Guess upgrades European fulfillment with 127 Exotec Skypod robots
GXO has deployed 127 Skypod robots at Guess’s Venlo distribution center in the Netherlands. At peak, the system processes 2,200 order lines per hour and moves between 40,000 and 70,000 pieces daily.
The setup pairs the robots with 60,000 storage locations, eight goods‑to‑person picking stations and a conveyor line about 650 feet long. Each Skypod can lift up to 30 kilograms, travel at four meters per second and climb racks as high as 46 feet. The robots retrieve items from storage and deliver them to pickers, eliminating much of the walking required in traditional warehouse work. GXO says the deployment has made the Venlo operation more organized and lower pressure, while Exotec notes order‑to‑ship times have fallen to a single day.
“We were looking for solutions to automate. The question was: how can we reduce the picking effort?” Mark Donné said.
“Fashion logistics doesn’t tolerate approximation—high SKU counts, seasonal spikes and EMEA‑wide distribution require precision engineering, not off‑the‑shelf automation,” Wim Vermeir said.
GXO has managed Guess’s logistics in Italy since 2011 and in the Netherlands since 2017. Two years ago the companies extended their European logistics partnership through 2032. In July GXO said it had invested nearly $1 billion in warehouse automation over the previous five years.
What we know
127 Skypod robots
60,000 storage locations
2,200 order lines per hour peak
40,000 to 70,000 pieces per day
partnership extended through 2032