Kion North America will begin manufacturing and assembling FoxBot autonomous trailer loader/unloaders (ATLs) at its production plant in Summerville in South Carolina.

Kion, which makes Linde materials handling equipment, entered into a non-exclusive partnership with Fox Robotics. 

The FoxBot autonomous forklift is the world's first Class 1 electric, stand-up autonomous forklift designed for load/unload operations on warehouse loading docks. Classified as an autonomous mobile robot (AMR), the FoxBot robotic forklift automates various operator tasks to improve workplace safety and increase productivity. 

Fox Robotics began selling ATLs commercially in 2019 and is the first mover in the category. 

Earlier this year the company announced its installed base of FoxBot ATLs had processed 2.5 million pallet pulls.

“We are at a pivotal moment in the logistics and transportation industry, where innovation is key to addressing some of the most pressing challenges we face,” says Kion North America chief executive officer Jonathan Dawley.

“Specifically, in the realm of automated trailer loading and unloading, the last remaining piece of the end-to-end warehouse automation puzzle, Fox Robotics stands out by far as the dominant leader with the most robust AI/ML algorithms, tech stack and deployed robot fleet we’ve ever seen.

“This partnership signifies a major leap forward in our commitment to enhancing efficiency, safety and reliability in our customers' operations.”

Fox Robotics chief executive officer Marin Tchakarov says the partnership with Kion will scale up his company’s supply chain capabilities significantly.

"Our traction in the marketplace is tremendous and Fox Robotics is at an inflection point in its growth arc. 

“We are experiencing unprecedented demand and have a massive list of bookings for Fox Robotics products and solutions. The partnership with Kion North America will most certainly pave the way to capture all this commercial growth."