Brightpick launched Gridpicker in March 2026 and I spent a while staring at the throughput numbers. If they hold up under real-world conditions, the shuttle market has a problem.
What they're claiming
- Roughly 2 times the throughput per square meter compared to shuttle systems
- 100 plus picks per hour per robot
- Up to 12 meters (around 40 feet) in vertical reach, matching cube system density
- Roughly 40 percent lower total cost compared to shuttles
- Up to 95 percent labor savings on the fulfillment task itself
The framing matters more than any single number. About three quarters of today's automated storage-and-pick market still runs on shuttle systems, which are expensive to install and infrastructure-heavy. Gridpicker is going straight for that installed base, positioning as a drop-in modernisation rather than a greenfield-only play.
When and where
First installations are scheduled for later in 2026. The European launch was at LogiMAT 2026 in Stuttgart on March 24. Brightpick is saying "multiple customers have already ordered" without naming them, which is normal for a product in this stage.
Why I think it's worth a phone call
If you're sizing a new fulfillment center or looking at a shuttle upgrade in the next 12 to 18 months, Gridpicker is worth a real conversation. The numbers feel aggressive, but the positioning is coherent and the timing (right as shuttle replacement cycles start) is right. If the first few installations come in close to the published figures, the conversation shifts quickly in 2027.
Read the original: Brightpick launches Gridpicker (Robotics & Automation News, March 2026).