Flexible future

AUTOMATED HANDLING technologies are increasingly designed for modularity and scalability. This enables companies to adjust more easily to seasonal peaks, new product lines or process changes, as well as allowing them to expand their logistics systems cost-effectively over time.

The demand for modular automation has been fuelled by the availability of flexible financing options. Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) solutions enable firms to pay as they go, typically per robot movement. Having all costs – installation, integration, software and support – included in one contract helps logistics directors to overcome the challenge of getting board approval for large capital expenditure projects.

Popular modular automation technologies include autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) – which can be deployed in phases for goods-to-person fulfilment or zone replenishment – and expandable, shuttle-based automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS). AMR solutions can be scaled up quickly, simply by adding more bots to the fleet – with AMRs even offered for rental as an alternative to purchase by a number of automation suppliers.

Recent market research by Interact Analysis predicts that mobile automation will grow through 2030, driven by the demand for flexible and scalable solutions, which is fuelled by economic and political uncertainty. The research firm forecasts that global mobile robot shipments will grow at 18% CAGR over the next five years, rising from 183,000 units in 2024 to 506,000 units by 2030. With increasing use of case-picking AMRs, tote-to-person AMRs and AMRs equipped with robotic arms, the installed base of mobile robots is predicted to rise from 770,000 to 2.87 million units worldwide over this period.
The research also points out the increasing throughput rates being achieved by tote-to-person systems, which is intensifying competition between mobile solutions and shuttle systems. In 2024, shuttle systems accounted for 70% of the high-throughput item-picking market but – as tote-to-person technologies improve – this share is forecast to decline to 55% by 2030.

A number of AMHSA members have proven flexible automation solutions and a wealth of experience in their design and delivery.