Robot manufacturer Locus Robotics has received a US$66 million capital injection. The startup piqued the interest of some major market players, including DHL, in recent months.
This week, US-based Locus Robotics raised $26 million (€23 million) in an investment round. It also received substantial capital injections in previous rounds. Total growth money for Locus Robotics now stands at $66 million (€59 million).
The startup, founded in 2014, works with a similar system to other players in the industry, such as Kiva and Fetch. Lotus Robotics produces robotic racks that autonomously drive around and bring warehouse bins to the picker or packing station. The LocusBot is used in DHL warehouses, among others.
Scalable labour
"We are seeing a huge increase in demand for flexible automation," explains ceo Rick Faulk. "Our solution not only improves productivity and reduces costs, but above all offers scalable labour that can be adapted to the requirements of numerous product and customer profiles." With the capital injection, Faulk says it can meet the growing global demand for the robotic solution.
Amazon invests in robotics
There is a lot going on in the logistics robotics market. Last week, Amazon expanded its portfolio in autonomous robots with the purchase of Canvas Technology. The company developed the Canvas Autonomous Cart. Based on 3D imaging, this self-driving pick cart can autonomously avoid people and obstacles in a warehouse environment.
Canvas is a fitting addition to the offering of Amazon Robotics, a division that was created from the acquisition of Kiva systems. The familiar orange goods-to-man carts are now running in many of Amazon's distribution centres.
