To address the growing demand in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, Norwegian robotics company AutoStore inaugurated a new assembly factory in Rayong Province, Thailand, as announced in a recent press release.
This significant development aims to expedite the deployment of the company’s automated storage and retrieval systems into APAC warehouses, enhancing efficiency and speed, according to the press release.
AutoStore’s vice president for APAC business development, Philipp Schitter, highlighted that the Rayong factory’s proximity to key markets such as Japan, Korea, Australia, and Singapore will considerably boost the company’s capacity to serve customers and solidify its presence in the APAC region.
AutoStore reported that over 140 systems and 5,300 robots are already operational across APAC. The new factory is expected to enhance service to prominent brands like Puma, Gucci, Best Buy, Decathlon, DHL, GLS, and Yusen Logistics, which rely on AutoStore’s technology to meet the growing e-commerce demands.
In correspondence with Value Chain Asia, AutoStore disclosed that its 2023 sales reached USD 6.5 billion, with an order backlog of USD 447 million. The Thailand factory is projected to double production capacity, with plans to produce 15,000 robots in the next 18 months. Over 100 robots have already been manufactured, with sales commencing in June.
AutoStore’s cube-based modular storage system, utilizing advanced robots, replaces traditional shelf-based storage and manual retrieval, thus enhancing order fulfillment speed, warehouse space utilization, and operational efficiency. The new factory is anticipated to create approximately 80 jobs initially, expanding to 200-300 jobs by 2026.
(Source: ValueChainAsia)
