Sumitomo Corp. and Dexterity Inc. today said they have formed Dexterity-SC Japan, a new joint venture focused on accelerating the adoption of robots using artificial intelligence for warehouse, supply chain, logistics, and other labor-intensive industrial operations.
There could be a 35% shortfall in transportation workers in Japan by 2030, affecting multiple industries, according to recent labor statistics. Dexterity-SC Japan will offer truck loading and unloading, as well as palletizing and depalletizing products that its founders said will help the logistics industry make better use of its existing staffers.
“The timing has never been more urgent for companies in Japan to adopt technological solutions to address the combined impacts of labor shortages and rising demand for e-commerce,” stated Norihiko Nonaka, CEO of the Automotive Group at Sumitomo. “Dexterity-SC Japan will help close that gap by enabling Japanese companies to leverage proven technology already used by leading parcel, 3PL, and manufacturing companies in the U.S.”
Sumitomo builds on existing investment, partnership
Dexterity-SC Japan builds on a successful 2022 distribution agreement between the two companies. The previously announced a partnership to deliver 1,500 Dexterity-powered products through a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) model by 2026, including 500 truck-loading robots for Japanese warehouses.
In addition, Sumitomo invested in Dexterity in 2020 through Presidio Ventures Inc., Sumitomo’s U.S.-based corporate venture-capital arm.
Tokyo-based Sumitomo has 128 offices in 66 countries and regions. The Sumitomo Corporation Group consists of approximately 900 companies and 80,000 employees. The group‘s business activities are spread across nine groups: Steel, Automotive, Transportation & Construction Systems, Diverse Urban Development, Media & Digital, Lifestyle Business, Mineral Resources, Chemicals Solutions, and Energy Transformation Business.
Dexterity-SC Japan to address materials handling challenges
The new joint venture will sell, market, localize, and provide financing options for AI-powered robotics, said Dexterity and Sumitomo. Dexterity-SC Japan will use the latest technologies to solve the most complicated, dynamic material-handling challenges in industrial settings, they said.
“In partnership with a trusted industry leader like Sumitomo Corp., we are confident that Japanese companies will be able to quickly realize the benefits of market-proven, AI-powered robotic solutions in their logistics operations,” said Samir Menon, CEO of Dexterity.
Redwood City, Calif.-based Dexterity said it is creating intelligent robots with human-like dexterity. By automating repetitive tasks, the company claimed that its full-stack offerings allow employees to focus on higher-value cognitive work.
Dexterity said its technology enables complex manipulation in unpredictable environments, with applications in logistics, warehousing, and other industrial settings. GXO Logistics is testing Dexterity’s robots and AI, and its DexR system is one of several truck-unloading systems that have emerged in the past few years.