Material Handling / Logistics / Supply Chain

RanpakAutoFill400x275Ranpak Holdings Corp., which develops environmentally sustainable paper-based packaging solutions for e-commerce and industrial supply chains, has announced the North American launch of its AutoFill solution.

 

inViaRobotics400x275InVia Robotics, which develops next-generation warehouse automation solutions including autonomous mobile robots, has announced raising $30 million in a Series C funding round. The round was co-led by M12 (Microsoft’s venture fund) and Qualcomm Ventures, with participation from Hitachi Ventures and existing investors Point 72, Upfront, and Embark. The company has raised $59 million from strategic funders to date.

 

Covariant400x275Covariant, which uses artificial intelligence to allow robots to see the world around them, has announced it raised $80 million in Series C funding, bringing its total capitalization to $147 million within two years of the company’s public launch. The company said it plans to use the funding to continue investment in AI Robotics research and development, as well as expand its team globally to accelerate bringing AI into the physical world.

 

AmbiRobotics AmbiKit400x275Ambi Robotics, which develops simulation-to-reality AI for highly-dexterous robot applications, has announced AmbiKit, a multi-robot kitting system that leverages AI data collection to expedite e-commerce kitting operations. Ambi said AmbiKit automates product bundling for faster delivery, increasing order accuracy and reducing operating costs.

 

FSReport LightsOut400x275A new analysis by Frost & Sullivan suggests that the rapidly falling prices of robots and continually increasing labor costs will accelerate manufacturers’ shift to a lights-out manufacturing setting, in which minimal human intervention is needed to run day-to-day operations.

 

Fabric Instacart400x275Instacart, a leading online grocery platform in North America, has announced the first phase of its next-generation fulfillment initiative, designed to bring automated technology solutions to retailers in the U.S. and Canada. As part of this initiative, the company has signed a multi-year strategic deal with Fabric as a fulfillment automation partner to pair Fabric software and robotics with Instacart technology.

 

BerkshireGrey Chips400x275Berkshire Grey, which develops AI-baseds software and hardware to automate warehouses and fulfillment centers, has completed the previously announced business combination with Revolution Acceleration Acquisition Corp. (RAAC), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Berkshire Grey’s Class A common stock and public warrants are expected to commence trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbols “BGRY” and “BGRYW” on Thursday, July 22, 2021.

 

ABB ASTI Mobile400x275ABB has announced it will acquire ASTI Mobile Robotics Group, a global provider of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). The acquisition will expand ABB’s robotics and automation offerings, giving it a complete portfolio for the next generation of flexible automation, the company said in a statement. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed, but the deal is expected to close in mid-summer 2021.

 

HAI Booktopia400x275Shenzhen, China-based HAI Robotics, which develops carton-picking and deep autonomous case-handling systems, has announced its first deployment in Australia. With an integration and implementation done by BPS Global, HAI’s HAIPICK robots have been deployed at Booktopia’s 14,000-square-meter distribution center in Lidcombe, New South Wales.

 

Verve400x275Wearable robotics startup Verve Motion has announced it raised $15 million in Series A funding. The company is developing a new class of connected wearable technology for the industrial sector by integrating robotics into functional apparel.

 

Symbotic Walmart400x275Walmart and Symbotic have announced plans to expand implementation of Symbotic’s robotics and automation platform to outfit an additional 25 regional distribution centers (RDCs). The system helps Walmart create custom store- and aisle-ready pallets for unloading trucks at a Walmart store.

 

FetchCasePicking 400x275Fetch Robotics and Körber have announced a new integrated case pick-to-pallet solution that combines Fetch’s autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with Körber’s warehouse management systems. The offering dynamically orchestrates the movement of warehouse associates and robots (the Freight500 and Freight1500) to assist distribution centers with picking workflows.

 

PearsonDePalletizing400x275End-of-line packaging automation firm Pearson Packaging Systems and robotics software company Plus One Robotics have announced a partnership to offer easier solutions for complex packaging challenges for manufacturers, warehouses, and eCommerce fulfillment and distribution centers.

 

Inceptio AD Trucks400x275Inceptio Technology has exhibited two models of mass-produced autonomous-driving heavy-duty trucks. Developed in cooperation with Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle (DFCV) and Sinotruk, the trucks are equipped with Inceptio’s self-developed, full-stack autonomous driving system Xuanyuan.

 

BerkshireGrey400x275Berkshire Grey, which develops artificial intelligence-enabled robotic solutions to help automate supply chains, has announced securing more than $23 million in a multiphase order with a global retailer for online same-day grocery fulfillment. The company’s Intelligent Enterprise Robotics (IER) solutions will robotically pick grocery items from inventory and pack them into customer bags to fill orders that are placed online and via mobile apps. The company declined to name the name of the retailer in the agreement.

 

PickleRobotDill400x275Ranpak Holdings Corp, which develops environmentally sustainable, paper-based packaging solutions for eCommerce and industrial supply chains, has announced a recent investment in Pickle Robot Company, which is developing robots for automated sorting, loading, and unloading of packaged goods within logistical lines. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.