Tennant Co. and Brain Corp. today announced an exclusive technology agreement to accelerate the development and adoption of the next generation of floor-cleaning robots. The partners said they are expanding the collaboration between Tennant’s mobile robots and Brain Corp’s artificial intelligence for autonomous navigation.
Tennant has more than 150 years of history building industrial cleaning equipment, as well as direct-sales and service coverage. More than 6,500 of its robots use the BrainOS technology, and the companies said they expect to enable more customers to invest in robotic cleaning and to improve their return on investment (ROI).
“This partnership further aligns two companies driven by a shared purpose: to elevate productivity and efficiency, and provide essential support for janitorial teams facing understaffing and overwhelming demand,” said David Pinn, CEO of Brain Corp, in a release. “At Brain Corp, we envision a world where people’s lives are made safer, easier, more productive, and more fulfilling with the help of robots, and I believe this expanded partnership will supercharge this into reality.”
Partners to produce new AMR bundle
In the second quarter of 2024, Tennant plans launch the X4 ROVR, its first purpose-built autonomous mobile robot (AMR). It said the X4 ROVR s designed to offer greater maneuverability for operation in smaller spaces. It will use Brain Corp’s next-generation navigation software and hardware suite, which will be available exclusively on Tennant machines for floor-care applications.
The company claimed that the new AMR‘s compact size, improved obstacle detection, and enhanced mobility will result in fewer assists and “deliver a step-change improvement in customer ROI.” Tennant and Brain said they expect the X4 ROVR to enable customers to more easily adopt cleaning robots.
With this agreement and starting with the X4 ROVR, Tennant said will begin selling an all-in-one AMR offering bundling the equipment and autonomy services. The company said this approach should simplify the buying experience for customers and result in recurring revenue for autonomy services moving forward.
“Innovation and customer focus are a significant part of Tennant’s identity,” stated Dave Huml, president and CEO of Tennant Co.. “This partnership amplifies our commitment to innovation, as well as Brain Corp’s position as a pioneer in AI and automation applied to cleaning equipment.”
“We are excited to unlock the full potential of next-generation robotic floor-cleaning solutions that deliver true business value to customers who use our AMR equipment today and those who are waiting eagerly for an AMR solution that they can leverage for their businesses,” he said.
Brain Corp seeks to further scale cleaning systems
Brain Corp said that customers including Fortune 500 brands use its BrainOS cloud-connected platform to clean floors, take inventory, and sense environmental data, turning manual operations into automated workflows. The San Diego-based company said its AI software powers more than 30,000 AMRs operating in commercial public spaces, which it claimed is the largest fleet of its kind in the world.
The X4 ROVR is the first of many AMRs powered by Brain’s next-generation technology that will be exclusively available on Tennant equipment, according to the partners. With this agreement, the companies said they will build out a portfolio of systems to cover more cleaning applications.
In addition, Tennant has invested $32 million in Brain Corp. Fay West, senior vice president and chief financial officer at Tennant, will join Brain’s board of directors.
Tennant has a global channel
Tennant said it brings to the partnership its “history of building exceptional cleaning equipment, a strong go-to-market strategy, and a differentiated customer-support ecosystem.”
Eden Prairie, Minn.-based Tennant designs, manufactures, and markets products including equipment for maintaining surfaces in industrial, commercial, and outdoor environments. The company said it has about 4,457 employees and manufacturing operations around the world.
In addition, Tennant sells products directly in 15 countries and through distributors in more than 100 countries. It reported sales of $1.24 billion in 2023.
“Our customers have always relied on Tennant for equipment innovation and aftermarket support to address key business challenges such as labor shortages and cost pressures,” said Huml. “Our partnership with Brain Corp has already produced an industry-leading portfolio of autonomous equipment in this fast-growing space.”
“We are excited to expand our existing partnership to dramatically accelerate the transition to robotic cleaning and drive adoption in new segments of our markets,” he added. “By combining cleaning intelligence and automation, we are poised to lead the disruption that AI-enabled robotic technology will bring to our industry.”
