Logistics operator PostNord announced on Wednesday that the company is moving forward with plans to automate more of its package handling. Through a new framework agreement with robotics company Rebl Industries, which has offices in Gothenburg and Borås, AI-powered robots will be installed in the terminal operations.
While letter sorting has been automated for a long time, package sorting has presented a greater technical challenge. Because packages vary in both shape, weight and size, traditional industrial robots, which are programmed for repetitive and predictable movements, have had difficulty handling the flow.
Rebl Industries' solution is based on so-called Physical AI. By combining sensors, artificial intelligence and proprietary software, the robots can adapt their movements in real time to each individual package. The robots' primary task will be to pick up packages of varying sizes from cages and pallets and then place them on the conveyor belt for further sorting.
A package terminal is one of the toughest environments there is for automation because no package is like the other. This technology has been developed to handle the variation that exists in real package flows. PostNord's investment in a framework agreement is confirmation that our robots have the ability and demand, says Nicholas Tengelin, CEO of Rebl Industries.
Test start in Örebro after the turn of the year
The first installation will be carried out as a test pilot at PostNord's terminal in Örebro. Start of operation is planned for after the turn of the year 2026/2027. The results and experiences from Örebro will then form the basis for decisions on a possible wider rollout to more terminals within the group.
To succeed with automation on a large scale, solutions are required that work in real operation. Together with Rebl, we are developing a robot cell that combines high flexibility, user-friendliness and a compact footprint, with the aim of creating a scalable solution for the terminals of the future, says Rasmus Ask, Tech Lead Automation at PostNord Group.
The automation investment is taking place in parallel with the logistics company making other extensive terminal investments to meet the growing e-commerce flows and streamline the physical infrastructure.
Used by industry colleagues
The business model between PostNord and Rebl Industries is based on the Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model. This means that PostNord does not make any fixed capital investments in the hardware, but instead pays per actual performance and completed picking. The supplier thus retains overall responsibility for ensuring that the operation works.
The technology from the West Swedish robotics company has been used previously by retail companies such as IKEA and H&M. The technology is also represented in the package industry, as competitor Bring has previously brought in robots from Rebl Industries to its terminal in Jönköping in order to relieve personnel of heavy and monotonous work tasks.