Bloomberg Technology mentioned IAM Robotics as one of just a handful of companies poised to deliver the next generation of warehouse automation.
In their article, "How Amazon Triggered a Robot Arms Race", authoris Kim Bhasin and Patrick Clark said,
"Some of the new systems can pluck products off shelves, such as one made by Pittsburgh-based IAM Robotics. It uses an autonomous vehicle topped with a swiveling arm that grabs items as small as a pillbox, using a suction cup."
Bhasin and Clark also mentioned two reasons why the competition is fierce with robotics companies feverishly working to speed up development of new warehouse automation solutions.
- "Minimum wage hikes being considered and enacted nationwide could drive labor costs higher, especially in locations close to city centers."
- "About half the human labor in warehouses slogs away on simple, arduous tasks that involve moving stuff around—doing work that's the equivalent of restocking shelves in a grocery store. It's strenuous work, with employees often walking more than a dozen miles a day as part of their job."
IAM Robotics aims to meet these challenges with a cost-effective robot solution that can work 24 hours per day in large and small warehouses close to city centers where these labor costs and fulfillment demands are skyrocketing. In addition, IAM intends to help transition workers from the dirty, dangerous, and dull jobs into, "Jobs that are more worthy of the great magnitude of human capability," as IAM's Principal Robotics Engineer, John Cameron remarks.
CEO, Tom Galluzzo also touched on the rising demand in the supply chain in response to MHI's 2016 Industry Report which reported that supply chain adoption of robots is expected to rise from 35% to 74% in the next six to ten years.
Stay tuned for more updates throughout the summer as IAM Robotics begins a full implementation of robots at Rochester Drug Company!