OTSAW, Swisslog Form Joint Venture for AGVs in Healthcare
December 1, 2021
To help expand the market for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in the healthcare environment, OTSAW Technology Solutions and Swisslog Healthcare, a division of KUKA, have agreed to form a joint venture. OTSAW Swisslog Healthcare Robotics will develop the next generation of AGVs for clinical and non-clinical material handling.
Swisslog is an established partner for this market, with 580 installed systems and comprehensive service and implementation offerings in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), as well as the Asia-Pacific (APAC) markets. Swisslog Healthcare will provide the joint venture with its knowledge of healthcare facilities in various markets, in addition to its realization and service strength in AGV equipment to make sure systems are professionally installed, and that new and existing systems are well maintained.
OTSAW Technology Solutions, based in Singapore, specializes in autonomous mobile robot (AMR) solutions, with mobility competencies in 3D SLAM, autonomous driving Level 5, sensor fusion, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and fleet software. The company’s expertise, along with knowledge in hardware and software development, will enable the joint venture to introduce a new generation of AGV systems to hospital.s
“We are proud to have OTSAW as a partner with a passion for driving technology forward and a shared vision to enable better patient care,” said Stephan Sonderegger, CEO of Swisslog Healthcare. “I am particularly impressed with OTSAW’s agile, focused approach and its collaborative spirit, which always puts the customer’s needs first. I am already looking forward to seeing the next generation of AGVs to be deployed in EMEA and APAC hospitals, providing tangible added value to our existing customers.”
OTSAW will hold a 60% majority stake in the joint venture, and will take over further development of the existing TransCar AGV technology, while Swisslog Healthcare will ensure continuous support of existing systems and projects.
“Across the world’s healthcare systems, we experience that clinical professionals are increasingly becoming a scarce and critical resource in hospitals,” said Ling Ting Ming, CEO of OTSAW. “Forecasts also indicate that this situation will not change in the medium term. The awareness of this challenge has increased with the global COVID-19 pandemic and has led to a growing desire in our company to use our technological know-how to make a contribution in relieving the burden on nursing staff. The fact that we are able to enter into a partnership with Swisslog Healthcare, which enables us to contribute our expertise more extensively to the healthcare sector, is not only important for OTSAW from an entrepreneurial point of view, but also a matter close to our hearts.”
For more details on OTSAW, visit its website here. For additional information on Swisslog Healthcare, visit its website here.
