FedEx deploys its first AI-powered sorting robot in China

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  • The DoraSorter robot is being deployed at the FedEx South China e-commerce shipment sorting center in Guangzhou, southern China
  • The robot can carry up to 10 kilograms of packages, covering up to 100 destinations simultaneously
  • By 2025, more than 4 million commercial robots will be installed at more than 50,000 warehouses

FedEx Express has announced the launch in China of DoraSorter, an AI-powered sorting robot that is the first of its kind in the country for the express transportation company.

The DoraSorter robot is being deployed at the 5,200-square-meter FedEx South China E-Commerce Shipment Sorting Center in Guangzhou, southern China, part of the group’s continued push to digitize operations and build a smart logistics network to handle the ever-growing volumes of e-commerce-related shipments in the region.

DoraSorter is already part of the daily sorting operations and is capable of handling small inbound and outbound packages from e-commerce customers in South China.

At approximately 40 square meters, the robot can carry up to 10 kilograms of packages, covering up to 100 destinations simultaneously.

It is equipped with a barcode reader that scans packages to obtain destination information, and has a drawer-shaped gripper that can connect with the conveyor belt seamlessly to receive a package inward and move it outward to the corresponding destination slot.

FedEx and Dorabot, a leading robotics solution provider for logistics, continue to fine-tune the robot based on operational requirements and explore more application scenarios.

FedEx said its investment in this warehouse automation echoes broader industry trends. Triggered by the global pandemic, logistics players are optimizing operational efficiencies, from warehouse management to last-mile delivery, to cater to the soaring demand for e-commerce products, seasonal peaks, and consumers’ heightened expectations for fast delivery.

According to McKinsey & Company, the global warehouse automation market is projected to reach US$51 billion by 2030. By 2025, more than 4 million commercial robots will be installed at more than 50,000 warehouses.

Robert Chu, vice president for operations at FedEx China, said the rapid rise in e-commerce has led to higher customer demand for timeliness and flexibility in logistics services, creating new challenges and opportunities for the entire logistics industry.

“With e-commerce taking center stage in the future of retail in our region, the speed with which a parcel can be picked up and delivered to customers’ doorsteps has become a dominant factor in driving the adoption of sorting robots,” said Kawal Preet, president of the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa region at FedEx Express.

“Bringing DoraSorter to China as a pilot program is a natural choice for us given it’s the world’s biggest e-commerce market with an expected valuation of $3.3 trillion by 2025,” Kawal added.

Photo courtesy of FedEx