Hamburg-based Jungheinrich AG acquires a stake in Munich-based robotics start-up Magazino. Representatives of both companies have signed the corresponding contracts in Dingolfing near Munich. At the same time, Jungheinrich and Magazino have agreed on a broad strategic cooperation and will pool their expertise in the field of mobile automation in the future.

“Magazino is a highly innovative young company with outstanding competence in the field of navigation and control software for mobile automation. The investment follows our strategy in the field of automation and will make a major contribution to accelerating the expansion of our business with automated trucks,” says Dr. Lars Brzoska, Chairman of the Board of Management of Jungheinrich AG.

Automation is considered one of the intralogistics industry’s biggest growth drivers. Jungheinrich anticipates double-digit growth rates in this segment in the years ahead. This trend will be driven above all by the persistently strong rise in online trading and the global shortage of skilled logistics workers, especially forklift drivers.

Magazino has been on the market since 2014 with a mobile picking robot that is able to navigate intelligently in the warehouse and precisely pick the right cartons. The system is used in the warehouses of various online retailers and logistics service providers. “By controlling the robots in this complex environment, Magazino has acquired a globally unique competence that we want to expand together in the future and incorporate into the Jungheinrich product world,” says Dr. Lars Brzoska.