FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) has announced a strategic alliance with Nimble Robotics to scale FedEx Fulfillment with Nimble’s fully autonomous 3PL model. FedEx is also investing an undisclosed sum in Nimble.
The Santa Monica, California-based AI robotics and autonomous e-commerce fulfillment technology company will help scale FedEx Fulfillment, according to a news release from FedEx.
“Our strategic alliance and financial investment with Nimble expands our footprint in the e-commerce space, helping to further scale our FedEx Fulfillment offering across North America,” said Scott Temple, president of FedEx Supply Chain, in the release. “Nimble’s cutting-edge AI robotics and autonomous fulfillment systems will help FedEx streamline operations and unlock new opportunities for our customers.”
The FedEx Supply Chain has more than 130 warehouses and fulfillment operations in North America and processes 475 million returns annually. The company has recently considered divesting its freight business to focus on its parcel and logistics business.
In March 2023, Nimble raised $65 million in a Series B round to support the build-out of a network of robotic fulfillment centers. These centers pick, pack and ship e-commerce orders while reducing the need for warehouse space by 75%.
According to its website, Nimble currently has three fulfillment center “nodes” in the U.S. located in the San Francisco Bay area, Dallas and Trenton, New Jersey. Three additional nodes are planned to be launched in Tijuana, Mexico, Chicago and Atlanta by 2025.
“We’re thrilled to be engaging in this multifaceted alliance with a logistics industry leader like FedEx to pioneer and scale autonomous fulfillment,” said Simon Kalouche, founder and CEO of Nimble, in the release. “This collaboration will help enable FedEx to leverage Nimble’s fast and cost-effective fulfillment centers, powered by our next-generation intelligent general purpose warehouse robots and AI technology.”
A spokesperson for FedEx told FreightWaves that the company is not sharing specifics about the agreement at this time but is working to get the partnership up and running as soon as possible.
Nimble did not immediately respond to FreightWaves’ request for comment.