Robotics In Distribution: Practical Lessons from the Field

Robotics has moved from trade show demonstration to boardroom discussion. For many larger distributors, the question is no longer whether automation exists; it is whether it belongs in the next phase of operational strategy.
 

In a recent episode of the Embracing the Future Podcast, Steve Baer, Chief Logistics Officer at First Supply, shared what that decision looks like inside a live distribution environment — not in theory, but in practice.
 

First Supply’s robotics journey has already produced measurable results. Within months of launch, more than half of picks were flowing through its automated storage and retrieval system. Travel time was reduced. Storage density increased. Throughput expanded without adding square footage.
 

Those outcomes are real. Getting there was not simple.
 

One of the strongest themes from the conversation was clarity of purpose. Robotics cannot be evaluated as a standalone technology decision. It must be tied directly to a strategic constraint: growth capacity, labor availability, facility limits, or margin pressure.
 

Keeping that purpose in mind as a north star helps coordinate decisions and align execution with the results originally intended.
 

Baer was equally direct about what makes robotics difficult. Integration is not trivial. Robotics must continuously communicate with warehouse management systems, ERP platforms, and control layers. Data must post correctly. Exceptions must be handled predictably. Those integration conversations take time — often more than teams expect.
 

Data readiness surfaces quickly. In a manual environment, imperfect weights, dimensions, or product attributes can be absorbed through workarounds. In an automated system, those gaps surface immediately. In some cases, upstream data governance must be strengthened before automation can perform as designed.

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