Zalando is giving its logistics infrastructure a major boost with the rollout of as many as fifty AI-driven Nomagic robots in its European fulfilment network. This expansion also introduces a world first for one of the industry's biggest challenges: the automated handling of shoe boxes without losing the lid.
The robotic units, affectionately called 'Richard', specialise in item-level picking, scanning and seamlessly feeding products into automated pocket sorters. Using Nomagic's industry-leading AI for image processing, these robots can recognise materials and shapes and adjust their grip accordingly in real time.
Continuously learning and adapting to changing inventories, this technology is crucial in managing Zalando's huge, rapidly rotating range of fashion and lifestyle products. As a result, Zalando ensures that orders are processed accurately and quickly.
Successful pilot
"The test phase with Nomagic demonstrated that their robots were an excellent fit for Zalando's logistics centres. After the rapid and successful deployment of the first ten units, we decided to expand our partnership and gradually deploy more robots as our network develops," said Marcus Daute, vice president logistics network at Zalando.
"The huge scale of our operations requires smart automation that works with our people. By delegating simple processes to AI-powered robots, we achieve the operational excellence our customers and business partners expect, while supporting the growth of our employees."
Shoeboxes
Although automation is common in logistics, shoeboxes have traditionally been one of the most challenging items to automate in model logistics; their loose lids often become loose when processed by standard robotic arms.
To overcome this, the Shoebox Picker uses a combination of software and hardware. Advanced image processing software controls the physical hardware. This allows the robot to 'recognise' the specific product type and its orientation in real-time and automatically adjust the gripping and picking technique to each individual item. The robots are equipped with custom-made grippers that hold the box on two sides, keeping the lid intact during transport.
Kacper Nowicki, CEO and co-founder of Nomagic: "By combining the intelligence of AI with a robot, it solves real physical challenges and transforms one of the industry's biggest bottlenecks into a streamlined, automated process. We look forward to continuing this journey with Zalando."
A pan-European roll-out
After a successful pilot project that achieved as many as 100,000 picks per day, Zalando plans to significantly expand its partnership with Nomagic. The rollout is already in full swing and will eventually lead to 50 robot systems across its network of fulfilment centres.
The first units are already in operation in Germany (Lahr, Mönchengladbach) and Italy (Verona). Additional robots will be deployed in Zalando's main logistics hubs in the Netherlands (Rotterdam), Sweden (Stockholm), France (Paris) and Zalando's newest fulfilment centre in Giessen (Germany), which will become operational later this year.
