FedEx Express unveils AI-powered sorting robot DoraSorter

Published: Monday, March 14, 2022

FedEx Express announced recently the launch of DoraSorter, an AI-powered sorting robot developed to handle the rapidly growing market demand for e-commerce shipments across the region.

The robot was developed in collaboration with Dorabot, a leading robotics solution provider as part of the company’s strategy to digitize operations and build a smart logistics network. The DoraSorter was deployed at the FedEx South China E-Commerce Shipment Sorting Centre in Guangzhou to handle small inbound and outbound packages from customers in the region.

The 40 square meter robot can withstand up to 10 kilograms of packages, and cover up to 100 destinations simultaneously, with a special drawer-shaped gripper to seamlessly connect with the conveyor belt and a barcode reader to scan packages for destination information.

“With e-commerce taking center stage in the future of retail in our region, the speed with which a parcel can be picked up and delivered to customers’ doorsteps has become a dominant factor in driving the adoption of sorting robots.

Bringing DoraSorter to China as a pilot program is a natural choice for us given it is the world’s biggest e-commerce market with an expected valuation of $3.3 trillion by 2025,” FedEx Express President of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA), Kawal Preet said, highlighting that “as we look to build a data-driven, smart logistics network to help our customers thrive in the digital economy, this alliance with Dorabot is part of preparing the network for what is next. AI-powered technology will continue to change how we support customers in the region and enhance supply chains for the future.”

On his part, Robert Chu, Vice President of Operations, FedEx China stressed that “innovation is at our core and is a major factor behind FedEx strategy in China,” noting that “to meet customers’ changing needs, we have been exploring and investing in new technologies to enhance every key aspect of transportation. The rapid rise in e-commerce has led to higher customer demand for timeliness and flexibility in logistics services, creating new challenges and opportunities for the entire logistics industry.”

Chu further revealed that FedEx’s collaboration with Dorabot marks the company’s “latest effort to improve operational efficiencies and build an agile logistics infrastructure through robotics technology that will support the growth of China’s e-commerce industry.”

Freight forwarders are warning of higher supply chain costs as the impact of the invasion of Ukraine disrupts transportation operations.