FedEx chooses partnerships over proprietary tech for its automation strategy

FedEx is accelerating its warehouse automation by prioritizing partnerships with robotics companies over developing proprietary technology in-house. The company’s strategy focuses on collaborating with experts to create robots that handle repetitive and physically demanding tasks, such as bulk package unloading. A key example is FedEx’s non-exclusive partnership with Berkshire Grey, which led to the development of Scoop, a robot designed to unload large bundles of parcels from trucks. FedEx plans to pilot these robots in select warehouses later this year, aiming to scale the technology if successful. The company views bulk unloading as an ideal automation target due to its physical demands and relatively straightforward decision-making requirements compared to more complex tasks like individual package picking. While FedEx does develop some technology internally, such as sensor systems for package tracking, it recognizes that robotics development is more complex and benefits from external expertise. Executives emphasize that partnering accelerates innovation and allows FedEx to keep pace with industry peers. Beyond Berkshire Grey, FedEx has formed multiple partnerships to automate various processes, including