“Can 1 plus 1 equal 2?”
Mitsubishi & Eternal Power
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas and Eternal Power have recently announced their continued expansion in the field of mobile automation solutions in North America by establishing the joint venture company, Rocrich AGV Solutions.
The name “Rocrich” is derived from the fusion of the Rocla brand and product catalog in the North American market with Eternal Power’s Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) products. The partners state that the combined product and service offerings of Eternal Power and Rocla will empower Rocrich to address all major customer use cases, from standard AGVs to specialized AGVs and automated forklifts.
To seize the expected growth in the North American materials handling automation market, Rocrich will integrate Logisnext’s Rocla brand’s AGV product portfolio with the existing AGV product portfolio of Eternal Power, a joint venture company in MCJ.
Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas and Eternal Power will hold equal shares in the new company, which will be headquartered in Houston, Texas, USA, with additional operations in Marengo, Illinois. Brian Spradlin, currently serving as President at MCJ, will continue to hold a position in the expanded joint venture and will serve as President of Rocrich.
BYD & Cyngn
US company Cyngn, specializing in developing artificial intelligence-driven autonomous solutions for industrial applications, recently announced significant progress in the development of autonomous forklifts using its DriveMod technology.
The development of the autonomous forklifts was led by Cyngn under a long-term paid contract with independent end-users in the construction materials industry. This collaboration successfully implemented AI-driven autonomous driving capabilities on electric forklifts produced by BYD. Cyngn aims to commercialize autonomous forklifts by 2024. CEO of Cyngn, Lior Tal, stated, “Transforming DriveMod into electric forklifts, expanding Cyngn’s supported vehicle portfolio to the most ubiquitous materials handling, is a significant milestone. By combining our expertise in autonomous technology with leading OEMs like BYD, we can create sustainable, autonomous forklifts capable of handling the most demanding industrial tasks.”
Audrey Li, Vice President of Operations at BYD, added, “This development represents a significant step forward in our commitment to innovation and providing advanced next-generation solutions to our customers who want to ‘work smarter.’ Adding DriveMod to our forklifts addresses the growing demand for automation solutions. BYD forklifts are powered by single lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, which are maintenance-free and environmentally friendly. They offer longer runtime and faster charging compared to traditional electric forklifts. We are excited about the potential impact this technology can have on organizational bottom lines and look forward to the opportunities it will unlock.”
AI-Powered Autonomous Forklift – Cyngn
Foxconn & LingHua Technology
In 2020, Foxconn and LingHua Technology jointly established FARobot under their joint venture, Fabu Intelligent.
According to public records, Fabu Intelligent’s FARobot has a registered capital of NTD 200 million. Foxconn contributed NTD 102 million in cash, holding a 51% stake, while LingHua contributed NTD 98 million in cash, holding a 49% stake. FARobot will focus on mobile vehicle applications in industries such as manufacturing, warehousing, retail, and healthcare. It aims to create a next-generation software platform based on Data Distribution Service (DDS) for real-time data and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), accelerating AMR adoption, enhancing process efficiency, and gaining a competitive edge for enterprise customers.
Foxconn and LingHua’s collaboration in the robotics industry will result in a global deployment of next-generation autonomous mobile robot (AMR) applications across various industries within three years. In addition, FARobot plans to launch a range of AMRs and complementary software.
Picture of SMR1000 Lift – FARobot
UBTech & Tianqi Corporation
Wuxi UQI Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a joint venture between UBTech and Tianqi Corporation, is a technology innovation company focused on driving logistics automation using “AI+robots.”
Leveraging its independently developed UPilot robot operating system and ACU robot core controller, UQI has introduced the Wali series of industrial mobile robots and the Qingtianzhu stacker robot. These products, combined with the WMS (Warehouse Management System), MES (Manufacturing Execution System), and CTS (City Transportation System) cloud platforms, provide integrated solutions for unmanned factories, warehouses, and deliveries, enabling enterprises to operate intelligently and efficiently, empowering the next generation of B2C logistics.
The company primarily targets four major industries: (new energy) automotive, tires, batteries, and e-commerce/3PL. UQI has already provided logistics robot products and comprehensive solutions to several globally renowned automotive companies.
The Wali series of industrial mobile robots and the Qingtianzhu stacker robots. -Wuxi UQI Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd
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