Attabotics Explained

Attabotics Inc.
Type:Privately held company
Founder:Scott Gravelle
Num Employees:>230
Num Employees Year:2019
Hq Location City:Calgary, Alberta
Hq Location Country:Canada
Key People:Scott Gravelle (CEO, CTO)
Industry:Robotics design and manufacturing
Revenue:~$30 million (2018)

Attabotics is a robotics company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada that specializes in Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) inventory management systems. Founded in 2016, the company designs and manufactures intelligent robots that operate within a modular, three-dimensional storage structure that minimizes the traditional fulfillment center footprint.

Origins

The Attabotics system grew out of a thought experiment about what an automated warehouse designed specifically for robots might look like.[1] After exploring multiple designs, founder Scott Gravelle took inspiration from the natural world:

The original inspiration for the company was the leaf-cutter ant, whose Latin name is ‘Atta’... I saw a documentary where a researcher had poured molten aluminum down an ant colony and then dug it up. Ants integrate goods vertically.—Scott Gravelle, Attabotics Founder, CEO, CTO[2]

Technology

Attabotics' proprietary 3D storage system, The Studio, combines order picking, packing, and shipping into one consolidated solution. This differs significantly from many existing robotics fulfillment models, which frequently do not incorporate sortation into the solution infrastructure.

The Studio consists of four interconnected systems:

Although the first generation of Attabotics solutions utilized existing technologies to deliver a proof-of-concept and pilot model, later designs incorporate several proprietary designs developed specifically for the company's innovative fulfillment solution. Combining hardware, software, and process development under one roof not only allowed Attabotics to build a more efficient system, but also to apply those efficiencies to the production process to improve productivity and minimize overhead costs.

History

2016

Attabotics is founded by Scott Gravelle to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the growing AS/RS robotics market.

2017

The first prototype 3D storage system is developed as a proof of concept. Alberta Innovates, a government agency designed to help start-ups bridge the gap between concept and working prototype, makes a key early investment in the company.

2018

Attabotics announces development of new manufacturing site at Calgary's YYC Global Logistics Park in partnership with Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund.[5] The deal ensures that both development and production will remain in Canada. Attabotics also begins its partnership with Gordon Food Service, one of North America's largest foodservice distributors to automate elements of its supply chain.[6]

2019

The company announces plans to build new headquarters in Calgary and hires one of Canada's leading architectural firms to design the building.[7] A new partnership with Microsoft is established to expand edge computing, LTE networking, and IoT capabilities.[8]

2020

Investments from the Canadian government as part of the country's Innovation, Science and Economic Development portfolio allows Attabotics to expand its research and manufacturing operations in Canada.[9]

2021

Attabotics pushes to expand its capabilities by partnering with Canada's leading artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) companies. In May, the company announces a partnership with AltaML and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) to improve supply chain efficiencies.[10] Canada's SCALE AI also announces that it will invest in Attabotics as part of an Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) initiative to further improve fulfillment efficiency, uptime, and throughput.[11]

2022

An agreement with SYNUS Tech allows the company to expand operations into the South Korean market.[12] It also partners with Körber Supply Chain to bring its automation technology to the EU.[13] Attabotics is also selected by the US Department of Defense as robotics provider for the Marine Corps Logistics Command 5G ‘Smart Warehouse.’[14]

The company continues to build relationships with Canadian firms. In July 2022, it establishes a new partnership with Modern Beauty, Canada's leading beauty retailer, to introduce automation technology to Calgary-area fulfillment center.[15] Another deal is struck to help Pan Pacific Pet modernize its warehouse operations.[16] Attabotics expands its leadership team by hiring tech industry veteran Richard Cheung as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).[17]

Awards and recognition

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kariuki . Jeremy . 2022-08-15 . Attabotics: How leafcutter ants inspired supply chain innovation . 2023-08-14 . FreightWaves . en-US.
  2. Web site: Demaitre . Eugene . 2019-08-16 . Attabotics brings vision of ant-like efficiency to supply chains . 2023-08-14 . The Robot Report . en-US.
  3. Web site: Thomas . Lauren . 2019-12-05 . How Nordstrom uses robots and shelves inspired by ants to deliver lipstick faster . 2023-08-14 . CNBC . en.
  4. Web site: Demaitre . Eugene . Attabotics Introduces Re-engineered Attabot 2022 Robot to Increase Warehouse Efficiency . 2023-08-14 . Robotics 24/7 . en.
  5. Web site: 2018-12-12 . Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund selects ATTAbotics for funding . 2023-08-14 . GlobeNewswire News Room . en.
  6. Web site: 2022-10-26 . Attabotics Celebrates 4-Year Partnership with Gordon Food Service . 2023-08-14 . Calgary.Tech . en-US.
  7. News: Parker . David . June 17, 2019 . ATTAbotics hires local company to design new building . Calgary Herald . July 27, 2023.
  8. News: Degrasse . Martha . May 29, 2020 . How Attabotics and Microsoft use private LTE to monitor robots . Light Reading . August 14, 2023.
  9. Web site: Innovation . Science and Economic Development Canada . 2020-12-15 . Government of Canada announces contribution to next-generation robotic warehouse solution . 2023-08-14 . www.canada.ca.
  10. Web site: 2021-05-07 . Attabotics partners with AltaML and Amii to bolster AI capabilities for supply chains . 2023-08-14 . Robotics & Automation News . en-US.
  11. News: 2021-12-08 . SCALE AI announces its largest financing round of 2021 with twelve projects and $71 million in investments in artificial . en . Bloomberg.com . 2023-08-14.
  12. News: May 31, 2022 . Attabotics Partners with SYNUS Tech to Advance Smart Factory Robotic Solutions in the South Korean Market and Beyond . Financial Post . August 14, 2023.
  13. Web site: 2022-06-14 . Attabotics Pens Strategic EU Partnership with International Tech Group, Körber Supply Chain Automation . 2023-08-14 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  14. Web site: 2022-10-04 . KPMG and United States Department of Defense Appoint Attabotics as 3D Robotics Systems Provider for New 5G ‘Smart Warehouse’ . 2023-08-14 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  15. News: July 25, 2022 . Modern Beauty Supplies Taps Attabotics to Advance Fulfillment Operations . Financial Post . July 27, 2023.
  16. Web site: Pan Pacific Pet to Use Attabotics Automated Storage and Retrieval to Modernize Fulfillment . 2023-08-14 . Robotics 24/7 . en.
  17. Web site: 2022-09-13 . Attabotics, the World’s First 3D Supply Chain System for Modern Commerce, Hires Richard Cheung as Chief Financial Officer . 2023-08-14 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  18. Web site: Sheng . Ellen . 2019-11-12 . Amazon's ant-size competition in designing the warehouse of the future . 2023-08-14 . CNBC . en.
  19. Web site: Attabotics: Special Mention on The 100 Best Inventions of 2019 . 2023-08-14 . Time . en-us.
  20. Web site: 2020-06-16 . These are the 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50 companies . 2023-08-14 . CNBC . en.
  21. Web site: Retail Tech 100 of 2020: The tech innovators transforming retail . 2023-08-14 . CB Insights Research . en-US.
  22. News: Sorokanich . Lara . March 10, 2020 . The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies: How a nature documentary inspired a cutting-edge design that shrinks massive warehouses into the space of an office building . Fast Company . July 27, 2023.
  23. Web site: 2022-01-14 . Attabotics Wins 2022 BIG Innovation Award . 2023-08-14 . www.businesswire.com . en.
  24. News: Pegoraro . Rob . February 3, 2023 . The 10 most innovative companies in robotics of 2023 . Fast Company . August 1, 2023.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Attabotics".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.