Tompkins Expands Autonomous Mobile Robot Line

Tompkins Robotics, a business unit of Tompkins International, a supply chain consulting and solutions firm, has expanded its autonomous mobile robot (AMR) product line to include the t-Sort Mini. At nearly half the size of the original t-Sort solution, the t-Sort Mini is ideal for sorting small items up to 5 lbs., including jewelry, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

“Traditional sortation systems were not designed to handle changing shopper habits and the rise of digital commerce,” said Mike Futch, president of Tompkins Robotics. “The new t-Sort Mini provides clients with a cost-effective solution for sorting small, lightweight items that cannot be accommodated by a traditional conveyor system.” 

Ideal for small to large distribution operations, t-Sort is a portable, scalable robotic sortation system that operates similar to a tilt tray sorter without a fixed track, moving freely to any divert or induction station along the shortest path. Its applications include e-commerce, retail replenishment, returns, shipping and can even be deployed in the backroom of a postal or retail location. While automation can sometimes require a large upfront investment, the t-Sort system is fully modular and additional robots can be added or removed instantaneously without any interruption or downtime—a great perk for retailers that need to ramp up for peak seasons.

Jim Tompkins, chairman and CEO of Tompkins International.

The t-Sort Mini is the latest addition to the t-Sort AMR suite. Last year, Tompkins Robotics introduced the t-Sort Plus, which is capable of handling items up to 66 lbs.—six times the weight of the original t-Sort solution. Together, the t-Sort AMR suite provides a fully modular, scalable solution for a broad range of applications with shorter lead times and lower capital investment than traditional sortation systems.

“The original t-Sort solution was designed to solve distribution and fulfillment challenges in the wake of the digital commerce revolution,” said Jim Tompkins, chairman and CEO of Tompkins International. “We are excited to launch the t-Sort Mini to provide clients with even more versatility in their distribution operations.”

Tompkins Robotics’ award-winning t-Sort system is used by some of the world’s top retailers and shippers, which together represent more than $1 trillion in annual revenue and include retail, e-commerce, 3PL, and package/postal channels. The company also integrates with key partners to grow its overall offering on its goal of providing dock to dock robotic automation in logistics facilities.

To learn more about Tompkins Robotics and the t-Sort AMR solutions, please visit Booth 1652 at NRF 2020, January 12-14 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City.