Logistics systems integrator Bastian Solutions is adding the French warehouse robot maker Scallog to its stable of fulfillment automation technology providers for handling soaring volumes of e-commerce orders triggered by the Covid-19 crisis.
Located in Hauts-de-Seine, France, just outside of Paris, Scallog says its “Boby” intelligent logistics robot is designed to lift and transport product shelves from storage to picking locations. Designed to compete with Amazon’s proprietary Kiva robotic solution, each Boby bot can handle a 1,300-pound payload, supporting throughput of 600 picks per hour. The system is priced to provide “an effective and cost-efficient entry into automated order fulfillment with limited capital investment,” the company says.
Scallog chose to partner with Bastian—which is a unit of material handling giant Toyota Industries Corp.’s Toyota Advanced Logistics Solutions (TALS) division—in order to tap in to enormous sales potential in the American region. “The United States represents a new El Dorado for logistics robotics, where our value proposition for the automation of order picking has everything required to meet the growing demand for efficiency, agility, and resilience in American warehouses,” Scallog CEO Olivier Rochet said in a release. El Dorado was a mythical South American city thought by 16th century Spanish conquistadors to contain great riches of gold.
Citing statistics from DHL, Scallog says the North American market has great potential for robotic fulfillment technology as only 5% of warehouses are fully automated and 15% are semi-automated. “The USA represents an important market, demanding efficient and agile logistics solutions, combined with huge local logistics expertise. The integration agreement with Bastian Solutions allows us to accelerate our deployment capacity and our commercial presence,” Rochet said.
The partners expect to act quickly, forecasting the first installations of Scallog solutions in the first half of 2021. They will focus on third party logistics (3PL), online retail, distribution, and industrial companies in the food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, publishing, and spare parts sectors.
