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Accenture and Mujin have created a three way partnership to assist deliver robotics and automation to the manufacturing and logistics industries. Known as Accenture Alpha Automation, the brand new enterprise is owned 70% by Accenture and 30% by Mujin.
The brand new firm will mix Mujin’s industrial robotics experience with Accenture’s digital engineering and manufacturing service, Trade X. Accenture Alpha Automation formally began working on Jan. 15, 2024. It’s positioned in Tokyo and can supply companies equivalent to consulting, conceptualization and system integration.
“Manufacturing is the cornerstone of Japanese business. Driving sophistication and effectivity in manufacturing and the logistics that help manufacturing is crucial for Japan’s additional development,” mentioned Atsushi Egawa, who leads Accenture’s enterprise in Japan. “By teaming with Mujin, a frontrunner in robotics expertise, Accenture will have the ability to assist our purchasers reap the benefits of AI and robotics to attach information all through the manufacturing and logistics worth chain, additional contributing to the data-driven transformation of Japan’s vital manufacturing and logistics industries.”
Study from Agility Robotics, Amazon, Disney, Teradyne and lots of extra.
Accenture expands integration capabilities
Accenture has traditionally been a method and consulting agency. However in current it years it has acquired robotics integration companies to broaden its enterprise choices. In early 2021, for instance, Accenture acquired Pollux, a supplier of commercial robotics and automation. This was Accenture’s first acquisition of the sort.
On the time of the deal, Pollux had carried out greater than 1,000 initiatives for manufacturing firms, primarily in Brazil. It mentioned it has deployed 150-plus collaborative robots efficiently all through Brazil. Accenture mentioned lots of the world’s largest pharmaceutical and meals firms use expertise options from Pollux of their Brazil operations. And a excessive variety of autos made in Brazil use Pollux’s manufacturing options.
In 2022, Accenture acquired Eclipse Automation, a supplier of customized automation and robotics options for manufacturing functions. Eclipse Automation creates automated manufacturing programs for all times sciences, industrial gear, automotive, vitality and shopper items firms.
Accenture partnership a win for Mujin
Japan is a robotics powerhouse. It had the fourth-highest robotic density of any nation in 2022, in keeping with the Worldwide Federation of Robotics. Robotic density measures the variety of operational industrial robots per 10,000 staff in a rustic.
There are plenty of firms in Japan that Accenture may have chosen to associate with. This needs to be a giant increase of confidence for Mujin and additional legitimize its applied sciences.
“Our mission is to make industrial robots clever and straightforward to make use of to allow them to enhance productiveness and high quality and assist create new worth in an getting old society,” mentioned Mujin CEO Issei Takino. “The brand new three way partnership, which builds on our settlement with Accenture, will make the most of our robotic automation expertise to drive a paradigm shift within the manufacturing and logistics business and convey new worth to prospects first in Japan, then around the globe.”
Mujin was based in 2011 and relies in Tokyo. Mujin mentioned it designed its controllers as a typical platform for industrial and collaborative robots for pick-and-place and different logistics functions. The corporate mentioned its MujinController makes use of “machine intelligence” and “real-time digital twins” to allow robots to function autonomously and reliably in manufacturing.
Accenture has additionally invested in Mujin by means of Accenture Ventures. Mujin not too long ago finalized a Collection C extension spherical of funding with an extra $18 million, bringing its complete Collection C funding to $104 million. Mujin mentioned it plans to make use of the funding to advance the accessibility of its MujinController platform for robotics integrators and finish customers. Mujin has raised a complete of $178 million.
Mujin might be showcasing a brand new model of its TruckBot trailer unloading system at MODEX 2024.