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Farm equipment giant in Kansas will put humanoid robots to work in 2027, promises they won't replace humans. AGCO promises improved safety and efficiency as humanoid robots enter its Kansas factory. Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. A hot potato: Humanoid robots are entering another industry. This time, the latest generation of machines, already used in some Amazon warehouses, are being sent to Kansas, where they will assist in the manufacture of balers, mower conditioners and self-propelled windrowers for one of the world's largest farm equipment makers. AGCO, the farming giant behind Massey Ferguson and Fendt tractors, has partnered with Agility Robotics on a pilot program set to begin in 2027. The initiative, taking place at AGCO's Hesston, Kansas, plant, will explore the ways in which humanoid robots can integrate into manufacturing operations. The robot involved is Digit, Agility's two-legged machine designed for repetitive tasks in workplaces built for humans. Its first assignments at the plant will involve sorting and stacking parts and moving storage totes into position, rather than anything as complex as assembling tractors or operating farm machinery. Neither company has revealed how many robots will be deployed, how much the deal is worth, or whether a successful trial will lead to a wider rollout. Digit is no stranger to warehouse work. Amazon began testing the humanoid in its facilities in 2023, initially assigning it the task of moving empty totes. Logistics firm GXO has also deployed Digit to shift containers in a warehouse operated for Spanx. Agility counts Toyota and industrial supplier Schaeffler among its other customers. As is always the case when robots enter a workplace, the companies insist the machines are there to help employees, not replace them. AGCO says handing over strenuous and repetitive jobs to these machines will improve safety and let human workers concentrate on more skilled tasks. "They unlock automation in complex, human-centric workflows, augmenting human capabilities by absorbing repetitive, strenuous or hazardous tasks," said Thomas Enghof, AGCO's director of manufacturing technology. Agility says Digit's AI can adapt to changing workflows, while its cloud-based Agility Arc platform helps manage fleets without requiring major factory modifications. The company claims Digit has accumulated more than 65,000 hours of real-world operation. Not everyone is convinced by the familiar claims about robots being helpful colleagues rather than humans' eventual replacements. Hyundai's union warned of a "huge employment shock" after the automaker announced plans to introduce Boston Dynamics' Atlas humanoid to its factories in 2028. Amazon has also insisted its robots won't take jobs, despite a report citing internal documents that suggests the company hopes automation will eliminate the need to hire more than 600,000 US warehouse workers by 2033. Amazon later disputed the report's characterization of its hiring plans. See more TechSpot in Google Add us as a preferred source and our reporting shows up first when you search.

Culina launches international division as it reshapes business following rebrand. 21 October 2026 Culina has launched a new international logistics division and made two senior leadership appointments as it begins the next phase of its move to bring its former subsidiary businesses together under one identity. The changes come as three of the group's best-known legacy businesses - Eddie Stobart, Great Bear and Fowler Welch - have reported sharply weaker financial performances for 2025. Culina International will bring together the group's general haulage operations previously carried out by Stobart Europe in Belgium, Germany and Bulgaria, with IRF's unaccompanied transport operations in the Netherlands and UK. The new division will focus on transport and logistics between the UK and continental Europe, with the ambition of becoming a leading transport partner for customers moving goods across the Channel. Stijn Gheyle (pictured right) has joined as MD of Culina International. He has held senior roles with ECS, 2XL, Unifeeder by P&O Ferries and DP World, with experience spanning European logistics, shipping and UK-European transport. Culina has also appointed James Gray (below) as group business development director. Gray joins from GXO, where he spent more than 13 years and most recently served as head of development for the UK and Ireland. His appointment marks the creation of a new group business development function, which will focus on strategic customer relationships, identifying opportunities in new sectors and increasing collaboration and cross-selling between Culina's five specialist divisions. The group said the function would bring together expertise from across the business to develop supply chain solutions for customers. Meanwhile, Culina's Finished Vehicle Logistics operation will become a dedicated standalone business under the continued leadership of Raf Hustinx, giving it a greater focus on customers in the automotive sector. Deputy chief executive Fabian Koehler said the appointments and the launch of Culina International built on the momentum created by the group's recent decision to bring its legacy businesses together under the Culina name. "The launch of Culina as a single identity was a defining moment for our business," he said. "It reflects its ambition to be a more connected organisation, bringing together the best of its heritage, expertise, and capabilities under one brand. "Stijn's and James's appointments and the creation of Culina International build on that momentum." The rebrand, announced in October, is intended to simplify the group's customer proposition and improve collaboration across its logistics operations. It brings businesses including Eddie Stobart, Great Bear and Fowler Welch under the Culina identity, while retaining five specialist divisions. However, the latest changes come against a challenging financial backdrop for those established businesses. Eddie Stobart reported a pre-tax loss of £24.9m for 2025, compared with a loss of £883,000 in 2024. Revenue fell by 2.4% to £543.4m, with the company citing lower volumes from existing customers, increased recharges from within the Culina group and higher fleet hire costs. Great Bear also moved from profit into the red, reporting a £13.2m pre-tax loss against a £15.3m profit the previous year. Although revenue increased by 2.5% to £526.1m, the company cited lost contracts, lower volumes, underutilised warehouse capacity and rising personnel, property and energy costs. Fowler Welch's pre-tax profit more than halved, falling from £8m to £3.3m, despite a 3.6% increase in revenue to £191.1m. The temperature-controlled logistics operator said inflation and higher employment taxes had increased labour and warehouse costs. All three businesses identified cost control, operational efficiency and improving the profitability of their networks as priorities. Their directors nevertheless described them as financially robust and expressed confidence in their ability to manage the prevailing market conditions. Culina employs around 15,000 people and has said the move to a single identity will provide a platform for further investment, innovation and growth.

GXO and Exotec partner to advance fashion fullfilment for Guess in the Netherlands. A fully integrated Skypod(R) system processes up to 70,000 pieces per day, increasing throughput capacity and enabling GXO to scale operations for Guess across EMEA and Asia Wasquehal, France and Eindhoven, Netherlands,September 15, 2026 - GXO Logistics (NYSE: GXO), the world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider, and Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, today announced the successful deployment of the Exotec Skypod(R) System at GXO's Venlofacility supporting leading global fashion brand Guess in the Netherlands. More headlines. Articles. Through its deployment of the automated solution, GXO is enhancing fulfilment operations for Guess across EMEA and Asia by increasing throughput, improving productivity and supporting future growth. The installation includes 127 robots, 60,000 rack locations, eight goods-to-person picking stations and 200 meters of conveyor network. The system processes between 40,000 and 70,000 pieces per day and can achieve throughput of up to 2,200 order lines per hour during peak periods. Fashion fulfilment demands exceptional speed, accuracy and flexibility. At the Venlo site, GXO manages inbound logistics and value-added services, including quality control and garment conditioning, and outbound distribution for Guess. Working closely together, GXO and Exotec designed and implemented a tailored automation solution to meet the unique requirements of fashion logistics, including high SKU counts, seasonal demand fluctuations and evolving customer needs. Exotec coordinatedintegration and end-to-end deployment to ensure operational reliability across the facility. "The impact has been evident from day one," said Mark Donné, Operations Manager, GXO Venlo. "Our automated solution with Exotec, tailored specifically for Guess, has helped take our operation to the next level, enabling faster processing, greater predictability and a smoother workflow across the site. As our business with Guess continues to grow, we have the scalability and flexibility needed to support future demand." "Fashion logistics doesn't tolerate approximation - high SKU counts, seasonal spikes, and EMEA-wide distribution require precision engineering, not off-the-shelf automation," said Wim Vermeir, Senior Sales Executive Benelux, Exotec. "With GXO, we designed a system built specifically for those demands, and the throughput numbers speak for themselves.The result is a highly efficient operation that supports both current performance and future growth." The deployment further strengthens the collaboration between GXO, Exotec and Guess, demonstrating how advanced automation and operational expertise can help retailers build supply chains that adapt with seasonal demand, scale without re-engineering and maintain throughput under pressure while enhancing service for customers. About Exotec: Exotec is a global warehouse automation leader delivering flexible, reliable end-to-end robotic solutions for modern fulfillment operations. By designing and manufacturing its own technology and solutions, Exotec serves as a single automation provider, reducing complexity and risk while accelerating time to value compared to traditional systems. Over 75 industry-leading brands including Oxford Industries (Tommy Bahama, Lilly Pulitzer), Carrefour, Decathlon, and UNIQLO trust Exotec to improve operations across 200+ sites worldwide. About GXO Logistics GXO Logistics, Inc. (NYSE: GXO) is the world's largest pure-play contract logistics provider and is positioned to capitalize on the rapid growth of ecommerce, automation and outsourcing. GXO has over 150,000 team members across more than 1,000 facilities, totaling more than 200 million square feet. The company serves the world's leading blue-chip companies to solve complex logistics challenges with technologically advanced supply chain and ecommerce solutions, at scale and with speed. GXO corporate headquarters is in Greenwich, Connecticut.