UPS Purchases 400 Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push – Robots From Company Named Pickle Can Be Deployed in Existing Warehouses, a Key Selling Point for the Logistics Giant
UPS Purchases 400 Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push – Robots From Company Named Pickle Can Be Deployed in Existing Warehouses, a Key Selling Point for the Logistics Giant
UPS Inc. will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to people familiar with the matter, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profit by decreasing labor costs.
Unloading trucks and shipping containers at warehouse docks is mostly done by people and remains a key bottleneck in the shipping industry. The UPS order puts a spotlight on Pickle Robot Co., a Charlestown, Mass.-based startup already working with UPS that’s raised about $97 million since it began in 2018, according to Pitchbook.
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Pickle makes a robotic arm on a mobile base that can drive into a shipping container, lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds using suction and place them on conveyor belts. One robot can unload a typical truck in about two hours, and the robot typically pays for itself in about 18 months through labor savings, according to Pickle’s [website](https://www.picklerobot.com/). The robots can be deployed in existing warehouses, which is a key selling point since the automation doesn’t require specially designed facilities or extensive upgrades.
UPS will deploy Pickle Robots in multiple facilities in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to share the details publicly. It’s common for large companies to experiment with automation through pilot projects and prototypes by startups eager to prove their technology works in the field. The UPS purchase from Pickle follows years of experimenting to demonstrate the robots can help reduce labor costs, one of the people said.
dmcgrath60 on
Wonder how long before these Pickle bots start calling out “sick” too. My back hurts just looking at that photo, those workers deserve better conditions not replacement.
knotatumah on
Will the bots be programmed with a level of tolerance for the care given to handling packages like human workers do? I can’t keep calling them “Oops” if my packages begin arriving in one piece.
JamesTiberiusCrunk on
Unloading a shipping container in the summer heat is one of the most miserable things I’ve ever done. You’ll be drenched in sweat within minutes and you just spend the entire day baking and moving fast to get boxes out and breathing in dust.
25TiMp on
The robot seems to drop the packages. It is too bad they can’t get it closer to the belt, say an inch or two off .
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From the article
UPS Inc. will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to people familiar with the matter, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profit by decreasing labor costs.
Unloading trucks and shipping containers at warehouse docks is mostly done by people and remains a key bottleneck in the shipping industry. The UPS order puts a spotlight on Pickle Robot Co., a Charlestown, Mass.-based startup already working with UPS that’s raised about $97 million since it began in 2018, according to Pitchbook.
Also from the article
Pickle makes a robotic arm on a mobile base that can drive into a shipping container, lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds using suction and place them on conveyor belts. One robot can unload a typical truck in about two hours, and the robot typically pays for itself in about 18 months through labor savings, according to Pickle’s [website](https://www.picklerobot.com/). The robots can be deployed in existing warehouses, which is a key selling point since the automation doesn’t require specially designed facilities or extensive upgrades.
UPS will deploy Pickle Robots in multiple facilities in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to share the details publicly. It’s common for large companies to experiment with automation through pilot projects and prototypes by startups eager to prove their technology works in the field. The UPS purchase from Pickle follows years of experimenting to demonstrate the robots can help reduce labor costs, one of the people said.
Wonder how long before these Pickle bots start calling out “sick” too. My back hurts just looking at that photo, those workers deserve better conditions not replacement.
Will the bots be programmed with a level of tolerance for the care given to handling packages like human workers do? I can’t keep calling them “Oops” if my packages begin arriving in one piece.
Unloading a shipping container in the summer heat is one of the most miserable things I’ve ever done. You’ll be drenched in sweat within minutes and you just spend the entire day baking and moving fast to get boxes out and breathing in dust.
The robot seems to drop the packages. It is too bad they can’t get it closer to the belt, say an inch or two off .