6 River Systems

Founded in 2015, 6 River Systems provides warehouse automation solutions for the e-commerce, retail, third-party logistics (3PL), and B2B sectors. The company was established in Waltham, Massachusetts, by Jerome Dubois, Rylan Hamilton, and Chris Cacioppo. Dubois and Hamilton brought significant experience from their time as executives at Kiva Systems, the company that became Amazon Robotics, while Cacioppo had a background in designing electrical and mechanical systems. Their collective expertise in robotics, software, and fulfillment operations was driven by a desire to address the limitations they observed in traditional warehouse automation.

The company's core offering is a wall-to-wall fulfillment solution that integrates autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) with cloud-based software and artificial intelligence. The flagship robot, named "Chuck," works collaboratively with human associates to optimize tasks such as picking, replenishment, and sorting. Chuck guides workers through the warehouse, displaying order information on a screen and using scanning technology to ensure accuracy, which can double or triple pick rates and reduce walking time by over 50%. The system is designed for rapid deployment without requiring significant changes to existing warehouse infrastructure. Revenue is generated through the sale or rental of these robotic systems. Its clients include major companies like DHL, Office Depot, and XPO Logistics.

6 River Systems experienced significant milestones, including its first commercial pilot in 2017. A major turning point came in September 2019 when Shopify acquired the company for approximately $450 million to enhance its Shopify Fulfillment Network. This acquisition aimed to increase the speed and reliability of warehouse operations for thousands of businesses. However, in May 2023, Shopify sold 6 River Systems to the Ocado Group, a UK-based technology and online grocery firm. The acquisition allowed Ocado to expand its automation technology portfolio into non-grocery retail segments. Now operating as the Ocado Mobile Robot System, the technology continues to be deployed in over 100 warehouses globally.

Keywords: warehouse automation, autonomous mobile robots, fulfillment solutions, e-commerce logistics, collaborative robots, third-party logistics, supply chain automation, warehouse management, robotics software, order fulfillment