EV Deliveries hitting the road - Amazon & Rivian

Locus, RXO, Rivian, Trimble, Aurora and more

Author

Okerosi Davis
April 04, 2023

[ Read time: 3 minutes]

Today’s number is 75 million. This is the number of deliveries Rivian EV has done for Amazon.

Hello and welcome back to news, trends & insights in the industry.

In today’s edition:

  • 3 Start-ups (Rivian, Aurora, Locus)

  • 2 Old guards (RXO, Trimble)

  • 1 TMS (GXO)

  • 1 Logistician veteran (Keith Oliver)

Let’s dive in.

In the Box

Locus Robotics CEO on the future of warehouse automation

A couple of weeks ago, the ProMat robotic event hosted several companies in space. The goal was to discuss the current and future of warehousing automation

Techcrunch took to the floor to get an insider perspective from Rick Faulk, current CEO of Locus Robotics, who took the role in 2016.

In the discussion, one question stood out for me;

How are the robots communicating with one another?

We have an open API where we do communicate. With Berkshire Grey, our system talks to them, and it also talks to the WMS [warehouse management system]. Our system speaks to the WMS first, and it asks, ‘What are the ideal numbers and orders that should go on this robot to fill out the wall?’ The same thing goes for any sort of integration we do.

Side note: Rick noted that Locus Robotics has raised $430 million in their Series F. Plans for future fundraising are set for an IPO ( initial public offering).

Rivian has done 75 million deliveries for Amazon

Amazon took a 20% stake in 2019 by investing $1.345 billion to access electric vans.

With the investment, the electric automaker and giant e-commerce signed an agreement to receive 100, 000 electric delivery vans.

With more than 3,000 EVs by Rivian on the road, they have done 75 million deliveries fulfilling 5 million packages. The EVs on the road have made Amazon deliveries in 500-plus cities and regions across the U.S.

Amazon’s goal is to decarbonize its deliveries and eliminate millions of metric tons of carbon annually.

Aurora Driver final stage set for 2024

In the latest announcement, Aurora Innovation Inc is in its final phase of development for a new version of its integrated hardware and autonomous truck system.

The goal for Aurora is to create reliable autonomous trucking products that are road safety and operational cost reduction.

Aurora Horizon is set to go commercial launch In 2024. The tech required to implement the commercial service for Dallas - Houston lane has been implemented with Aurora Driver Beta 6.0 update.

Technology

GXO Direct launches warehouse solution for SMEs

Ireland and UK logistic giant with retail clients like ASOS, Matchesfashion, and M&S is launching warehousing solutions for smaller businesses with “immediate access to high-quality space, technology and services at lower cost”.

The company focuses on SME businesses that need up-to-date warehouse tech solutions and not necessarily full warehouse solutions.

Now, these small businesses can get access to premium solutions; AI-powered sorting and picking systems, and collaborative robots.

Old Guards

North Carolina-based RXO invests $30m to expand to South Texas

The logistic company that offers truckload services, last-mile delivery, transportation, and freight forwarding is investing $30 million for the next 10 years to increase its capacity and workforce.

“We’ve been in the Laredo area for over a decade now and one of the things that we’ve heard from our customers about how they’re going to handle freight in the future is that you’re going to see more nearshoring, both in the U.S. and in Mexico,”

Drew Wilkerson, chief executive officer of RXO.

Trimble acquires Transporean for $1.98 billion

The transaction brings together the transportation management software (TMS) Trimble and German-based cloud logistics Transporean to help the acquirer grow beyond borders.

The acquisition comes with a global network of more than 150,000 carriers and 1,400 shippers and retailers with an integrated suite of IT tools from Transparent.

“We’ve kept our eyes on this business for years. We are building a business for the long term and assets like this don’t come along often. We kept our balance sheet in a position to be able to act on opportunities like this. So when we got approached, we quickly engaged.”

Rob Painter, Trimble’s president, and CEO

Logistics Origins

Keith Oliver is a veteran of the logistics industry who has been credited with pioneering many of the modern supply chain practices that are now considered standard. In particular, Oliver is known for his work in the field of logistics innovation, including the development of new methods for managing supply chain risks and improving supply chain efficiency.

Oliver began his career in logistics in the 1970s, working for several different companies in the transportation and logistics industries. Over time, he became increasingly interested in the potential for innovation in logistics and began to focus his efforts on developing new approaches to supply chain management.

One of Oliver's most significant contributions to the field of logistics innovation was the development of the concept of the "virtual pipeline," which involves the use of digital technologies to manage supply chain operations in real-time. This approach has since been widely adopted by companies across a range of industries.

Keith Oliver is a frequent speaker at logistics conferences and events, where he shares his insights and expertise with other professionals in the field.

Thank you for reading.

My goal is to break down complex technologies in the logistics and supply chain industry. Hope it is worthwhile.

Over and out,

Okerosi