Exotec deploys its order preparing robots with ecommerce giant Cdiscount

A year on from its €3.3 million funding round, French AI robotics company Exotec Solutions has deployed a large-scale robotics system for preparing ecommerce orders at warehouses.

The 3D mobile robots, called Skypod Robots, are backed by AI-software and have been deployed with French ecommerce giant Cdiscount, which is using the robots at its Bordeaux warehouse to sort and prepare orders. Cdiscount processes a large number of purchases and recently raked in €43 million on Black Friday orders.

According to the launch announcement, the robots have made order processing four times faster. The robot system can handle 400 picks per hour. The industry average is 200 picks per hour while the manual average is 100. The robots move in three dimensions at speeds of 10mph and can carry loads up to 60 pounds.

Ecommerce has placed new demands on the logistics industry, which is tipped to reach a value or $15.5 billion by 2023, explained Romain Moulin, CEO of Exotec.

“To respond to today's market requirements, companies are putting the emphasis on deployment speed and flexible deployment capability rather than heavy fixed infrastructure in order to best respond to rapid fluctuations in demand,” he said.

“The Skypod addresses the needs of a new generation of customers who are looking for high performance and high-density systems that can be modified every two years.”

Renaud Heitz, CTO, added that company can deploy the robotics system “within days instead of weeks” at a warehouse.

“From inception, the system has been designed to ensure fast deployment and full scalability,” he said. “Skypod’s free navigation allows the robots to travel anywhere within the system, something the competition can’t offer today.”

Exotec raised €3.3 million in 2016 from 360 Capital Partners and Breega Capital.

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