BY JAMES A. COOKE, EDITOR AT LARGE
THE DC VELOCITY Q&A
thoughtleaders
THE BOSTON CONSULTING GROUP RECENTLY PREDICTED
that global sales for robots would reach $67 billion by 2025, with the
industrial segment being the largest component of that market.
That prediction comes as no surprise to St. Onge Co. consultant
Tom Bonkenburg, the leading expert on the use of robotic systems
in distribution. A mechanical engineering graduate of the Rensselaer
Polytechnic Institute, Bonkenburg has been fascinated by robots since
he was a kid.
That fascination led him to a career in material handling.
For the past 15 years, Bonkenburg’s consulting efforts have
focused on supply chain and warehouse design with a strong
interest in custom automation and robotics within the distribution environment. He is currently a partner in the St.
Onge Co. and heads up that firm’s European office.
Bonkenburg recently discussed trends in robotics with
DC VELOCITY Editor at Large James Cooke.
Q What’s the current state of “robotics” in warehousing?
A The current state of robotics depends on your defi- nition of the word “robot.” For many years, we have
seen robotic technology in the distribution environment, such as AS/RS (
automated storage/retrieval systems), AGVs (automated guided vehicles), shuttle systems,
transfer cars, palletizers, Kiva, Symbotic, etc. These types of systems are mature, well
understood, and installed in DCs around the world. However, if your definition of
“robot” includes such terms as multipurpose, adaptable for different types of jobs,
redeployable, or even “humanoid,” then robotics is not very common in a typical
warehouse environment.
Q Any idea of the percentage of DCs that are using robotics in their operations?
P
H
O
TO
CO
U
R
T
E
S
Y
O
F
R
E
T
H
IN
K
R
O
B
O
T
IC
S
IN
C.
INTERVIEW WITH
TOM BONKENBURG
R is for “robot”
Although the first ones might look
more like driverless forklifts than R2-D2
or C-3PO, we can expect to see a lot
more robots in DCs within the decade, says
Tom Bonkenburg.
