stow Group creates robotics unit, acquires vendor

Industrial storage solutions provider stow Group, has announced the creation of stow Robotics, a new unit dedicated to warehouse automation, as well as the acquisition of a warehouse robotics vendor.

The stow Robotics unit will regroup all existing warehouse automation solutions for both pallets and bins, such as the stow Atlas 2D pallet shuttles launched in 2020, and the related services and teams. The current development pipeline of warehouse automation solutions and software shall also be part of the new unit. The stow Robotics unit will be led by stow Group’s Chief Technology Officer Detlef Ganz.

In addition, stow Group is also acquiring a majority stake in Raiser Robotics, which will form part of the new unit. Raiser Robotics is a German start-up developing innovative solutions for warehouse automation, such as the e.scala, a three-dimensional modular ASRS system for bins and boxes which launches in Q4 2021. Raiser Robotics will be led by Rainer Buchmann and his expert team and rebranded to stow Robotics GmbH.

The creation of the new unit and acquisition of Raiser Robotics is backed by The Blackstone Group, stow Group’s majority shareholder. The move reinforces and builds upon stow Group’s position as a leader in the industrial storage market with an innovative portfolio of warehouse solutions and a specific focus on the warehouse automation space, the stow Group announcement stated.

“The launch of stow Robotics is a strategic milestone for our business and will create substantial synergies across our warehouse automation portfolio,” said Jos De Vuyst, CEO of stow Group. “We are thrilled to welcome the Raiser Robotics team to stow Group, and look forward to their extensive industry experience and expertise enhancing stow Robotics.”

Rainer Buchmann, co-founder of Raiser Robotics, said, “We’re delighted to join forces with stow Group, a global leader in industrial storage solutions. This is the right partnership to achieve swift market penetration of e.scala across Europe and North America, and we are proud to have our team contribute to shaping the future of stow Robotics.”