XPO Logistics has increased its use of intelligent robotics in the UK in anticipation of holiday retail volumes. The robots work alongside XPO’s employees to help manage inventory for distribution during the seasonal peak.
The robots are developed by 6 River Systems, part of global commerce company Shopify and one of XPO’s key robotics partners in the USA. The mobile robots collaborate with employees and adapt quickly to changes in fulfilment. The robots guide workers to the correct inventory area, validate the items picked and transport them to designated packing stations.
The technology uses machine learning to double productivity rates on average and improve accuracy by as much as 40%. Safety is enhanced by reducing repetitive employee movements and time spent walking.
Mario Harik, chief information officer of XPO Logistics, said, “Our successful collaboration with 6 River Systems in the USA 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 fulfilment this holiday season.”