Attabotics

Last updated

Attabotics Inc.
Company type Privately held company
Industry Robotics design and manufacturing
Founded2016;9 years ago (2016)
FounderScott Gravelle
Headquarters
Calgary, Alberta
,
Canada
Key people
Scott Gravelle (CEO, CTO)
Revenue~$30 million (2018)
Number of employees
>230 (2019)
Website attabotics.com

Attabotics is a robotics company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada that specializes in Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) inventory management systems. [1] 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.

Contents

Origins

The Attabotics system grew out of a thought experiment about what an automated warehouse designed specifically for robots might look like. [2] 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 [3]

Technology

Attabotics' 3D storage system, known as The Studio, integrates order picking, packing, and shipping into a single solution, which 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 by the company. [6]

History

Attabotics was founded by Scott Gravelle in 2016 to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the growing AS/RS robotics market. [7] The company developed their initial proof of concept in 2017 and received an investment from Alberta Innovates. [6]

In December 2018 the company announced the development development of a new manufacturing site at Calgary's YYC Global Logistics Park in partnership with Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund. [8] Also in 2018 the company begins its partnership with Gordon Food Service, one of North America's largest foodservice distributors to automate elements of its supply chain. [9]

In June 2019 the company announced their plans to build a new headquarters in Calgary. [10] In May 2019 established a new partnership with Microsoft to expand edge computing, LTE networking, and IoT capabilities. [11] [ better source needed ]

In December of 2020 Attabotics received a $34 million investment from the Government of Canada. [12]

In May of 2021 the company announced a partnership with AltaML and the Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (Amii) to improve supply chain efficiencies. [13] In August of 2021 Attabotics filed a Patent infringement suit against competitor Urbx. [14]

In 2022 Attabotics expanded to work with companies in South Korea and the EU through partnerships and agreements with various companies, including Körber. [15] [16] In October of 2022 Attabotics was selected by KPMG and the United States Department of Defense for a new warehouse for the Marine Corps Logistics Command. [17] [ better source needed ] In September of 2022 Richard Cheung was hired as the Chief Financial Officer. [18] [19]

Awards and recognition

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References

  1. ↑ "Automated Storage and Retrieval System Solution (AR/RS)". Storeganise.com. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Kariuki, Jeremy (August 15, 2022). "Attabotics: How leafcutter ants inspired supply chain innovation". FreightWaves. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ Demaitre, Eugene (August 16, 2019). "Attabotics brings vision of ant-like efficiency to supply chains". The Robot Report. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  4. ↑ Thomas, Lauren (December 5, 2019). "How Nordstrom uses robots and shelves inspired by ants to deliver lipstick faster". CNBC. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  5. ↑ Demaitre, Eugene. "Attabotics Introduces Re-engineered Attabot 2022 Robot to Increase Warehouse Efficiency". Robotics 24/7. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  6. 1 2 Factory Forward Attabotics CC 21NOV16 v1, May 2, 2022, retrieved August 14, 2023
  7. ↑ Kariuki, Jeremy (August 15, 2022). "Attabotics: How leafcutter ants inspired supply chain innovation". FreightWaves. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  8. ↑ "Opportunity Calgary Investment Fund selects ATTAbotics for funding". GlobeNewswire News Room (Press release). December 12, 2018. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Attabotics Celebrates 4-Year Partnership with Gordon Food Service". Calgary.Tech. October 26, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Parker, David (June 17, 2019). "ATTAbotics hires local company to design new building". Calgary Herald. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  11. ↑ Degrasse, Martha (May 29, 2020). "How Attabotics and Microsoft use private LTE to monitor robots". Light Reading. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (December 15, 2020). "Government of Canada announces contribution to next-generation robotic warehouse solution". www.canada.ca. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Attabotics partners with AltaML and Amii to bolster AI capabilities for supply chains". Robotics & Automation News. May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  14. ↑ Scott, Josh (November 15, 2022). "Attabotics secures $95 million CAD from EDC, Ontario Teachers' to scale its warehouse robots". Betakit.
  15. ↑ "Attabotics Partners with SYNUS Tech to Advance Smart Factory Robotic Solutions in the South Korean Market and Beyond". Financial Post. May 31, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Attabotics Pens Strategic EU Partnership with International Tech Group, Körber Supply Chain Automation". www.businesswire.com. June 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  17. ↑ "KPMG and United States Department of Defense Appoint Attabotics as 3D Robotics Systems Provider for New 5G 'Smart Warehouse'". www.businesswire.com. October 4, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Attabotics, the World's First 3D Supply Chain System for Modern Commerce, Hires Richard Cheung as Chief Financial Officer". www.businesswire.com. September 13, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Attabotics Hires Richard Cheung as Chief Financial Officer - MarTech Cube". MarTech Cube - Marketing Technology news and Martech Interviews. September 14, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  20. ↑ Sheng, Ellen (November 12, 2019). "Amazon's ant-size competition in designing the warehouse of the future". CNBC. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Attabotics: Special Mention on The 100 Best Inventions of 2019". Time. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  22. ↑ "These are the 2020 CNBC Disruptor 50 companies". CNBC. June 16, 2020. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Retail Tech 100 of 2020: The tech innovators transforming retail". CB Insights Research. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  24. ↑ 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. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  25. ↑ "Attabotics Wins 2022 BIG Innovation Award". www.businesswire.com. January 14, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2023.
  26. ↑ Pegoraro, Rob (February 3, 2023). "The 10 most innovative companies in robotics of 2023". Fast Company. Retrieved August 1, 2023.

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