DB Schenker is deploying goods-to-man robots capable of lifting up to 800 kilograms at its distribution centre in Leipzig. The robots are equipped with a system that combines machine learning with 3D cameras, enabling them to react appropriately to their surroundings.
DB Schenker has been running a pilot with the robots for the past few months. "We are continuously exploring the possibilities of integrating innovations from visionary startups into our operations," said Xavier Garijo, board member of contract logistics at Schenker.
During the pilot, the systems proved to speed up the fulfilment process in Leipzig and allowed employees to focus on more complex tasks. In the first month, the robots covered a distance of 26 kilometres every week.
The machines deployed by the logistics provider come from Croatian company Gideon Brothers. "Our machines perceive the world the way we do, by processing visual input and understanding what surrounds them and how this relates to their tasks," co-founder Matija Kopić said of the goods-to-man system. Gideon Brothers received a capital injection of EUR 2.65 million in an investment round earlier this month. This brings the startup's total growth capital to €5 million.
