inVia Robotics Expands into Asia with Kantsu Deployment

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Kantsu has selected inVia Robotics, the provider of next-generation warehouse automation solutions, to supply autonomous mobile robots that automate fulfillment operations in its primary distribution center in Osaka, Japan.

inVia's modular automation system, which includes a fleet of 200 autonomous mobile robots and AI-driven software, will modernize Kantsu's e-commerce fulfillment process. It will automate the picking process and allow warehouse workers to sort at rates of 800-900 units per hour per person. This will overcome the limitations of manual picking and deliver a flexible robotics solution that can scale as Kantsu's e-commerce order volumes continue to grow.

E-commerce sales grew 25% in Asia Pacific in 2019, more than both North America and Europe combined. The region is forecast to reach $3 trillion in online sales by 2021, creating increased urgency to bring greater efficiency into the order fulfillment process in order to keep pace with demand.

Kantsu is one of the leading providers of logistics and warehousing services to e-commerce businesses in Japan. The growing demand for their services has led to an expansion of more than 161,000 square feet of capacity and 100 employees per year. Kantsu prides itself on providing customers with unmatched quality of service and the most advanced robotics technology available in the market, leading to their choice of inVia to automate order fulfillment.

"Our customers are being pressured to provide more products and faster service to their consumers, and inVia's robots ensure that we are always delivering the right products quickly," said Hisahiro Tatsushiro, chief executive officer  of Kantsu. "inVia Robotics' technology allows us to offer superior logistics services to our customers."

inVia's integrated system includes inVia Logic warehouse optimization software and a fleet of inVia Picker robots. inVia Logic employs advanced AI algorithms to adapt to fluctuations in demand in real-time and adjust warehouse mapping to create more efficient paths and processes. The inVia Picker robot automates the storage and retrieval process to skillfully pick and move products swiftly and accurately through the order fulfillment process. Kantsu has also chosen to manage inventory replenishment and cycle counting through inVia's system, which helps maintain inventory accuracy, ensuring customers receive the items they want when they want them. This advanced level of automation and quality control has become even more critical as online order volumes continue to spike due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Kantsu is leading innovation in Japan's logistics industry, and their upgrade to mobile automation allows them to provide superior service to their customers," said Lior Elazary, co-founder & chief executive officer of inVia Robotics. "We are excited to bring the precision and speed of inVia's robots to Japan and Asia. This region has set the bar high on robotics innovation, and our technology is a great market fit."