UPS Buys Hundreds of Robots to Unload Trucks in Automation Push
UPS will deploy Pickle Robots in multiple facilities in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to share the details publicly.
Photographer: Jon Cherry/Getty ImagesUnited Parcel Service Inc. will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to people familiar with the matter, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profits by decreasing labor costs.
Unloading trucks and shipping containers at warehouse docks is mostly done by people and remains a key bottleneck in the shipping industry. The UPS order puts a spotlight on Pickle Robot Co., a Charlestown, Massachusetts-based startup already working with UPS that’s raised about $97 million since it began in 2018, according to Pitchbook.