A European invasion is coming, but no need to worry – U.S. retailers will be welcome beneficiaries.Many U.S. companies are exploring European materials handling and last-mile strategies as omnichannel complexity, delivery urgency, and urban logistics complicate new market opportunities.

A few notable examples of this European invasion were on display at the March 2014 MODEX Expo in Atlanta. One is Swisslog’s robotic AutoStore small part storage system – which optimizes the use of labor and space, two constraints pervasive in Europe. There are only a few installations in the United States thus far, but Bill Leber, Swisslog’s director of business development, expects the system to gain traction because emerging retail and distribution dynamics are changing the way companies view their automation architecture.

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