A new sorting system for packages at FedEx’s Queen’s, NY facility has proven to provide significant benefits, according to the company. FedEx Ground recently implemented Berkshire Grey’s Robotic Product Sortation and Identification (RPSi) systems at this station, the company announced on August 12.
Berkshire Grey, a developer of Intelligent Enterprise Robotics solutions, executed the RPSi systems to robotically sort the thousands of small packages that arrive daily in bulk into containers bound for other specific hubs and stations across the FedEx Ground network.
RPSi has been engineered to autonomously process – pick, identify, sort, collect and containerize – individual polybags, tubes, padded mailers, and other small packages that traditionally are sorted manually. This installation is the latest investment made by FedEx Ground to help accommodate the rapid growth of e-commerce through the use of automation and robotics.
“We are encouraged by the initial package handling and processing accuracy of Berkshire Grey’s RPSi system in our Queens facility,” said Ted Dengel, managing director of operations technology and innovation at FedEx Ground.
FedEx Ground plans to install additional Berkshire Grey RPSi systems at sortation facilities in Las Vegas, Nev., and Columbus, Ohio, in the coming months.
“Our RPSi system is engineered from the ground up to automatically handle high volumes of small packages in small spaces with limited worker intervention, which significantly reduces labor challenges, streamlines sorting processes, and increases the efficiency of carrier operations across their networks,” said Jessica Moran, SVP Parcels and 3PL businesses at Berkshire Grey. intervention.”
This technology has been developed and installed as a direct response to the exponential growth of e-commerce, which has accelerated the demand for reliable automated solutions throughout all stages of the supply chain.
FedEx Ground believes that continued innovation and automation will improve safety, efficiency, and productivity for its team members as they continue to keep the e-commerce supply chain moving.
