Third Wave Automation partners with Raymond to scale AI across lift trucks. - June 16, 2026 Key takeaways. * - Third Wave adds AI to Raymond Swing-Reach lift trucks. * - One remote operator can manage up to ten autonomous forklifts. * - Toyota's Woven Capital backs the partnership, accelerating market rollout. * - Integrated fleet data provides real-time performance insights for warehouses. Pulse analysis. Physical AI is moving from experimental labs into the mainstream of material handling, and the Third Wave-Raymond alliance illustrates that shift. Third Wave's shared-autonomy stack blends machine-learning perception, computer-vision navigation and tele-operation oversight, allowing trucks to adapt to dynamic warehouse layouts without extensive re-engineering. By leveraging Raymond's long-standing reputation for durable lift trucks, the partnership sidesteps the costly hardware redesigns that have slowed earlier autonomous forklift deployments, offering a plug-and-play upgrade path for existing fleets. From an operational standpoint, the combined solution promises a dramatic lift in productivity. A single remote operator can oversee up to ten trucks, instantly intervening when anomalies arise, which reduces labor costs while maintaining safety standards. Real-time telematics feed into a centralized dashboard, delivering actionable insights on utilization, energy consumption and cycle times. These data points enable continuous process improvement, helping warehouses meet tighter delivery windows and tighter margins in an increasingly e-commerce-driven supply chain. Strategically, the deal underscores Toyota's broader push to embed AI across its material-handling portfolio. Backed by Toyota Ventures and Woven Capital, Third Wave gains a fast-track to global markets, while Raymond enriches its ecosystem with differentiated technology that competitors lack. As AI-first logistics solutions become a purchasing criterion, the partnership positions both firms to capture a larger share of the projected $30 billion autonomous warehouse equipment market by 2030, setting a benchmark for future collaborations between robotics innovators and legacy equipment manufacturers. Automated Warehouse Staff Third Wave will add its AI capabilities to select Raymond lift trucks. Source: Third Wave Automation Third Wave Automation Inc. today said it is collaborating with The Raymond Corp. to launch and expand AI-enabled capabilities across select lift trucks. "The partnership with Raymond is a major step forward in expanding physical AI automation on Raymond automated lift trucks," stated Arshan Poursohi, CEO of Third Wave Automation. "The combination of Third Wave software and Raymond's best-in-class material handling equipment creates an unmatched automated solution, with substantial gains in throughput, flexibility, and safety." Founded in 2018, Third Wave said it focuses on providing predictable automation plus human adaptability. Its shared autonomy approach combines machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and remote operator oversight to help industrial vehicles operate effectively in dynamic environments. The Union City, Calif.-based company also said it supports safer and more efficient warehouse operations with flexible deployment and scalable automation. Raymond and Toyota integrate AI into fleet. Third Wave Automation said its platform pairs autonomous lift trucks with fleet management and remote assistance. A remote operator can supervise multiple vehicles and intervene in seconds when needed without affecting other vehicles, the company claimed. In typical operations, one operator can manage up to 10 forklifts from an off-floor location, helping improve both productivity and operational efficiency. Raymond, a brand of Toyota Material Handling North America, said it will offer Third Wave's automation capabilities as part of its ecosystem. It said it will provide customers a scalable path to improve warehouse performance through AI-first technology. The integration will support automation across key warehouse workflows, including dock-to-dock and trailer loading and unloading operations, with a focus on rapid time-to-value and measurable operational outcomes. Raymond and Third Wave also said they will deliver fleet visibility and operational insights that complement automation deployments, helping customers measure performance and drive continuous improvement. The initial lineup will include an automated Raymond Swing-Reach truck and several soon-to-be-announced products, each integrated with Third Wave's technology and targeted for commercial availability. Raymond's Solutions and Support Centers will distribute the trucks. Raymond to offer Third Wave tech as part of its ecosystem. Third Wave Automation and Raymond have collaborated since 2021. Toyota Ventures was an initial backer of the partnership, followed by investment from Woven Capital, Toyota's growth fund. "Our investment in Third Wave Automation was rooted in a conviction that physical AI would transform industrial operations and the enormous potential we saw in their technology to lead that transformation," said Prashant Bothra, principal at Woven Capital. "This partnership is a testament to what's possible when Toyota Group's global teams, technology, and strategic capital can accomplish when working together. We're bringing differentiated capabilities to market faster and at greater scale." "We have been purposefully and thoughtfully integrating advanced technology and AI-driven capabilities across Raymond's integrated ecosystem of solutions to help customers optimize workflows, improve visibility, and better connect their operations," said Michael Field, chief operations officer at Toyota Material Handling North America. "Adding Third Wave's technology to our Raymond lineup is a natural extension of that approach, enhancing the solutions available to our customers while supporting more connected, scalable warehouse operations and automating the right application where it makes sense," he added. Raymond is a leading global provider of material handling products and intelligent intralogistics systems. For more than 100 years, it has built on principles of innovation and continuous improvement. The Greene, N.Y.-based company said its integrated automation, telematics, virtual reality, and advanced energy systems can optimize operations and bring warehouse and distribution operations to new levels of performance. Submit your session idea for the 2026 RoboBusiness

Third Wave Automation announces technology partnership with The Raymond Corporation to scale physical AI across Raymond lift truck fleets. Jun 16, 2026, 12:00 ET Shared autonomy and AI-driven lift truck automation to help customers improve throughput and operational flexibility UNION CITY, Calif., June 16, 2026 /CNW/ - Third Wave Automation (Third Wave) announced a technology collaboration with The Raymond Corporation, part of Toyota Material Handling North America (TMHNA) to launch and expand AI-enabled physical automation capabilities across select automated Raymond lift trucks. The collaboration builds on several years of collaborative development and operational learning since 2021, backed first by investments from Toyota Ventures, Toyota's early-stage venture firm, and followed by Woven Capital, Toyota's growth fund. Raymond will offer Third Wave's automation capabilities as part of its Raymond ecosystem, providing customers with a scalable path to improve warehouse performance through AI-first technology. "The partnership with Raymond is a major step forward in expanding physical-AI automation on Raymond automated lift trucks," said Arshan Poursohi, CEO of Third Wave Automation. "The combination of Third Wave software and Raymond's best-in-class material handling equipment creates an unmatched automated solution, with substantial gains in throughput, flexibility, and safety." "We have been purposefully and thoughtfully integrating advanced technology and AI-driven capabilities across Raymond's integrated ecosystem of solutions to help customers optimize workflows, improve visibility, and better connect their operations," said Michael Field, chief operations officer, Toyota Material Handling North America. "Adding Third Wave's technology to our Raymond lineup is a natural extension of that approach, enhancing the solutions available to our customers while supporting more connected, scalable warehouse operations and automating the right application where it makes sense." Third Wave's shared autonomy platform pairs autonomous lift trucks with fleet management and seamless remote assistance, enabling a remote operator to supervise multiple vehicles and intervene in seconds when needed, without impacting other vehicles. In typical operations, one operator can manage up to ten forklifts from an off-floor location, helping improve both productivity and operational efficiency. The initial lineup will include an automated Raymond Swing-Reach(R) truck and several soon to be announced products, each integrated with Third Wave's automation technology and targeted for commercial availability. The trucks will be distributed through Raymond's Solutions and Support Centers. "Our investment in Third Wave Automation was rooted in a conviction that physical AI would transform industrial operations and the enormous potential we saw in their technology to lead that transformation," said Prashant Bothra, principal, Woven Capital. "This partnership is a testament to what's possible when Toyota Group's global teams, technology, and strategic capital can accomplish when working together. We're bringing differentiated capabilities to market faster and at greater scale." The integration will support automation across key warehouse workflows, including dock-to-dock and trailer loading/unloading operations, with a focus on rapid time-to-value and measurable operational outcomes. Raymond and Third Wave will also deliver fleet visibility and operational insights that complement automation deployments, helping customers measure performance and drive continuous improvement. About Third Wave Automation Third Wave Automation is a provider of AI-powered warehouse automation solutions focused on predictable automation plus human adaptability. Its shared autonomy approach combines machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and remote operator oversight to help industrial vehicles operate effectively in dynamic environments, supporting safer and more efficient warehouse operations with flexible deployment and scalable automation adoption. About The Raymond Corporation The Raymond Corporation, a brand of Toyota Material Handling North America, is a leading global provider of best-in-class material handling products and intelligent intralogistics solutions. Built on principles of innovation and continuous improvement for over 100 years, Raymond's integrated automation, telematics, virtual reality and advanced energy solutions provide ways to optimize operations and bring warehouse and distribution operations to a new level of performance. Raymond(R) electric forklift trucks are engineered to achieve increased productivity and efficiency and are designed to provide ecological and economic benefits. Raymond delivers solutions to material handling and logistics markets in North America and globally. Combining operational excellence, award-winning innovation and world-class global customer support, we work together to run better, manage smarter and keep our customers always on. For more information, visit raymondcorp.com and follow us on Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. SOURCE Third Wave Automation Third Wave Media Contact Name: Vashti Talwar, Third Wave Automation, [email protected], 408-389-4322, The Raymond Corporation Media Contact Name: Elizabeth Buza, [email protected], 607-343-0845, Bader Rutter Media Contact: Daniel Collazo, [email protected], 312-785-4319