Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
    • F-O
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
    • P-R
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
    • S-Z
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • March 2025
    • September 2023
    • June 2023
    • March 2023
    • December 2022
    • SHOWCASE 2019
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn YouTube Twitter
  • Sign-up for Breaking News Emails
  • Meet the Editors
  • Contact Us
  • Media Pack
Subscribe
LinkedIn Facebook
Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. December 2024
    2. September 2024
    3. June 2024
    4. March 2024
    5. SHOWCASE 2019
    6. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – March 2025

    Online Magazines By Web Team
    Recent

    In this Issue – March 2025

    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – December 2024

    December 5, 2024

    In this Issue – September 2024

    September 19, 2024
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • 2024 Award Winners
    • 2023 Award Winners
    • 2022 Award Winners
    • 2021 Award Winners
    • 2020 Award Winners
    • 2019 Award Winners
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Parcel and Postal Technology International
Opinion

It’s time to take a robotic approach to sortation

Xia Huiling, founder and CEO of LiBiao RobotBy Xia Huiling, founder and CEO of LiBiao RobotOctober 22, 20204 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

Across the e-commerce order fulfilment sector, sales of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are booming. According to the latest market intelligence report compiled by Interact Analysis, the number of AMRs acquired for use in fulfilment order picking facilities globally was close to 20,000 in 2019 – a figure which is almost double the total posted for the previous year. And it is forecast that AMR sales will continue their upward trajectory with more than 1.1 million ‘bots predicted to be deployed in warehouses around the world before the end of 2024.

AMR technology differs from the science behind the established autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) that have become a familiar sight in logistics hubs across the world in that they do not rely on human interaction to change route. Instead, onboard navigation systems guide them between destinations.

There are a number of factors driving the current interest in using autonomous robot technology to carry out picking and sortation functions within order fulfilment centers. For example, a shrinking labor pool is making it harder to find and retain the people needed to undertake tasks traditionally performed by low-skilled workers in warehouses. And, of course, the spectacular rise of e-commerce throughout the Covid-19 pandemic – with online shoppers showing no let up in their habit of demanding low-cost, ‘instant’ delivery – has also been a significant influencer.

Various AMR-based systems are available – each capable of performing specific roles throughout the warehouse, but one of the most recent intralogistics functions to benefit from emerging mobile robot technology is sortation. Sortation robots – such as LiBiao’s ‘Mini Yellow’ series – are proving an attractive alternative to the high capex fixed tilt-tray and crossbelt conveyor-based sortation systems that have historically been used within many busy parcel and e-commerce operations.

Cost-effective and flexible, sortation robots require a significantly smaller floor area within which to operate than a conveyor to achieve the same parcel throughput statistics, while the time needed to complete an installation is also notably shorter than what is necessary when building conveyor-based sorting solutions.

Furthermore, with no fixed infrastructure requirements, modular AMR-based systems are scalable and offer complete flexibility with additional robots easily introduced as and when they are needed to cope with any spikes in throughput. What’s more, the technology is fully portable – meaning systems can be switched between sites if required.

And, of course, unlike conveyor-based sorting systems which often have to be shut down if a fault develops at any point ‘on the line’, if an individual robot malfunctions it is simply removed from the ‘shop floor’ and quickly replaced – with no discernible drop in throughput capacity.

In fact, the benefits of introducing autonomous robot sorting systems within an e-commerce or parcel processing environment are so clear and obvious that in The Mobile Robot Market 2020, Interact Analysis predicts that around 300,000 sortation AMRs will be in operation worldwide within the next four years.

AMR sortation technology may be relatively new, but its value and reliability has been proven at various high profile sites around the world. LiBiao’s ‘Mini Yellow’ solution, for instance, is in operation at many diverse companies including Walmart facilities throughout the USA, at Uniqlo’s main hub in Japan and at various China Post sites in China. As our international client base continues to grow, we estimate that some two billion parcels are now processed using LiBiao AMRs each year.

Until now China and the USA have been the top two investors in AMR sortation systems but as autonomous mobile robot technology’s reputation for bringing flexibility and scalability to some of the busiest e-commerce and parcel sorting hubs in the world spreads, Europe’s logistics community is increasingly conscious of the benefits that this innovative, low capex approach to sortation brings. 

Quite simply, with e-commerce only likely to become evermore competitive, Europe’s retailers and their logistics partners cannot afford to overlook the significant operational advantages that AMR-based sortation solutions deliver.

Interact Analysis’s report on the mobile robot market – The Mobile Robot Market 2020 – is available at www.interactanalysis.com.

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleRoyal Mail to offer parcel pickup for first time
Next Article Smartmile expands in Finland and the Netherlands

Related Posts

Opinion

OPINION: How Chinese CEP giants are shaping the future of Europe’s last-mile logistics

May 14, 20255 Mins Read
Opinion

OPINION: The impact of open smart locker networks on the future of parcel logistics

April 23, 20254 Mins Read
Opinion

OPINION: The challenges of expanding out-of-home delivery in the UK

April 2, 20255 Mins Read

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Latest News

Canada Post workers threaten more strike action

May 21, 2025

DP World to invest US$2.5bn in logistics infrastructure in 2025

May 21, 2025

Evri accelerates parcel deliveries in Republic of Ireland with multimillion-pound Coll-8 acquisition

May 21, 2025
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us / Advertiser
  • Meet the Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Breaking News Emails
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Supplier Spotlights
  • OMNIC
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Notice & Takedown Policy
  • Site FAQs
© 2025 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe GDPR Cookie Consent plugin sets the cookie to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores user consent for cookies in the category "Others".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
elementorneverThe website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.
JSESSIONIDsessionNew Relic uses this cookie to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesCloudflare set the cookie to support Cloudflare Bot Management.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
uidsessionThis is a Google UserID cookie that tracks users across various website segments.
vuid1 year 1 month 4 daysVimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos on the website.
_ga1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
OAID1 yearCookie set to record whether the user has opted out of the collection of information by the AdsWizz Service Cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysYouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYoutube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

CookieDurationDescription
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA5 months 27 daysDescription is currently not available.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by