3PL expands robotics use ahead of Peak

The robots work alongside XPO’s employees to help manage inventory for distribution during the seasonal peak. The automation is manufactured by 6 River Systems, part of Shopify.

The autonomous, mobile robots guide employees to the correct inventory area, validate the items picked and transport them to designated packing stations. The technology has used machine learning to double productivity rates on average and improve accuracy by as much as 40%, says the company. Safety is enhanced by reducing repetitive employee movements and time spent walking.

Mario Harik, chief information officer of XPO Logistics, said, “Our collaboration with 6 River Systems in the US has led to a seamless roll-out of the robots at our UK sites. Based on our pilots with retail apparel, the system handles peaks in consumer demand with near-perfect accuracy by complementing the work performed by our employees. The synergies are ideal for retail and e-commerce fulfillment this holiday season.”

“Our collaborative fulfillment robots are a strong fit with XPO’s high-volume warehouse environments,” said Jerome Dubois, co-founder and co-CEO of 6 River Systems. “This partnership has already delivered significant benefits for XPO customers.”