European Automation Recruitment Specialist James Disney produces a bi-weekly newsletter – The Automation Insider! As a well-networked automation recruitment specialist, his goal is to consistently explore the latest funding, collaborations, product updates, and industry news from cutting-edge warehouse automation, mobile robotics, and material handling companies across the US, Europe, and APAC, and deliver it straight to you.

Last week, we explored the latest funding trends and market developments from June. This week, we came across an insightful article on Investing.com exploring investment predictions and suggesting that investment in warehouse automation remains strong, even amid broader macroeconomic uncertainty. In this edition of The Automation Insider, James dives deeper into this trend, reviewing investment activity from the first half of 2025, and shares predictions for the months ahead.

 

 

“Warehouse automation investment intentions remain resilient despite macroeconomic uncertainties, according to the UBS Evidence Lab Global Warehouse Automation Survey. While short-term growth expectations have moderated, structural drivers such as labor shortages and technological advancement continue to support a stable outlook. The seventh annual survey by UBS Evidence Lab found that 67% of respondents expect to increase spending on warehouse automation.”

“Regionally, Europe stood out with a net capex increase of 62%, up from 38% in 2022, surpassing the Eurozone’s broader capex outlook.”

Europe recorded a 62% net increase in capital expenditures over the past year, jumping from 38% in 2022. While UBS notes that projected growth for the next 12 months has slightly eased (5.4% vs. 5.9% in 2022), the three-year outlook remains stable at 4.2%. Several European firms in 2025 have secured funding, indicating strong investor confidence in warehouse automation:

  • NEURA Robotics (Germany) – A €120 million Series B raise in January to advance its cognitive, humanoid robots.
  • Nomagic (Poland) – Closed a $44 million round in February to scale its AI-powered “justPick” warehouse robots.
  • Deus Robotics (Europe) – Secured $3 million in seed funding to advance its automation solutions for warehouses.
  • UVIONIX Innovations (Bulgaria) – Raised $3.5 million in seed from Launchub and others in February to commercialise warehouse robotics.
  • Exotec (France/Spain) – Expanded in early July with a new Skypod automated system in Barcelona’s Viladecans warehouse.
  • KION Group (Germany) – Partnered in January with NVIDIA and Accenture to integrate “Physical AI” and digital twins into its warehouse fleet.

 

CrimsonXT Automation robotics and warehouse automation icon

 

“Adoption of mobile robotics has risen, with 39% of companies now using mobile robots, and 52% planning to implement them.”

There’s clearly a shift in how industries view mobile robotics as a core operational asset rather than an experimental add-on. In just a few years, AMRs have evolved from pilot projects into mission-critical infrastructure. A few to note:

→ Amazon Europe & North America

  • Continues to expand fleets of Proteus AMRs (the successor to Kiva robots) in fulfilment centres across France, Germany, and the UK.
  • Recent deployments include mixed robot-human workflows for improved safety and productivity.

→ H&M (Sweden, Europe-wide)

  • Running AMRs from Geek+ in its new logistics hubs to simplify garment transport, reduce manual handling, and rev e-commerce fulfilment.

→ Alliance Healthcare (Spain, UK, Europe)

  • Working with Exotec’s Skypod AMRs for high-speed pharmaceutical picking and storage. Their Viladecans site in Spain is one of the latest launches in 2025.

→ BMW Group (Germany)

→ Carrefour (France, Europe)

  • Using mobile robots in selected stores for restocking and in regional distribution centers for automated order assembly. Working with BALYO and other vendors.

→ DB Schenker (Germany)

  • Running large AMR deployments from Gideon Brothers and Locus Robotics for flexible intralogistics in several European warehouses.

→ Tesco (UK)

  • Partnered with Locus Robotics to support e-commerce growth, with significant expansions announced in early 2025 to keep pace with home delivery demand.

→ Mercedes-Benz AG (Germany)

  • Actively deploying AMRs for line-side delivery of parts, with AI-powered route optimization. Leveraging robots from OTTO Motors and local European integrators.

→ DHL Supply Chain (Europe)

  • Added hundreds of AMRs in 2025 across European hubs, combining robots from Geek+, Locus Robotics, and MiR for scalable, multi-vendor fleet operations.

 

 

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