Warehouse automation has advanced rapidly in recent years, but sizable gaps remain, especially when it comes to handling bulky, irregular goods that fall outside the scope of most systems.

“There is a niche that’s being missed,” says Karl Sanchack, chief operating officer of Freespace Robotics. “There are things like these bulky, non-conveyable goods, and automation isn’t really there to support them.”

Those items — ranging from oversized consumer goods to automotive components — are still largely handled manually, creating a lingering gap in otherwise automated facilities. Sanchack says the issue is consistent across industries, pointing to a broader limitation in how warehouse systems are designed.

Much of today’s automation, he notes, remains built around fixed “point solutions” that have changed little over the past two decades. While software and artificial intelligence-driven optimization have advanced, hardware capabilities haven’t kept pace, limiting how effectively those tools can be deployed.

At the same time, a deeply risk-averse culture within logistics is slowing adoption of new approaches, even as companies face mounting pressure to adapt to shifting demand and ongoing supply chain volatility. 

“The more uncertain the world is, the more opportunity you have to do something different and make a change,” Sanchack says.