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March 14, 2019
Fast fashion retailer, Tobi announced the deployment of a new fleet of autonomous mobile robots in their Reno warehouse today. The fulfillment solution is provided by autonomous mobile robot vendor InVia Robotics. This is a perfect example of the capabilities of InVia to quickly deploy their solution within an existing warehouse footprint. Leveraging their Robots-as-a-Service (Raas) business model, means that Tobi is able to pay for the solution as it is consumed, plus they can quickly expand the onsite fleet of robots as required to keep up with their customer shipment demand.
InVia Robot fleet on the floor at Tobi. (Image courtesy of InVia Robotics)
The key feature for the InVia solution is that the robots are capable of pulling totes and/or boxes directly off of existing shelving. This "goods-to-person" operation means that the robotic fleet delivers totes to the human pack out stations for order fulfillment and then returns the inventory back to a shelf for storage until the next customer order for that item comes through.
"We strive to exceed customers' expectations with every facet of our business from selection to price and even delivery," said Kenneth Chan, founder and CEO of Tobi. "We found that in order to compete and continue to wow our customers we needed automation to deliver. inVia provided the best solution to increase order efficiency and accuracy. The robotics expertise the inVia team has brought into our operations has been one of the most valuable aspects of the deployment. They have treated our business like it's theirs and let us dedicate our resources to our core competency of delivering fast fashion to our customers."
The inVia Picker works collaboratively with people in the Tobi warehouse to skillfully pick and move clothing and accessories, automating the storage and retrieval process and freeing workers to focus on less repetitive tasks. The robots are directed by the Robotics Management System (RMS) that analyzes the company's warehouse to optimize workflows and increase throughput. The system's advanced AI algorithms adapt to fluctuations in demand and adjust robot warehouse mapping to create a more efficient process. inVia's holistic platform seamlessly integrates with any existing layout and software, and its Robotics-as-a-Service model lets customers see an immediate ROI. As a part of inVia's discovery process, which includes thousands of simulations conducted by the engineering team, Tobi is expected to double its throughput rate.
"Warehouse automation is a competitive advantage for e-commerce retailers operating in a crowded space," said Lior Elazary, founder and CEO of inVia Robotics. "inVia's innovative AI-driven technology will optimize picking and cycle counting for Tobi and automate repetitive warehouse tasks, so their people can focus on delighting their customers. We're excited to partner with Tobi to create more meaningful work experiences for their employees and consistent satisfaction for their customers."
About inVia Robotics
inVia Robotics is a Southern California robotics company founded in 2015 that provides the next generation of warehouse automation solutions. We are the developer of the first economical goods-to-person solution offered as "Robotics-as-a-Service." inVia is powering the future of warehouse productivity without disrupting the ecosystem of a business's operations.
About Tobi
Tobi is an international fast-fashion online retail destination serving young women in over 100 countries worldwide. We've been bringing West Coast style and laid back attitude to over 1.5 million Tobi babes since 2007, and we don't intend on stopping anytime soon. LA is fast-paced, forward-thinking, and fashion-centered at its core, and our products are designed and curated in the heart of LA, with these ideals in mind. We strive to bring customers the trendiest fashions fast — from design concept to our site, tobi.com — from our warehouse to our customers' doorstep.
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