LG Elec speeds up robot biz expansion in logistics sector

LG Electronics Inc., the world’s top home appliance maker, has ramped up expansion of robot applications in the smart logistics sector with its autonomous robot CLOi CarryBot.

The South Korean tech giant said on Sunday it has agreed with local artificial intelligence (AI) logistics platform provider Fassto Corp. to cooperate on the development and supply of logistics robot solutions.

“We will introduce differentiated robot services in the next-generation logistics robot market,” said LG Executive Vice President Jang Ik-hwan, who leads the company’s business solutions division.

LG and Fassto are preparing to develop a linkage between autonomous robots and logistics systems; establish optimized robot operation processes for each logistics center; and ultimately expand robot solutions in those centers. LG plans to provide robot solutions to Fassto’s domestic logistics hubs and its customers' overseas distribution centers while jointly working on performance optimization.

OPTIMIZED ROBOT OPERATION AT LOGISTICS CENTERS

The self-driving CLOi CarryBot loads packages, finds routes on its own and transports them to the designated destination. The robot will help reduce worker fatigue and improve logistics efficiency by working on risky, repetitive and simple tasks on behalf of human workers, LG said.

The electronics giant also aims to increase the customer base for CLOi CarryBot.

In June, LG agreed with the country’s leading logistics company CJ Logistics Corp. to jointly develop integrated robotics solutions for parcel sorting and picking.

LG unveiled a plan to supply CJ Logistics with CLOi CarryBot and other solutions for the logistics service provider’s key distribution center in Korea.

Write to Sungsu Bae at baebae@hankyung.com
Jongwoo Cheon edited this article.