Kenco Expands Automation Lab to Test 30 Robot Types in Integrated Workflows
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The signal
Kenco, a major third-party logistics provider, is expanding its Innovation Lab in Chattanooga from 10,000 to 30,000 square feet to test integrated, multi-robot warehouse automation systems before customer deployment. The facility will house approximately 30 different robot types orchestrated by Gray Matter software, with an emphasis on end-to-end workflows rather than isolated point solutions.
This expansion addresses a critical gap in the logistics industry: most automation testing occurs in constrained lab environments that don't reflect real-world warehouse complexity, leading to costly failures in production. By creating a vendor-neutral testing ground that simulates actual supply chain operations—from trailer unloading through pallet movement to depalletizing—Kenco aims to validate automation investments before they hit live distribution centers.
The company's focus on solving random mixed-SKU pallet building, a capability that eliminates strict sequencing requirements, could unlock robotic palletization for massive 3PL facilities exceeding 800,000 square feet, fundamentally changing how mid-to-large warehouses approach labor-intensive tasks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What This Means for Your Supply Chain
What if random mixed-SKU pallet building automation is successfully deployed across your largest 3PL facilities?
Simulate the impact of eliminating sequencing constraints in palletizing operations for a 800,000+ sq-ft warehouse. Model the reduction in labor hours for manual pallet building, the reduction in conveyor complexity, and the increase in throughput for mixed-order palletization. Assume deployment of integrated multi-robot systems orchestrated by warehouse management software.
Run this scenarioWhat if integrated multi-robot automation reduces your warehouse automation deployment risk by 40%?
Simulate the cost-benefit impact of pre-testing integrated automation workflows in Kenco's lab before live deployment. Model the savings from avoiding failed production rollouts, the reduction in customer deployment delays, and the improved ROI on automation capex. Assume 40% reduction in deployment failures based on integrated testing.
Run this scenarioWhat if your facility cannot accommodate vertical high-bay automation due to current design constraints?
Simulate the competitive disadvantage of warehouses that lack vertical space for cycle-counting towers and high-bay material handling. Model the difference in labor requirements, throughput, and floor-space utilization between traditional single-level automation and vertical automation. Assess the capex needed to retrofit existing facilities versus new construction.
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