Sumitomo Corporation (Sumitomo) and Dexterity Inc. have announced the creation of Dexterity-SC Japan, a new joint venture intended to speed up the adoption of AI-powered robots for labour-intensive industrial operations.
Building on a successful distribution agreement between the two companies in 2022, the newly formed Dexterity-SC Japan will sell, market, localise and provide financial support to those developing AI-powered robotic solutions.
The pair hope the new venture will accelerate time-to-market for robots that address complex and dynamic material handling challenges.
“The timing has never been more urgent for companies in Japan to adopt technological solutions to address the combined impacts of labour shortages and rising demand for e-commerce,” said Norihiko Nonaka, automotive group CEO at Sumitomo Corporation.
“Dexterity-SC Japan will help close that gap by enabling Japanese companies to leverage proven technology already used by leading parcel, 3PL and manufacturing companies in the US.”
Recent data, published in The Japan Times, estimates a 35% transportation capacity shortage by 2030, which will have a knock-on impact on industries across the Japanese economy.
Some of the services the new body will investigate include loading, truck unloading, palletising and depalletising products as part of efforts to more effectively manage workforces across the logistics industry.
“In partnership with a trusted industry leader like Sumitomo Corporation, we are confident that Japanese companies will be able to quickly realise the benefits of market proven AI-powered robotic solutions in their logistics operations,” said Samir Menon, CEO of Dexterity.
Sumitomo Corporation and Dexterity previously announced a partnership to deliver 1,500 Dexterity-powered robots by 2026, including 500 truck loading robots for Japanese warehouses.
