Amid accelerating adoption of warehouse automation across the logistics sector, leading international packaging provider Go-Pak has unveiled a state-of-the-art domain‑specific autonomous robot.
Powered by AI perception and ML-driven decision systems, this marks a huge milestone in Go-Pak’s commitment to evolving its operations and empowering its workforce. By embedding a new generation of technologies and strategies at the root of its warehousing approach, the packaging provider is moving beyond traditional storage and fulfilment to address workload pressures, scale capability efficiently and maintain high safety and quality standards.
The investment comes as Go-Pak continues to see growth climb in customer orders. With the warehouse handling hundreds of pallets a day and multiple inbound containers during peak periods, AI automation allows the brand to meet this demand with no half measures.
Ned Sweeney, group head of project management at Go‑Pak, said: “We’ve seen warehousing take on a different shape in recent years. Artificial intelligence and robotics have moved from being future-facing concepts to practical, grounded tools amid market fluctuations. We were keen to mobilise with that shift, but more importantly, we didn’t want progress to come at the expense of our team or our service.
“Introducing the robot has been as much about refining our workflows for pace and precision as it has been about upskilling the team and strengthening the reliability we offer our customers. It’s provided us with the platform to stay agile, optimise continuously and future-proof our operations through innovation.”
According to Sweeney, previously, unpacking heavy SKUs manually could take around 7.5 hours per container. With the introduction of the robot, the process now takes just 2.5 hours, significantly reducing physical strain on the team and improving turnaround times.
“With the routine of manual operations eliminated, our team is now able to concentrate on problem-solving and strategy. It’s a major boost in order throughput and a more engaged, healthier and purpose-driven workforce,” added Sweeney.
The robot, known internally as Stretch, operates at-home alongside existing operations. It autonomously photographs incoming goods, identifies dimensions and places them onto conveyors feeding the palletiser. The system is capable of handling up to 800 cases an hour, with palletisation reaching 1,200 cases per hour, allowing Go‑Pak to manage large volumes reliably while freeing staff to focus on higher-value tasks such as quality control and tailored customer service.
Delivered with support from Go-Pak’s parent company, SCG Packaging (SCGP), the system was integrated with expertise from multiple engineering and technology specialists. Coordination between Boston Dynamics, Kalyan Conveyors, West Rock, civil engineers and Go-Pak’s team ensured the robot operated smoothly within the warehouse and its IT infrastructure.
Go‑Pak’s investment in warehouse automation reflects a broader trend across UK logistics. Industry research projects that more than 85 per cent of UK fulfilment warehouses are expected to be automated by 2030, highlighting the shift towards AI-driven efficiency and resilience that Supplier of the Year Go‑Pak is helping to lead.
For more information on Go-Pak group, visit: https://go-pakgroup.com/.