Exotec SAS has continued its North American expansion as it offers mobile robots and dense shelving for scalable warehouse storage. The company this month announced that Bastian Solutions is an integrator for its Skypod system in the U.S. and Canada.
In addition, Exotec last week celebrated the opening of a new production space near its headquarters in Croix, France. The facility will be able to manufacture an average of 30 Skypath conveyors per day, it said.
Exotec said it builds goods-to-person (G2P) systems are a flexible version of automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS). It claimed that its autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can improve efficiency and and resilience, as well as working conditions for warehouse operators.
The company, whose U.S. headquarters are in Atlanta, counts more than 30 brands including Carrefour and Uniqlo among its customers. This year, Exotec said its robots have traveled over 17 million miles and marked its 100th customer site.
Bastian Solutions integrates warehouse robots
Since entering the North American market in 2020, Exotec said it already delivered over 20 customer sites across the U.S. and Canada for leading brands including Gap Inc., Ariat, and Decathlon. The company said its agreement with Bastian Solutions will enable it to further build its presence while giving Bastian “a best-in-class suite of solutions.”
“Exotec’s scalable and adaptable solutions provide customers with transformative results,” said Aaron Jones, president and CEO of Bastian Solutions, in a release. “Their customer focus and innovation align perfectly with Bastian Solutions.”
Bastian Solutions is a Toyota Advanced Logistics company that designs and delivers distribution and production systems. The Indianapolis-based integrator said it combines data-driven designs, scalable material handling systems, and innovative software to help clients across markets.
“Bastian Solutions is widely considered to be a bellwether in the supply chain technology market,” stated Romain Moulin, co-founder and CEO of Exotec. “This agreement is a further testament that our technological approach resonates with customers in the region and that the market is continuing to shift towards highly performant and flexible warehouse robotics.”
Bastian Solutions and Exotec are already working on a robotic installation for a leading sports equipment company. They said they expect to deliver that site in 2024.
Exotec says new space ‘marks a strategic milestone’
Exotec said its new 2,500 sq. m (26,909 sq. ft.) space “marks a strategic milestone” in its rapid growth. The company explained in a release that its decision to produce the Skypath conveyor range internally prompted this expansion, positioning it as a market leader.
“The inauguration of this new building symbolizes a new advancement in Exotec’s growth strategy,” said Fabien Rouquette, director of Industrial Activities at Exotec. “This new space confirms our industrial expansion and allows us to anticipate the future, aligned with the continuous development of our product roadmap.”
After thorough research, Exotec chose a location on the outskirts of Lille, France, for its industrial building, including suitable access for trucks. Proximity to existing facilities proved crucial to fostering collaboration among teams, especially those for research and development and for support, it said.
The new building will house Skypath production workshops, as well as the service center dedicated to the maintenance of Skypod robots. Exotec said 30 workers will initially contribute to the development of these activities.
Editor’s note: Eugene Demaitre, editorial director of WTWH Media’s Robotics Group, will moderate a live webinar on “Your Definitive Warehouse Automation Checklist” on Thursday, Nov. 30, at 2:00 p.m. EST.