Honeywell Intelligrated, a provider of material handling automation and software engineering solutions, has teamed up with Fetch Robotics to provide distribution centers with autonomous mobile robots to help them more effectively fulfill growing volumes of e-commerce orders.
The initiative enables Honeywell Intelligrated’s customers to increase productivity and boost labor efficiency by deploying Fetch Robotics’ autonomous mobile robotics, which operate safely alongside people to transport items through distribution centers without human guidance or fixed paths. By adding this offering to its smart robotics portfolio, Honeywell Intelligrated can provide customers with a range of flexible automation solutions that can be tailored to address current and future operational needs.
Honeywell Intelligrated previously announced its collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University to develop next-generation artificial intelligence and robotics technologies for distribution centers. The Fetch Robotics collaboration adds mobility capability to the portfolio of robotics solutions Honeywell is bringing to market.
“As staffing challenges and the continued growth of online shopping are pressuring supply chains, robotics can be an effective solution to help make large, integrated distribution centers more efficient,” said Pieter Krynauw, president of Honeywell Intelligrated.
“With this arrangement, we can provide our customers with a complete suite of fixed and mobile robotics solutions, backed by the expert systems integration, solutions development and reliable, 24/7 technical support they expect from us.”
Companies are increasingly turning to robotics to gain competitive advantage in the supply chain, with adoption expected to rise from 34% to 73% over the next five years, according to a survey in the 2018 Material Handling Institute’s annual report. The study identified that the most common uses for robotics in warehousing operations include tasks like receiving and putting away inventory.
