Transporting heavy goods through factories and warehouses has long been a repetitive and high-risk activity. Forklift trucks remain a major contributor to workplace accidents, with tens of thousands of incidents recorded annually, including fatal and serious injuries. These risks, combined with rising pressure to improve efficiency, have driven manufacturers to seek safer and more productive alternatives.
In recent years, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) have emerged as a compelling solution. Unlike traditional material handling methods, AMRs provide a flexible and intelligent platform that can be configured as tow tractors or pallet stackers, capable of handling payloads of up to 6.8 tonnes. Using laser, radar and environmental mapping technologies, AMRs navigate dynamically without the need for fixed infrastructure such as floor tape, RFID tags or reflectors. This allows routes and duties to be changed quickly in response to operational demand.
AMRs bring built-in intelligence through smart traffic supervision and integrated task management software. They calculate optimal routes in real time to maximise throughput, automatically reroute around obstacles or people, and can manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Whether used for racking, stacking, picking or towing, AMRs typically deliver productivity improvements of between 30% and 400%, significantly reducing operating costs and achieving payback within months.
In this project, a manufacturing facility with a newly commissioned onsite distribution centre deployed MAX-N Tugger AMRs to optimise long-haul towing operations. The robots replaced repetitive manual transport tasks, improving material flow between production and storage areas while reducing reliance on forklifts.
Results and Benefits
The introduction of AMR tuggers transformed internal logistics by increasing throughput and ensuring consistent, predictable material movement. Operators benefited from safer working conditions, with fewer interactions between people and heavy vehicles. At the same time, the facility achieved faster order fulfilment and a rapid return on investment through reduced labour demands and improved operational efficiency.
Conclusion
By adopting AMR technology for long-haul towing, the manufacturing facility demonstrated how automation can simultaneously improve safety and productivity. Intelligent navigation, flexible deployment and high payload capacity enabled a modern material handling solution that reduced risk, increased efficiency and created a safer working environment for employees.