Stäubli: Best of both worlds

With a sales partnership, Stäubli and SAFELOG aim to combine their expertise in mobile robots to strengthen their market position in Europe and compete with the rising robotics power of China. Stäubli brings its specialized know-how in mechatronics, while SAFELOG contributes its expertise in software development. In an interview, SAFELOG’s Managing Director Mathias Behounek and Jan Louwen, Global Head of AGV at Stäubli, explain why the two companies complement each other so well.

You both are competitors. Isn’t that a questionable basis for a partnership?

Jan Louwen: At first glance, it might seem so. Although we both build mobile robots, our applications are differently positioned. Stäubli is traditionally focused on the heavy-duty sector. Our range starts with vehicles that have a payload of 3 tons and goes up to 450 tons.

Mathias Behounek: SAFELOG is far from these dimensions. Our mobile robots can move a maximum of 1.5 tons. That brings us just to the lower end of Stäubli’s range. As different as the payloads are, so too are the applications. There’s no overlap and therefore no competition between us.

The collaboration focuses on Stäubli’s counterbalance forklift FL1500 and the transport robot PF3. Both models will be integrated into SAFELOG’s system landscape as partner products and jointly marketed. How exactly will that work?

Mathias Behounek: We are expanding our robot portfolio with Stäubli’s FL1500 counterbalance forklift and the PF3 transport robot. Both models will be equipped with our agent-based fleet management system. This integration allows us to offer solutions that were previously not possible with our own robot variants.

Jan Louwen: Our strength lies in mechatronics, as seen in our vehicles that can transport up to 450 tons. Such heavy loads place extreme demands on the mechanics, which is an area where we excel. Since we are not a traditional software company, we rely on strategic partnerships and an open architecture. This allows Stäubli to expand its sales channel while SAFELOG gains access to advanced hardware. The integration of SAFELOG’s software happens via a defined interface.

Why a partnership? What’s behind it?

Mathias Behounek: It’s better for both companies if we combine our core competencies. This increases our sales potential, makes us more competitive in Europe, and strengthens us against international forces.

You’re referring to China. According to the latest report from the International Federation of Robotics, China is investing heavily in robotics. Eight years ago, they ranked 23rd in global robot density, but now they’re in 5th place.

Jan Louwen: Although China is catching up in robot deployment, Germany remains one of the most automated economies in the world. However, we are facing a situation that we need to prepare for, including by combining our strengths early on and positioning ourselves with customer-focused solutions against emerging competitors. I’m confident that together with SAFELOG, we are on the right path.

Mathias Behounek: I see our approach as a model for the future. By combining our core competencies, we bring together the best of both worlds. This is the right way to assert ourselves in the European market and be prepared for competition from China.

What do you expect from this partnership?

Mathias Behounek: The cooperation with Stäubli is more than just a partnership. I see it as a fusion of strengths and an important milestone in SAFELOG’s growth strategy. By combining forces, we can offer our customers tailor-made solutions for specific requirements that we couldn’t previously meet. Our solution capabilities are expanded to include additional application areas.

Jan Louwen: With this partnership, we aim to create synergies that allow both companies to grow faster and work more efficiently. We want to benefit from economies of scale and capture additional market share. A key part of this will be our new FL1500 model.

How so?

Jan Louwen: The FL1500 model is a counterbalance forklift that doesn’t require a support unit when lifting a pallet or a grid box. Support feet would limit the flexibility of the application. On the other hand, we had to pack a lot of mass into the rear of the vehicle—3.2 tons for a 1.5-ton payload.

Has this made the model bigger?

Jan Louwen: We wanted to avoid that to ensure the FL1500 can still operate effectively in tight environments. At the moment, we have the most compact counterbalance forklift in this weight class on the market.

Mathias Behounek: This is a key argument for SAFELOG as well, making integration into practice easier. In production and intralogistics environments, space is valuable. It’s tight, and the aisles are narrow. Vehicles like the FL1500 are in demand here.

Not every customer needs to handle 1.5 tons. What about those who only need half the payload?

Jan Louwen: That’s an important point. In such cases, we can remove some of the counterweight from the forklift. For instance, if the user only needs to maneuver 1 ton, we reduce the counterweight accordingly. Excess weight would only burden the battery unnecessarily.

Mathias Behounek: We benefit from Stäubli’s strengths in hardware development, which is another important point we look forward to in this partnership. If we were to develop a forklift like the FL1500, we would face a time-to-market problem—the lead time would simply be too long. By the time we could offer such a product, the market would be gone. So we focus on our strength, which is software.

Is service friendliness a priority for these partner products?

Jan Louwen: Yes, serviceability is crucial for the success of a new product. The vehicles must have high availability for the customer, ideally with minimal interruptions. And when repairs are necessary, they should be quick. For the PF3, the side modules can be removed without tools, allowing fast access to key components like the control unit or battery. Parts can be replaced in just a few minutes. The same applies to the FL1500, showcasing our competence in hardware development.

What about safety?

Mathias Behounek: Safety is a significant factor, especially with forklifts. The FL1500 is equipped with multiple laser scanners for personnel protection, along with an emergency stop concept. In mixed traffic, employees and transported goods are always protected by these safety features.

What benefits does the SAFELOG software installed on both partner products offer the customer?

Mathias Behounek: The customer doesn’t need a central control room for management. Instead, we follow a swarm-based fleet management approach. Like all SAFELOG mobile robots, the partner products are equipped with a computing unit that runs autonomous process software. This allows the devices to exchange the information they need to complete tasks within the swarm. The system also contributes to high availability—if one vehicle fails, the others take over its tasks. However, through the VDA5050 compatibility of our software, central control can also be used if the customer prefers.

When will these partner products be available?

Jan Louwen: We’ve just built the prototype of the FL1500, which we presented and extensively tested at the LogiMAT trade fair in Stuttgart. The PF3 model is available now, and the FL1500 will be available to order by mid-2025.

For more information, please visit: https://www.staubli.com/de/en/about-us/newsroom.html