Discover your next big idea for life sciences at PACK EXPO Las Vegas
Experience a breakthrough in life sciences packaging—explore solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries, all in one place this September

Automation Driving Life Science Logistics Growth

Labor shortages, advancing technologies and efficiency improvements add to the appeal of robotics in pharmaceutical and medical device applications.

Labor shortages, advancing technologies and efficiency improvements add to the appeal of robotics in pharmaceutical and medical device applications.
Labor shortages, advancing technologies and efficiency improvements add to the appeal of robotics in pharmaceutical and medical device applications.

The use of robotics to execute logistics-related functions continues to expand, as evidenced by the March 18, 2018 NYTimes.com article, “FedEx Follows Amazon Into the Robotic Future.”

Although the article focuses in part on how robots are being used to handle larger packages that don’t fit on typical conveyor belts, labor shortages make robotics systems a viable option for numerous logistics functions for diverse industries, including life science logistics.

Some of these applications were revealed in the March 12, 2018 Logistics Management story, “Robotics at a tipping point.” Author Bob Trebilcock reports, “Over the last two years, we’ve featured a variety ofrobotic applications, ranging from piece picking robotics at aneye wear manufacturer; mixed layer palletizing atL’Oreal; mobile robots in manufacturing atGE HealthcareandWhirlpool; a piece picking robot in order fulfillment atRochester Drug; a collaborative mobile robot fromLocus RoboticsatQuiet Logistics, and robotic distribution atMedline.”

With so many different robotic applications, the logistics market continues to gainsteam. Grand View Research forecasts global pharmaceutical robot market growth to reach $430 million by 2025. Says the report, “With increasing drug discovery and clinical trials, there is growing demand for robotics. To minimize workload and maintain higher levels of accuracy, automation has become a significant part of pharmaceutical manufacturing. It increases efficiency, prevents performance of repetitive activities, and avoids human error and contamination. Technological advancement is an important factor driving growth. The use of robots and automated machines in the field of pharmaceuticals is still in its nascent stage and expected to grow in the near future.”

It’s uncertain what part of GVR’s forecast pertains specifically to pharmaceutical logistics. However, a positive projection comes from a separate report on the transit packaging market from FMI Future Market Insights. It notes, “Transit packaging solutions for ecommerce, pharmaceuticals and third-party logistics are manufactured by employing high-tech equipment for preventing loose thread contamination and maintaining hygiene standards. These three end-use industries are expected to remain dominant in the global transit packaging market, in terms of revenues. Pharmaceuticals will remain the fast-expanding end-use industry of transit packaging through 2026.”

Medical Device Innovations Report
Cutting-edge packaging technologies are transforming the medical device sector in PMMI’s “Innovation in Medical Device” report, featuring advanced materials, smart solutions, and evolving regulations. Editors share insights from nearly 300 PACK EXPO booth visits—each product deemed new and truly innovative—alongside video demonstrations of the equipment and materials on display.
Learn More
Medical Device Innovations Report
FDA warning letters surge - is your team prepared?
New guide reveals expert strategies to prevent regulatory issues and respond effectively to FDA enforcement actions in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing.
Read More
FDA warning letters surge - is your team prepared?