Seegrid, maker of automated guided vehicles (AGVs), was featured in the current issue of Inc.com in an article entitled, “Automated Guided Vehicles: Behind the Swift Business of a Heavy Industry.”
The author of the feature, Christine Lagorio-Chafkinto reported, “Seegrid is one of the industry’s relative newcomers, and is often looked to as a success story with accelerating growth. It launched in 2003 as a spin-out of the mobile robotics lab at Carnegie Mellon University. The business model included selling off-the-shelf robotic vehicles at a low cost whereas lots of other AGV makers offer pricey customization with slick vision technology; its AGVs require no magnetic tape nor lasers and reflectors.” The company has grown to 74 employees, with revenue increasing at a 400 percent annual clip.
It could be expected that an industry requiring both a significant software operation and high setup costs for manufacturing facilities, materials, and transport, would have a prohibitively high barrier to entry. Sarah Carlson, the chair of the AGV group for MHI, says the numbers do not support that: The number of member companies in the group has doubled in the past five years. At a recent industry trade show, sources reported seeing multiple new companies displaying brand-new AGVs for sale.
To read the entire article go to, http://www.inc.com/christine-lagorio/best-industries/automated-guided-ve.... The online resource is also the publisher of Inc. magazine, which for more than 30 years has been the premier print publication for entrepreneurs and business owners.
About Seegrid
Seegrid Corporation provides simple, affordable, flexible vision-guided automated guided vehicles (AGVs) to the material handling industry. Seegrid robotic industrial trucks, flexible AGVs, are revolutionizing the movement of materials in manufacturing and distribution environments. Seegrid automated pallet trucks and tow tractors optimize workflow processes by increasing productivity and reducing costs, creating economic and operational advantages. Robotic industrial trucks deliver a rapid return on investment, improve facility safety, and reduce equipment and product damage. Recently named Manufacturer of the Year, Seegrid was also awarded the Gold Medal Award at the WBT Innovation Marketplace 2013 competitive event. Seegrid was named to the Food Logistics Top 100 software and technology providers. Seegrid is a Finalist for the 2014 Edison Award in the Applied Technology category and Industrial Productivity sub-category. Follow Seegrid Corporation on Twitter at @Seegrid.
Source: http://www.seegrid.com