
Dryer: My goal to articulate the
value of robotics. Many opera-
tions are manual today, but there
are lots of low-hanging fruit that
can make a short-term impact for
lots of our customers.
Beyond that, I’m focusing on
answering difficult challenges
in the market, such as labor
challenges, with solutions that
enable more efficient, more
flexible operations. In the long
term, the dream of every prod-
AMRs offer scalability and are proven in distribution centers, according to FORTNA. uct manager in robotics is a
Source: FORTNA completely lights-out operation.
It’s a ways off, and there are a lot of steps between
Looking ahead to flexibility, FORTNA goals now and then.
With supply chain challenges, interest has risen in The marriage between MHS and Fortna is
micro-fulfillment centers and bringing inventory working well. MHS brings a lot of product capabil-
closer to consumers. How can robots enable this? ities and experience on the parcel side. Fortna has
great software, distribution, and fulfillment experi-
Dryer: Robots are integral. Using mobile robots ence and scale. This puts the combined entity in a
integrated with lifts for case and tote storage and good position to grow in North America and other
retrieval on traditional racking—this approach is geographies.
very open-ended and flexible. It allows for scaling, THL [Thomas H. Lee Partners L.P.] and the
and there’s no single point of failure. It’s ideal for Abu Dhabi Investment Authority [ADIA] have a

strong desire to invest in and build our product customers will send back a significant portion.
portfolio—robotics is a big part of that, along with We’ve worked on that problem. Our approach is
software and enabling technologies. to use a combination of mobile robots and routing
software. We’ve made progress on that front, devel-
Prepare now for next season, returns oping systems for fluid loaded trailers.
When should warehouses and DCs begin peak They include conveyors inducting items into the
season preparation? What can they do in the shorter building, diverting to mobile robots that move at the
term? And what requires more time? pace of what’s being received, and moving items to
workstations for processing.
Dryer: It has to start with the initial system design. In this example, there’s no hardened conveyance
It should be done with someone with deep experi- between receiving and returns processing, providing
ence in solutioning, what systems need over their a great deal of flexibility in how items are routed.
lifespans, planned out over years. It’s important to There’s also no single point of failure. The system
find a partner and get going. can handle disruptions, which is ideal for larger
We’ve got COVID in our collective memories, items or high-value electronics.
but more challenges are looming on the horizon. This is not groundbreaking; it’s just putting
Supply chains need to build in flexibility with robots together existing tech into new workflows and
and decrease reliance on manual processes. orchestrating the moving parts with best-in-class
Facilities should also leave room for more robots software and machine control. •
in the future. While lots of applications are beyond
robot capabilities now, there should be placeholders Eugene Demaitre is editorial director
for future automation. of Robotics 24/7.
There are a lot of areas—such
as receiving and shipping—where
consideration could be given to
pulling a person out and putting a
robot in, doing things differently
in terms of layout. In the shorter
term, we can do an evaluation of
customer operations and develop
solutions to suit.
How much can robots help

with returns?
Dryer: That problem is not getting
any smaller. Most facilities make
money by getting product out the
door, but some business models
are set up with the intent that

MOBILE ROBOTS / WMS
Hawesko and IWL Build Agile Omnichannel

Fulfillment With Mobile Robots From Korber
A leading German wine retailer met growing customer requirements
by implementing robotics to optimize picking performance and
C-parts handling
BY ROBOTICS 24/7 STAFF
T
he Hawesko Group
claimed that it is Ger-
many’s largest trading
house for high-quality
wines and champagnes.
It needed to respond to sig-
nificant e-commerce growth
and customer expectations for
a seamless digital and physi-
cal shopping experience. The
company and its Internationale
Wein-Logistik GmbH, or IWL,
logistics subsidiary are invest-
ing in the optimization of their
Korber has combined supply chain software and robotics by bringing together a total
intralogistics processes. of 35 AMRs, 440 racks, and five workstations for IWL.
In the next eight months, Source: Korber Supply Chain
Körber plans to implement a
scalable system including auton- European, Middle Eastern, and Hawesko needs to move volume
omous mobile robots (AMRs) African (EMEA) operations of wine
that is fully harmonized with software at Körber Business The Hawesko Group achieved
IWL’s warehouse management Area Supply Chain. sales of €681 million ($717.8
system (WMS). The goal is to “Following the pandemic-in- million) and earnings before
improve the agility and flexibility duced record year of 2020 with interest and taxes (EBIT) of €53
of processes at IWL’s center in online sales of between €80 million ($55.8 million) in 2021.
Tornesch, Germany. billion and €88 billion [$84.3 The company employs around
“The preference for online billion to $92.7 billion U.S.] in 1,200 people across the retail
retail has steadily increased Germany, this trend is set to (Jacques’ and Wein & Co.),
over the past decades, forc- continue, according to a projec- business-to-business (Wein Wolf,
ing companies to invest more tion by the Center of Research Abayan, and Grand Cru Select)
heavily in e-commerce than in Retailing,” Brandl said. “Sales and e-commerce (HAWESKO,
in brick-and-mortar retail,” of at least €120 billion [$126.5 Vinos, and WirWinzer) segments.
explained Michael Brandl. He billion] are expected in German The shares of Hawesko Hold-
is executive vice president for online retail by 2024.” ing SE are listed on the prime

MOBILE ROBOTS / WMS
of WMS, AMRs, pick-by-light

systems, and the UCS, the
company said the efficiency and
quality of IWL’s logistics pro-
cesses will significantly improve.
The integrated system can
also bring the performance of
C-parts logistics up to the level
of A- and B-parts, said Körber.
Picking performance alone is
more than doubled, it added.
“The potential of C-parts
logistics is often underestimated
because the focus is on A and B
parts,” noted Brandl. “Yet C-parts
now have a strategic importance
for customer experience and
standard segment of the Frank- tems, voice technology, robotics, retention, as well as the entire
furt Stock Exchange in addition and materials handling systems process from ordering to delivery.”
to the Hanseatic Stock Exchange – plus the expertise to tie it all With this launch, IWL is
in Hamburg. In Tornesch, IWL together. building on its previous success-
handles around 25 million Körber Supply Chain’s de- es. Since 2006, the company has
bottles of wine and 600,000 gift ployment for Hawesko and IWL relied on a logistics ecosystem
packages each year. combined supply chain software based on the K.Motion WMS.
Due to the expected growth and robotics by bringing together a “Körber’s innovative supply
in e-commerce, the logistics total of 35 AMRs, 440 racks, and chain solutions run on a unique
service provider opted for tech- five workstations. To optimize ful- platform that allows us to quickly
nology that will support further fillment at the end of the second adapt our distribution processes,
company growth and efficient expansion stage, Körber is integrat- support the buying process, and
handling of short-term, seasonal ing 21 AMRs from trusted partner provide a seamless omnichannel
fluctuations at the same time. Geek+, along with the Körber experience for our customers,”
Unified Control System (UCS). said Frederick Paulsen, head of
Körber integrates robots, Through this combination IT at IWL. •
software for IWL
As supply chains grow
more complex by
the day, Körber said
it provides a “broad
range of proven, end-
to-end supply chain
solutions fitting any
business size, strategy,
or appetite for growth.”
The Hamburg, Germa-
ny-based company said
its portfolio includes
software, automation,
mail and parcel sys-

MOBILE ROBOTS / WAREHOUSE
Tecsys Partners With SVT Robotics to Deliver

Warehouse Management and Robotics Integration
Tecsys said its Elite software will include plug-and-play automation
connectivity to make it easier to automate warehouses.
Tecsys Inc. last month said that it

has partnered with SVT Robotics
Inc. to develop and launch an
“out-of-the-box” integrated con-
nection between its Elite supply
chain software and SVT’s SOFT-
BOT platform. The company
said the integration will provide
its customers faster deployment
and lower complexity without the
need for lengthy custom code
development often involved in
multi-system automation and
robotics deployments.
“A company’s automation
strategy and equipment should
be tailored to their specific use
case, never throttled by the
software, and that is exactly what
this SVT partnership makes pos-
sible through rapid integration,” SVT Robotics’ SOFTBOT now integrates with Tecsys’ WMS to facilitate warehouse
stated Peter Brereton, president automation. Source: SVT Robotics
and CEO of Tecsys.
“We want to give Tecsys freedom in a quickly developing transportation management,
customers native plug-and-play industry.” supply management at point
robotics integration capabilities Montreal-based Tecsys proof use, order management and
today and into the future as this vides supply chain management fulfillment, as well as financial
warehouse automation market software for complex, highly management and analytics.
evolves so that they will be ready regulated, and high-volume
to deploy the technologies they industries including healthcare Tecsys and SVT Robotics team
need to remain competitive,” he and e-commerce. The company to accelerate adoption
added. “SVT’s SOFTBOT Plat- offers systems for warehouse Bringing automation into a ware-
form will enable flexibility and management, distribution and house should begin with a needs

MOBILE ROBOTS / WAREHOUSE
assessment and design plan, developing connects to top-tier said its SOFTBOT platform to
which then informs the selec- automation from leading provid- integrate robots, automation, and
tion of hardware to meet those ers, enabling Tecsys customers Internet of Things (IoT) devices
needs, asserted Tecsys. While to customize and then rapidly in just days or weeks.
some software vendors operate as deploy the specific automation SVT has partnerships with
automation resellers for a limited they need today.” automation providers including
set of systems, Tecsys said its SVT Robotics provides 6 River Systems, Fetch Robotics
partnership with SVT empowers enterprise software for robot (now part of Zebra Technolo-
supply chain organizations to as- deployments in the warehousing gies), Locus Robotics, Mobile
sess, design, and integrate across and manufacturing industries. Industrial Robots, OMRON, and
a wide spectrum of automation The Norfolk, Va.-based company OTTO Motors. •
options.
The result is a warehouse
operation powered by end-to-end
warehouse management system
(WMS) functionality and eas-
ily automated workflows using
today’s most innovative technolo-
gies, said the companies.
“Automation is becoming
more important to power sup-
ply chains of the future, so it’s
critical those technologies are
connected to a solid WMS with
core warehouse management
functionality,” said A.K. Schul-
tz, founder and CEO of SVT
Robotics. “The pre-built inte-
gration that Tecsys and SVT are

MOBILE ROBOTS / INTEROPERABILITY
OMRON Opens New Automation Center

in Singapore, Uses Open Robotics’ RMF
Interoperability Standard
OMRON has opened five other automation centers in Asia-Pacific
OMRON has opened a new using natural or existing infra- lenges facing Asia-Pacific, includ-
automation center that will structure, perform autonomous ing labor scarcity, limited space,
cater to the logistics industry in movement of goods (handling, and supply chain disruptions.
Singapore, South-East Asia, and moving, and storing warehouse The company said it will leverage
Oceania. The center will use assets) as they work alongside its technology to help the area
Open Robotics’ Robotics Mid- humans,” the company said. stay resilient.
dleware Framework, or RMF, “The move indicates a big leap
and will have interoperability OMRON working to address for OMRON towards realising
with “complex and heterogenous Asia-Pacific needs our vision of “Enriching the
multi-robot systems.” Kyoto, Japan-based OMRON Future for People, Industries
“This is an important step said it will work with its industry and the Globe by innovative-
toward enabling stronger and partners in robotics and automa- Automation” through expanding
seamless human-machine col- tion in the new center to address the presence and reach of
laboration, where mobile robots, some of the biggest logistics chal- OMRON automation centers in
niche but growing
industries,” said
Junta Tsujinaga,
OMRON man-
aging executive
officer.
“Our long-term
vision—Shaping
the Future 2030
(SF 2030)—takes
into account the
dynamic, diversi-
fied, and complex
world of manu-
facturing led by
Industry 4.0 and
OMRON’s AMR lineup. Source: OMRON digitization,” he

MOBILE ROBOTS / INTEROPERABILITY
added. “With the region’s diverse

knowledge and maturity levels
in automation, we believe that
our unique capabilities based on
human-machine harmony and
collaborations with like-minded
organisations will enable the evo-
lution of technologies to realise
the transformation of the logistics
industry to Logistics 4.0 and more
warehouses being automated.”
New center features cobots

and AMRs
The center will be used for ful-
fillment and feature collaborative
robots and mobile robots that
will be used for 3D-vision-guided
pick and palletize solutions. Don Teng, manager of OMRON OMRON partner with A*STAR
Asia Pacific. “I believe that a dy- for RMF development
namic and resilient supply chain is “The partnership also aims to
one of the most important requi- develop common standards for
sites for the region to stay globally robotics and automation that
competitive and future-ready,” can be applied globally leverag-
Teng continued. ing OMRON’s custom mobile
“OMRON Automation robot solutions and use the
Center Singapore for Logistics center as a test-bedding facility
will enable players in Asia Pacific to model the RMF in logistics,”
to test, develop, and deploy the company said.
innovative automation solutions “We look forward to working
to revolutionise workflows and closely with OMRON in leading
streamline operations, that will the adoption of the framework
act as a big driver to their future in the logistics industry, while
growth,” Teng added. encouraging implementation at
With the launch of the new scale for the industry and other
The Singapore center has multiple center, OMRON also announced cross-sectorial applications,”
robots. Source: OMRON that it working the ROS-I Consor- said Dr Wong Chow Cher,
tium to “facilitate the incubation assistant chief executive, ARTC,
“The logistics industry across and development of capabilities A*STAR.
Singapore and many more coun- and applications that leverage This is OMRON’s second
tries of Asia Pacific continues to the Robotics Middleware Frame- automation center in Singapore,
experience unprecedented growth work.” The consortium is man- sixth in Asia-Pacific, and thirty-
despite many challenges,” said aged by A*STAR’s ARTC(2). eighth worldwide. •

DATA MANAGEMENT / MATERIALS HANDLING
FORTNA Emerges From MHS Global

and Fortna Merger for Materials Handling
Automation, Integration
FORTNA claimed that it is a global leader in “transformative
omnichannel and parcel distribution solutions.”
FORTNA said its software, services, and tools can optimize distribution operations. Source: FORTNA
I
n April, MHS Global, a The former MHS and Fortna FORTNA said it has the scale
materials handling automation said they combine decades of and capabilities to help custom-
provider and systems experience in the design, developers and partners meet increasing
integrator, and Fortna Inc., ment, and delivery of omnichan- consumer demands as they face
a warehouse distribution nel and parcel distribution solu- continued supply chain disrup-
software provider, announced tions. The Atlanta-based company tions and other challenges. The
their intention to merge. The claimed that it gives customers “a company claimed that it works
combined entity later said it uniquely versatile end-to-end path with leading brands to “transform
will be known henceforth as forward to optimize operations in omnichannel and parcel-distribu-
FORTNA. the face of continual upheaval.” tion operations.”

DATA MANAGEMENT / MATERIALS HANDLING
customers need to
know they are ready
for anything,” said
McKeel. “That means
operations that run at
the speed of change—
and the intelligence
to anticipate what is
next. We are thrilled to
be able to provide the
ability for our custom-
ers to create scalable,
FORTNA brand represents supply tools can ensure optimal oper- cost-efficient opera-
chain resilience ations design and material and tions through automation.”
“The decision to retain the legacy data flow. Customers will increasingly
Fortna name was the result of see the new FORTNA brand as
careful consideration,” stated Automation part of combined it is rolled out globally over the
Rob McKeel, CEO of FORTNA. capabilities coming weeks and months, said
“We chose the name FORTNA In addition, FORTNA offers the company. It said customers
not only for the great reputation network strategy, distribution will be able to improve perfor-
the name already has in the center design and implementa- mance thanks to the combined
market, but [also] because of the tion, materials handling auto- capabilities of two indus-
strength and resilience embed- mation, robotics, and a suite of try-leading omnichannel and
ded within it.” lifecycle services. parcel distribution solutions
“The notion of fortitude, “At the end of the day, our providers. •
of resilience and strength—it
speaks to what our customers
need in today’s climate and what
they can expect from our part-
nership – the ability to weather
the ever-changing market condi-
tions and come out thriving,” he
added.
FORTNA said it designs and
delivers systems, powered by
intelligent software, to optimize
fast, accurate, and cost-effec-
tive order fulfillment and last-
mile delivery. The company said
its staff, innovative approach,
and proprietary algorithms and

MOBILE ROBOTS / FULFILLMENT
Gap Inc. Includes Automation

in New Texas Facility to Execute
on E-Commerce Strategy
Gap Inc. opened its new facility in Longview, Texas, in August 2022. Source: Gap Inc.
Gap’s new Customer Experience Center will serve customers in the

Southwest and provide another node for distribution.
BY BOB TREBILCOCK
I
n late August, Gap Inc. tinued focus on enhancing the ing capabilities, and more.
opened its newest Cus- quality of its customer service. The Texas facility brings the
tomer Experience Center Earlier last summer, the San number of U.S. e-commerce
in Longview, Texas. The Francisco-based retailer expand- fulfillment centers to seven, plus
850,000-sq.-ft. distribution ed operations at its facility in an additional distribution center
center is dedicated to e-fulfill- Fishkill, N.Y. It added automated in Canada. They include facili-
ment for Old Navy in the South- receiving, multi-level pick mod- ties in Fresno, Calif.; Columbus,
west and is part of Gap’s con- ules, enhanced returns-process- Ohio; and two in Gallatin, Tenn.

Modern Materials Handling (a was that innovation isn’t always a

sibling site to Robotics 24/7) pre- home run.
viously covered Gap’s approach “People hear about the things
to the holiday rush and ongoing that work,” he said. “They don’t
focus on supply chain resilience. hear that we pilot a lot of things
that don’t work.”
Gap includes robots Still, Kuntz said, the key to
in new facility success is quickly identifying
At the grand opening, Kevin whether a technology can be
Kuntz, head of supply chain integrated into the flow; creating
at Gap Inc., noted that the a team that believes in the tech-
Longview facility will have the nologies that do move forward;
capacity to process an addi- and then having the organiza-
tional 1 million units per day, tional patience to move slow,
or roughly 250,000 to 280,000 learn, and improve.
orders, for a total of more than “When we put in our first
4 million units per day during shuttles from TGW, it wasn’t
this year’s peak season. easy because we were going from
In a later interview, he said The new Texas facility builds on pro- 100% human control to manag-
the facility includes technologies cesses and technologies the retailer has ing 44 shuttles,” he said. “The
honed across its network.
that have long been part of Gap Source: Gap Inc. first three months weren’t easy,
Inc.’s stack, including mini-loads but our organization is really
and shuttles for automated stor- good at change management,
age, Kindred.ai robotic putwalls there are more than 240 units at and we were able to adapt the
used to aggregate multi-line work in multiple facilities across management of our flow to meet
orders, and robotic storage and its network. the need.”
retrieval from Exotec to optimize Similarly, Gap launched Gap’s experience with ro-
returns handling. Exotec in Gallatin and is now botics also illustrates how this
Kuntz added that the retailer deploying that technology across space is evolving. Kuntz noted
recently completed a pilot with its network. Kuntz expects to fol- that the first foray with Kindred
Boston Dynamics’ Stretch robot low a similar playbook with the involved fixed robots that did one
for automated trailer unloading Boston Dynamics technology. thing. For now, Exotec’s robots
in Fishkill and has ordered its While retail distribution cen- are being used to process re-
first two units to be deployed in ters will likely still rely on people turns. However, the technology
Gallatin. “We’re going to start for years to come, Gap’s growing is mobile and could be applied to
with trailer unloading,” he said. portfolio of robotics “is inching other processes.
us closer to a ‘dark’ environment,” Mobile robots offer greater
Adoption inches to dark facilities Kuntz said. flexibility than fixed, rigid sys-
Now, two units in one facility tems. While Gap is just getting
may not sound like a lot. But Innovation takes time, dedication started with Boston Dynamics for
Gap Inc. started with just a few Why is Gap Inc. successful at trailer unloading, Stretch is also
Kindred.ai robotic putwalls in adopting new technologies when mobile.
Gallatin during the 2017 holiday other companies often struggle “Today, we’re going to use
season. Less than five years later, to innovate? Kuntz’s first answer them for inbound, but in the fu-

fied by Accenture and American

Eagle Outfitters in Supply Chain
Management Review (another
Robotics 24/7 sibling site).
“We will use our existing
network, intermingling with our
own freight and our own build-
ing,” Kuntz explained. “We can
offer a single node if they’re a
smaller retailer, or we can offer
multiple nodes and move orders
for multiple brands if they want
to do that. We already service
four huge Gap Inc. brands and
segregate and segment that data.”
“We think it’ll be game-chang-
ing for some of these brands that
are struggling with fulfillment,”
ture, it might be outbound,” said new Logistics-as-a-Service pro- he added. “Who better than
Kuntz. “The processes aren’t that gram that Gap will begin offer- someone that already owns and
different.” ing to other retailers, especially understands retail fulfillment?
smaller brands and startups. It’s a unique opportunity.” •
Texas center to offer platform GPS Platform Services by Gap
and logistics services Inc. will offer e-commerce and Bob Trebilcock, editorial
The new Texas facility will serve as business-to-business services, director at Modern Materials
an important node to service the storage and warehousing, parcel Handling,has covered materials
Southwestern U.S. as Gap Inc. shipping and returns processing handling, technology, logistics
continues to work on its on-time and post-purchase experience. and supply chain topics for nearly
delivery, especially during peak. It is part of a trend identi- 30 years.
“We call our facilities ‘customer
experience centers’ for a reason,”
Kuntz said. “We’re working on
bringing our delivery times down,
especially during peak season.”
And while the facility was
built for Old Navy, other brands
may be introduced into the mix if
the need arises.
Along with filling a gap in Gap’s
distribution strategy, the facility
also adds a distribution node for
GPS Platform Services. The com-
pany plans to share with retailers
the expertise and capabilities it has
developed over the decades.
The Texas center also adds
another fulfillment node for the

LOGISTICS ROBOTICS / SOFTWARE
How Smart Software Can Reduce

Logistics Challenges in Robotics
There are benefits to connecting mobile
robots through orchestration.
BY LIJUN ZHU, COEVOLUTION
E
ven before the pan-
demic, the global
supply chain and
logistics industry was
struggling to adapt
to a fast-changing market.
COVID-19 merely multiplied
the chaos. Current disrup-
tion is in large part driven
by runaway growth in
package delivery.
According
to FedEx, the
U.S. domestic package delivery
market is likely to hit 110 million
packages per day in 2022.
Pre-pandemic, they did not
expect to exceed 100 million
daily packages until 2026. A Research from market bots from different vendors into a
huge amount of this growth is insights firm Interact Analysis unified solution.
driven by e-commerce; data from showed that global mobile robot
Statista shows that U.S. e-com- market revenues grew by 20% The birth of intelligent logistics
merce retail revenue will grow in 2020. That year, at the height solutions companies
from $768 billion in 2021 to $1.3 of the pandemic, nearly 60,000 This need has created a new
trillion in 2025. mobile robots were shipped – an breed of company: I call them
Mobile robots are one way for increase of over 25% on 2019. intelligent logistics solutions
logistics companies to deal with The problem for warehouses companies. These companies
this growth challenge, especially is that most mobile robot set-ups create software that orchestrates
in the face of a seemingly nev- are designed to do a limited set fleets of different kinds of robot,
er-ending labor shortage. That’s of tasks in a warehouse and, as getting them to work together in
because the mobile robot market warehouses add more robots, a warehouse even though they
has “matured” in the sense that they are reaching the limits of use different operating systems,
mobile robots are now cheap, ca- possible efficiencies with current and also using artificial intelli-
pable, and reliable, meaning that technology. What is needed is a gence and machine learning to
mobile robot sales are rocketing. way to seamlessly integrate ro- react swiftly to changing demand

LOGISTICS ROBOTICS / SOFTWARE
without the need for human different vendors, meaning that but also not to over-complicate.
intervention. full workflow automation solu- The result should be a robust
Such solutions offer high tions suddenly become feasible. system that keeps functioning
value for logistics managers This allows logistics compa- smoothly regardless of what hap-
because they use less warehouse nies to choose robots from any pens. Models should be based
space, allow scarce workers to vendor. The most sophisticated on a bunch of assumptions, and
be redeployed into higher value intelligent logistics software uses have flexibility so that, if one or
work, and – crucially – enable a double-layered solution. two assumptions break down, the
the system to automatically adapt system still works.
to sudden changes. The first layer
My e-commerce journey The first layer is a robot control The second layer
began at Amazon in the U.S., system (RCS) that can commu- The second layer is made up of
where I used my skills in mathe- nicate with multiple types of ro- tailored solutions for warehous-
matics to optimize supply chains. bot and can therefore orchestrate es in different industry sectors,
It was while working at Amazon fleets of them to work efficiently such as cosmetics or consumer
that I realized shipping is the and cooperatively. It’s a simple packaged goods. Companies usu-
biggest cost for many online concept, but it’s technically hard ally have their own warehouse
retailers. I also realized that most to do. One of the big problems management system (WMS)
of the continuous improvements is the unforeseen situations that which has bespoke functionality
were coming from the hardware arise in warehouses. How will tailored to the customer.
side. What was lacking was the the RCS respond if a robot finds The data from such WMSs
sophisticated software to make its way blocked by something can be harnessed to adapt the
different hardware work together that has fallen off a shelf, for robot control solution to meet
more efficiently. example? specific customer needs. It’s
Advanced software allows au- It’s crucial to design systems not about changing the custom-
tomation flexibility of a type that to be aware of the gritty details er’s system. It’s about tailoring
has never been possible until that arise in the real world. The the robot control solution for
now. One option it enables is the key is not only to anticipate and individual companies, and it
integration of mobile robots from plan for unforeseen situations, involves the software provider
spending lots of time working
with warehouse staff.
A future vision
I believe there will be enor-
mous demand for logistics
software that can orchestrate
robots from different vendors.
In fact, one of the main things
holding the industry back right
now isn’t a technical barrier,
it’s simply a lack of awareness
in the market about what this
technology can do. •
Lijun Zhu, CEO, founded Co-

Evolution, a provider of intelli-
gent logistics solutions, in 2019.

RESHORING / EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Reshoring Is at Risk from Global

‘Education Gap’ in Automation,
Finds ABB Survey
Eight in 10 education
professionals say
that robots and auto-
mation will shape
employment over the
next 10 years.
W
ith trade conflicts,
the COVID-19
pandemic, and
ongoing supply
chain and labor ABB Robotics is investing in education to enable reshoring of production to the
challenges, North American and U.S. and Europe. Source: ABB
European enterprises have con-
sidered reshoring or near-shoring robotics and automation, import- Execs expect more reshoring,
operations to build resilience. ant not only to prepare for the surveys find
However, a significant “education widespread shifts we are seeing, ABB conducted supply chain
gap” exists in the skills needed but to create prosperous societies and education surveys last year.
for reshoring and automation to going forward,” he added. Its survey of business leaders
succeed, according to a global ABB Robotics & Discrete revealed that 74% of European
ABB survey. Automation is a unit of Zu- and 70% of U.S. businesses are
“The world is constantly rich-based ABB that provides planning to reshore or or near-
evolving—businesses are shifting robots, industrial automation, shore operations in response to
existing structures and adopting and digital services to industries labor shortages, the need for a
new technologies to future-proof including automotive, electron- more sustainable global footprint,
their operations for a variety of ics, and logistics. The company and global uncertainty.
challenges and uncertainties, said it has shipped more than The majority of these busi-
with robotic automation playing a 500,000 systems to customers nesses viewed automation as
key role,” said Sami Atiya, presi- of all sizes as it supports their the enabler of operational shifts,
dent of ABB Robotics & Discrete transition to the connected with 75% of European and 62%
Automation. and collaborative factory of the of U.S. businesses surveyed
“We need significant invest- future. ABB Robotics employs planning to invest in robotics
ment in continuous education to more than 11,000 people at over and automation in the next three
prepare our existing and future 100 locations in more than 53 years, said ABB.
workforce to thrive in an age of countries. Despite reshoring and grow-

RESHORING / EDUCATION AND TRAINING
centers, including its universities, ABB generates

€100 million ($100.16 curriculum materials with edu-
million U.S.) global cation providers to help educate
innovation and train- future generations and prepare
ing campus in Austria. them for reshoring and the jobs
The new site, along of tomorrow.
with other new regional “Change needs to happen
training centers in the now,” stated Atiya. “As compa-
U.K., Berlin, and Brazil, nies turn to robotic automation
expands ABB’s training to offset labor shortages, im-
facilities to over 40 prove efficiency, and increase
sites globally. resilience, workers need the
The sites each year skillsets to use automation to
educate more than perform their jobs and augment
30,000 students from their own roles.”
schools, colleges, and “Businesses need to join forc-
universities, as well es, cooperating with educational
as apprentices and institutions and governments to
workers, said ABB. The ensure that society is prepared
Click on infographic to enlarge. Source: ABB
company added that for jobs of the future,” he added.
they complement its “Only through this can we fully
ing demand for automation, existing educational utilize flexible automation and
ABB said its 2022 global educa- offering, which consists of soft- unlock value from the ongoing
tion survey found a significant ware packages, its Wizard Easy re-industrialization.”
gap in the education and train- programming, the RobotStudio ABB offered more informa-
ing needed to ensure the skills and RobotStudio AR Viewer tion on its educational offer-
necessary for work in increas- App. ings, examples of projects using
ingly connected and automated ABB also offers hardware in its robots and software, and
workplaces. the form of collaborative robot a whitepaper explaining how
Of the global education cells and application packages. teaching automation can help
professionals surveyed, 80% Through more than 100 global shape tomorrow’s workforce at
said they believe robotics and partnerships with schools and its education portal page. •
automation will shape the future
of employment in the next 10
years, while only one in four
education institutions currently
use robots as part of their teach-
ing programs.
ABB invests in education

programs
To help bridge the skills gap,
ABB has bolstered its global
Robotics and Automation educa-
tion program with new training

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / SOFTWARE
Robust.AI Unveils Software Suite

Grace & Hardware Product Carter
The company developed a concept AMR while building
out its software suite.
Robust.AI was founded in 2019.

Source: GettyImages
R
obust.AI has unveiled is first software The San Carlos, Calif.-based company was
suite and hardware product concept. founded in 2019. Its tagline is “We make robots
The company’s software suite is called work for people.” Grace is a software suite that
Grace. Its hardware product concept enables dynamic coordination between people
is called Carter. Together, Carter and and robots in any warehouse with any workflow,
Grace combine artificial intelligence, robotics, the company said. The software can map out
and human-centered design, the company said. work between people and robots, allowing it to
These technologies will be applied to the distribute and adapt as necessary.
warehousing industry where more than 80% of
warehouses operate without any automation, Software designed to make robots more aware
while labor shortages continue to wreak havoc on Robust.AI said it provides situational aware-
the global supply chain, according to Robust.AI. ness that makes robots capable in spaces

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE / SOFTWARE
productivity, the company said.

Robust.AI also updated its
executive team. Anthony Jules
is moving into the role of CEO,
where he’ll build on his decades
of experience of leading teams at
companies including Sapient and
Redwood Robotics.
Leila Takayama has joined
the company as vice president
of human-robot interaction and
design. Kavitha Velusamy is senior
vice president of engineering.
Velusamy has shipped a number
of industry defining products,
including the Amazon Echo and
Cisco’s first Telepresence System.
In addition, John Moretti has
where people move and work, collaborative mobile robot. joined as head of product, bring-
including semantic and people Carter provides flexible auto- ing expertise and experience from
perception as well as mapping mation for material handling in his work at Dishcraft Robotics
and localization using cameras, warehouses and beyond, Robust. and Wonder Workshop.
the company added. AI said. The robot works around Robust.AI is currently speak-
Warehouse managers will people without requiring the ing with potential hardware
be able to customize workflows, environment to change, allowing partners for the development of
integrations, and behavior for an for fluent coordination, while in- Carter and with early customers
entire fleet of robots in minutes, creasing worker engagement and for the product. •
through a no-code interface.
“We’re excited about partner-
ing with the right teams to bring
Grace and Carter to warehouses
and other industries where we
can improve how robots work
with people,” Robust.AI said.
Robust.AI delves into hardware

concept design
During the development of
Grace, Robust.AI said it recog-
nized that current autonomous
mobile robots (AMR) are slow to
build, deploy, and adopt for many
applications. This insight led to
the development of Robust.AI’s
first hardware product, Carter, a

SUPPLY CHAIN / MANUFACTURING
ARM Institute Awarded American Rescue

Act Grants to Help U.S. Manufacturing Be
More Resilient
The ARM Institute said it is among the projects that will use federal
funding to improve manufacturing opportunities and pandemic
preparedness.
T
he Advanced Robotics
for Manufacturing, or
ARM Institute, recently
announced that two of
its initiatives are among
13 pandemic-response projects
to receive funding from the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and
Technology. The ARM Institute
will lead one project and partic-
ipate in another led by partner
institute Advanced Functional
Fabrics of America Inc.
“The ARM Institute’s lead- ARM Institute headquarters at Hazelwood Green’s Mill 19 in Pittsburgh.
Source: ARM Institute
ership and involvement on
these projects demonstrates the and mitigate future pandemics U.S. economy and global com-
importance of the Manufacturing and similar crises,” he said. petitiveness, and elevate national
USA Network and Manufactur- Founded in 2017, the ARM security and resilience.
ing Innovation Institutes to our Institute is a public-private
nation’s resiliency,” stated Arnie consortium with more than 300 ARM Institute lists projects and
Kravitz, chief innovation officer members across industry, ac- partners
at the ARM Institute. ademia, and government. The The National Institute of Stan-
“We were able to rapidly Pittsburgh-based organization dards and Technology (NIST) is
collaborate with our fellow said it is working to make ro- part of the U.S. Department of
Institutes and member orga- botics, autonomy, and artificial Commerce. The ARM Institute
nizations to propose high-im- intelligence more accessible to said the two projects received
pact projects that will enable a U.S. manufacturers large and funding for “high-impact” re-
stronger national manufacturing small. It also supports efforts to search, development, and test-
infrastructure to navigate the train and empower the manufac- beds for pandemic response.
current COVID-19 pandemic turing workforce, strengthen the The “Robotics and Automa-

SUPPLY CHAIN / MANUFACTURING
component to strengthening
our communities and creating
opportunity for all Americans,”
said Commerce Secretary Gina
Raimondo in a press release from
NIST. “The breadth and variety
of these awards shows that man-
ufacturing can be an economic
driver in every community.”
“From creating an advanced
manufacturing testbed in Appa-
lachia, to building clean, reli-
able power in Native American
communities, these grants are
essential to creating manufactur-
ing jobs and skills in every corner
tion Decision Framework for organizations will work on this of America,” she said.
Agility and Resilience” (RADAR) project, including the ARM In- The complete funding
project will receive $4.9 million stitute and members Bluewater package, which was provided
in total funding. This project Defense, Henderson Sewing, by NIST through the American
is intended to enable small Carnegie Mellon University, Rescue Act, supports 13 projects
and midsized manufacturers Siemens, and Sewbo. at eight institutes in the Manu-
to systematically evaluate the facturing USA network, working
cost-to-benefit ratio of integrat- NIST looks to create economic with more 80 partners, including
ing robotics and automation opportunities leading research universities,
into manufacturing processes to “Rebuilding our manufactur- nonprofits, and small and large
support coronavirus response. ing economy is an essential manufacturers. •
The ARM Institute is leading
the RADAR project and working
with Secure America Institute,
Georgia Tech, GE, TMAC,
Morgan State University, and
Deloitte.
Advanced Functional Fabrics
of America (AFFOA) in Cam-
bridge, Mass., is leading the
second project, which will get
$11.1 million in total funding.
The project that seeks to enable
manufacturing automation and
supply chain diversification,
as well as to address the envi-
ronmental impact of personal
protective equipment (PPE).
More than 12 partner

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