Tompkins Robotics enters strategic partnership with GreyOrange

Tompkins and GreyOrange announce strategic partnership
Tompkins and GreyOrange announce strategic partnership. | Image credit: Tompkins

Tompkins Robotics and GreyOrange announce a strategic partnership that combines the best of both companies solutions. The new partnership enables a “zero walk” solution that eliminates all walking required by human warehouse associates. The solution promises to dramatically increase order pick rates through the integration of the Tompkins’ tSort™ with GreyOrange’s Ranger™ Goods-to-Person (GTP) system. The efficiency driven by the solution allows companies to fulfill 10 times the ecommerce order volumes that are achieved with other traditional automated picking solutions.

Tompkins T-sort robot dumping product into a bin
Tompkins tSort AMRs typically sort into bins/totes. | Image Credit: Tompkins

Tompkins has set the standard for table top sorting with their tSort solution. The tSort solution is easily configurable for any size floor space, including micro-sortation center located in retail warehouses. The tSort robots typically sort into bins/totes held below the tabletop surface, however when integrated with the GreyOrange GTP system, the tSort can place sorted SKUs onto a GreyOrange Ranger AMR. The Ranger AMR then delivers a consolidated order to a human pack out station.

“This ‘zero walk’ collaboration takes ecommerce order fulfillment to pick rates never seen before by the retail industry,” said John Seidl, Retail Consulting Partner at GreyOrange. “With this new joint solution, ecommerce retailers can achieve picks rates exceeding 500 to 1,000 units per hour while also providing a more ergonomic work environment for associates, helping them attract and retain the best people. It’s really the perfect solution for all retail segments.”

The “zero walk” effect this solution creates is a desirable alternative to traditional and other solutions that require human associates to walk a large warehouse picking area to access a broad assortment of SKUs, then walk to a put wall to sort the SKUs to orders for packing. Integrating these solutions through GreyOrange GreyMatter™ software, the intelligence and decision-making engine powering and connecting the robots, creates a solution that completely eliminates time-consuming and labor-intensive walking for associates. Retailers can fulfill thousands of orders faster, increasing customer satisfaction while also significantly improving the work environment for associates.

“This partnership demonstrates that Tompkins Robotics and GreyOrange are expanding to deliver the leadership and expertise their clients need to transform their businesses for the future,” said Mike Futch, CEO and President, Tompkins. “From solution detailing to implementation and collaboration on specific projects, the GreyOrange and Tompkins Robotics teams work to provide their partners with business, technical, sales and marketing resources to enable them to grow their business and better support their customers.”

This software integration between the GreyOrange GreyMatter AI solution and the Tompkins Robotics WES is the key to making the joint solution work. Tight integration is essential for businesses whose growth, like Tompkins and GreyOrange, has been fueled in the past year by the massive increase in online orders due to the pandemic.

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Written by

Mike Oitzman

Mike Oitzman is Senior Editor of WTWH's Robotics Group, cohost of The Robot Report Podcast, and founder of the Mobile Robot Guide. Oitzman is a robotics industry veteran with 25-plus years of experience at various high-tech companies in the roles of marketing, sales and product management. He can be reached at moitzman@wtwhmedia.com.