- January 19, 2023
Jan. 10, 2023 - AutoStore, the world’s leading warehouse automation company, announces the North American launch of Pio (“Product In/Out”), a plug-and-play version of acclaimed AutoStore cube storage technology tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).
Based on a pay-per-pick service model, Pio allows SMBs, such as retailers of apparel, sporting goods, crafts, and cosmetics, to deploy robotic automation for a relatively low investment–enabling more businesses to gain access to the world’s best automation technology.
“We established Pio to make our technology available to smaller businesses,” said Mats Hovland Vikse, CEO of AutoStore. “Only 15 percent of the world’s warehouses are automated, and fulfillment operations at smaller retailers are still largely manual. Pio levels the playing field so that enterprises of all sizes can take advantage of the space and cost efficiencies of automated storage and distribution systems.”
Retailers pay a fee per individual item picked; robots, ports, and software are owned and maintained by Pio. Users need only purchase product bins and the frames that the robots run on. A Pio facility is modular and scalable and runs on standard plug-and-play software that connects to the most common online retail and shipping platforms. In effect, Pio lets small and medium-sized businesses compete against much larger ones, with minimal capital expense, added labor, or need for additional floor space.
"Never before has the option for a fully automated storage and retrieval system been offered to the SMB segment–and certainly not with robotic technology that has been proven through multitudes of successful installations around the world for over 20 years," said Magne Hatteland, VP and head of Pio. "With Pio, you can expand without having to move, enabling users to run their businesses closer to customers. We are already seeing success with Pio systems operating at several high-profile retailers in Europe. Now that the system is available in North America, we are ready to support fast-growing independent retailers here as well."
Pio and AutoStore will be at NRF 2023: Retail’s Big Show at the Javits Center in New York City from Jan. 15-17. Pio will be exhibiting at Booth #952 and AutoStore at Booth #325. More information is available here.
About Pio
Pio (“Product In/Out”) is a plug-and-play version of AutoStore’s pioneering and acclaimed cube storage technology tailored for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). By enabling same-day order processing and eliminating backlog, Pio levels the playing field for independent brands. With Pio, SMBs can get items out the door faster and more cost-effectively, leading to a better customer experience.
Pio enables 4x more effective space utilization and up to 5x faster picking and packing operations. This empowers businesses to spend less time managing inventory and more time focusing on ensuring continued success. By providing an entry point to warehouse automation for a relatively low investment, small businesses can keep their operations in-house instead of requiring a 3PL or significant real estate and labor investments to scale up. Pio’s pay-per-pick model dramatically reduces initial capital expense, so businesses can afford the world’s best automation technology earlier in their life cycle.