In this episode of The Warehouse Engineering Podcast, I discuss expensive conveyors, innovation and pseudo-innovation, the recent bankruptcy of Attabotics, and 6 River Systems—and why I’m not like your grandpa.
This episode stems from a recent frustration I had with the pricing of simple bin conveyors. These days, the cost of conveyors is nothing short of outrageous—and frankly, I can’t make sense of it. Conveyors are among the oldest and most fundamental technologies in warehouse automation. They’ve been around for decades, and there’s nothing particularly complex about them. Yet today, they’re priced like luxury goods.
At the same time, companies are pouring their innovation budgets into flashy AS/RS solutions for goods-to-person picking and other sophisticated systems. Ironically, more accessible and affordable conveyor systems—however mundane they may seem—would likely have a far greater and more immediate impact on warehouse operations.
In this episode, I also share my perspective on the recent bankruptcy of Attabotics. While many have offered post-hoc analyses of what went wrong, I believe most of them overlook the key issue. To support my argument, I also discuss another failed company, 6 River Systems.
I hope you find this useful!
