Zebra Plans Fetch Acquisition To Further On-Demand Automation

Front line business firm Zebra Technologies is planning to acquire cloud-driven autonomous mobile robot (AMR) startup Fetch Robotics for an estimated $290 million.

“The acquisition of Fetch Robotics will accelerate our Enterprise Asset Intelligence vision and growth in intelligent industrial automation by embracing new modes of empowering workflows and helping our customers operate more efficiently in increasingly automated, data-powered environments,” Zebra Technologies CEO Anders Gustafsson said in Thursday (July 1) press release.

He added that the tie-up also would expand on the company’s mission of optimizing the supply chain “from the point of production to the point of consumption.”

The acquisition is anticipated to help facilitate Zebra’s expansion in intelligent automation, which aligns with the company’s focus on robotics in driving improved efficiency. Zebra strives to offer seamless integration without warehouses and manufacturers have to change infrastructure.

Fetch’s AMRs optimize picking in warehouses that serve as fulfillment and distribution centers and also automates material movement and offers just-in-time material delivery in manufacturing facilities.

Melonee Wise, Fetch Robotics CEO, said the company is looking forward to the tie-up and advancing the “adoption of flexible automation through AMRs.”

“Together we have the right team with the right technology to provide end-to-end solutions that solve real customer problems,” Wise said. “By helping customers dynamically optimize and holistically orchestrate their fulfillment, distribution, and manufacturing operations, together we help enable their ability to stay ahead of growing demand, minimize delivery times and address shrinking labor pools.”

Zebra said it expects to fund the acquisition with cash on hand. The deal is anticipated to close in the third quarter of this year, according to the post.

With the use of robots, eCommerce is more efficient, Scott Gravelle, CEO of Attabotics, told PYMNTS in a June 2020 interview. The company uses robotic tools to bring merchandise to warehouse workers and that same month raised $50 million in a Series C funding round.