The automated warehousing industry closed out 2024, and the end of peak season, with a strong month of innovations. Robotics milestones, distribution-related deployments, and strategic partnerships drew our readers’ attention in December.
Here are the 10 most popular articles on this site from the past month. Subscribe to the Automated Warehouse Newsletter to stay updated and have the news delivered straight to your in-box.
10. Photoneo Brightpick Group to sell vision unit to Zebra Technologies
Photoneo Brightpick Group said it has agreed to Zebra Technologies’ acquisition of its Photoneo unit, which provides vision sensors and artificial intelligence for robotics. Bratislava, Slovakia-based Photoneo Brightpick Group said it has more than 8,000 technology installations across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Read more.
9. Exotec Skypod robots present over 1M containers per day globally
With the holiday rush in full swing, warehouse robot suppliers marked new milestones in December 2024. Exotec announced that its Skypod fleet has completed more than 1 million container presentations on a daily basis worldwide. With offices in Lille, France, and Atlanta, Exotec said the world’s largest brands use its hardware and software to improve efficiency, resilience, and working conditions in warehouses. Read more.
8. Libiao deploys sortation robots in Olive Young distribution center
South Korean retail chain Olive Young wanted to improve efficiency, speed, and order accuracy. The health and beauty company recently deployed Libiao Robotics’ T-Sort handling technology in its new 355,000 sq. ft. national distribution center in Gyeonggi Province. Read more.
7. Körber delivers warehouse automation for Iron Mountain
Körber Supply Chain announced a new collaboration with Iron Mountain, a global leader in information management services. Körber said the new project further expands its presence in Southeast Asia and demonstrates its commitment to providing cutting-edge warehouse automation for businesses of all sizes. Read more.
6. S&S Activewear rolls out Geek+ PopPick system in two distribution centers
S&S Activewear, a leading technology-enabled distributor of apparel and accessories, has more than 4 million sq. ft. of warehouse space across North America. The Bolingbrook, Ill.-based company said in December 2024 that it has expanded its partnership with with Körber and Geekplus Technology Co. to optimize its warehouse operations in Reno, Nev., and Reading, Pa. Read more.
5. Dexory partners with Körber to provide visibility into warehouse operations
Warehouse operators are under competitive pressure to future-proof their supply chains for resilience and agility, and robots and optimization tools can help, said Körber Supply Chain Software. The company also announced a strategic partnership with Dexory in which it will integrate the DexoryView platform with its warehouse management systems, or WMS. Read more.
4. GEODIS reaches 10M picks with Locus mobile robots
Locus Robotics announced that its customer GEODIS has surpassed 10 million units picked with help from its warehouse automation. The milestone pick happened in December 2024 at the global logistics provider’s distribution center in Carlisle, Pa. Read more.
3. Forvis Mazars partners with Hy-Tek for warehouse software deployments
Hy-Tek Intralogistics announced a strategic partnership with Forvis Mazars, a provider of Microsoft software. This collaboration will bring together the Hy-Tek IntraOne platform and Transportation Management System with Forvis Mazars’ experience to deliver integrated, efficient, and scalable systems. Read more.
2. Slip Robotics raises Series B financing for truck loading robots
For more than a century, truck trailers have been loaded and unloaded in the same way, leading to wasted time for drivers and dangerous bursts of activity for forklift operators. Slip Robotics said it has raised Series B funding of $28 million as it offers to automate and accelerate truck loading and unloading with its SlipBots. Read more.
1. Mecalux and MIT launch Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab
Mecalux and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in December 2024 announced a five-year project to expedite the integration of artificial intelligence in logistics. The partners said they will use the MIT Intelligent Logistics Systems Lab to explore new applications of AI models “with significant potential for business and society.” Read more.
