Warehouse robots recruited to help XPO tackle Christmas peak

XPO Logistics has ramped up its use of intelligent robotics ahead of the Christmas peak period.

The robots, which XPO already uses in the US, work alongside XPO’s employees to help manage inventory for distribution during the seasonal peak.

Manufactured by 6 River Systems, XPO’s US robotic technology partner, the mobile robots collaborate with employees and are capable of adapting quickly to changes in fulfillment.

The robots guide employees to the correct inventory area, check the items picked and transport them to designated packing stations.

XPO says the technology uses machine learning to double productivity rates on average and improve accuracy by as much as 40%. Health and safety is also improved by reducing repetitive employee movements and time spent walking.

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Mario Harik, chief information officer of XPO Logistics, said, “Our successful 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.”

Jerome Dubois, co-founder and co-CEO of 6 River Systems, said: “Our collaborative fulfillment robots are a strong fit with XPO’s high-volume warehouse environments.

“This partnership has already delivered significant benefits for XPO customers.”