ABB Robotics targets e-commerce giants amid automotive slowdown

An ABB Ltd robotic arm writing a message in sand ahead of the World Economic Forum Switzerland, on Jan 20. ABB and Covariant are partnering to work on warehouse robotics for e-commerce companies. — Bloomberg

ABB Ltd and Silicon Valley startup Covariant are partnering to work on warehouse robotics for e-commerce companies like Amazon.com Inc and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd as the Swiss engineer is seeking revenues beyond the weakened car industry.

The robotics are able to autonomously pick online shoppers’ orders received by warehouses and the first solution is currently being deployed at Bpost Group’s Active Ants, a provider of e-commerce fulfillment services for web businesses in the Netherlands, ABB and Covariant said Feb 25.