Robots settle into working life in Europe's warehouses JLL Real Views

In warehouses across Europe, man and machine are increasingly working more closely together – and a lack of future manpower could accelerate automation further. In Andover, online grocery retailer Ocado operates an automated fulfilment centre, which includes a robot grid – or "Hive" – which uses proprietary storage and picking technology to enhance warehouse efficiency through a tightly-controlled grid of robots shifting groceries with humans working behind the scenes. Global online retailer Amazon's Winsen centre near Hamburg is also staffed in a similar human-meets-robot way. After pioneering the use of robots in the U.S. in 2012, it has rolled out the technology to help with stock-picking in other facilities, with Winsen marking a first for Germany in the process. While robots are no longer a novelty in warehouses, the Andover and Winsen examples are far from the norm.