Robotics and Automation 2021 exhibitor iFollow, which develops autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) for order picking and transportation of heavy loads in warehouses, has revealed plans to expand its manufacturing facilities in France and open a new UK office in Derby, following a €7.5m (£6.4m) investment.
Speaking to Robotics & Innovation live on the show floor, Frazer Watson, UK country manager at iFollow, said the company aims to increase its production rate tenfold to reach 1,500 robots manufactured per year. With over 100 robots already produced, Watson added that iFollow is aiming to deliver 400 new AMRs in 2022 alone.
To do so, iFollow will replace its current assembly line in Gentilly with two new manufacturing plants located just outside of the southern Paris commune. Notably, a significant number of orders are from the UK, which, according to Watson, also informed the decision to upgrade the Derby facility from a satellite station into a fully operational office.
“We’re expanding because of the amount of orders we’re receiving from the UK market for distribution centres and warehouses,” said Watson. “The last eight months have been incredible in the UK for us and so the new office will act as the distribution hub for the robots manufactured in France into the UK, as well as the service and maintenance side.”
According to Watson, the company will hire robot engineers and service staff in early 2022 in order to consolidate its local customer base and before developing its US and Asian markets. “The two new plants in France will open in December as we ramp up to our first big installation of 50 robots in the UK in Q1 2022.
“That’ll be followed by 200 robots in the middle of next year and possibly another 200 toward the latter end of 2022,” said Watson, who was unable to confirm the customers due to NDAs currently in place.
iFollow’s iR1000 AMR is currently being demonstrated live at the Coventry Building Society Arena over the next two days. As visitors to Robotics and Automation are discovering, the model has the capacity to transport goods and materials up 1,000kg, and has been designed to adapt to any existing picking support system, including pallets, trolleys and roll cages.
Furthermore, the robot’s compactness allows it to move in cramped or refrigerated environments as low as -25oC in temperature. iFollow’s technology, which is protected by five international patents, reportedly results in a 28% to 42.5% increase in operator productivity.
With other AMRs in iFollow’s range capable of carrying 300kg and 500kg, Watson also revealed that the company will soon be manufacturing a new robot capable of transporting 1,250kg. “It’ll be absolutely fantastic for retailers,” said Watson.
iFollow (Stand 1100) is at Robotics and Automation 2021 on 02-03 November at the Coventry Building Society Arena. For more details, please visit www.roboticsandautomation.co.uk
