Breaking Boundaries: How Robots and Flex Workers Forge a New Era of Productivity

Best, Netherlands, 13 July 2023 - To conquer rising demand, we should not rely on getting workers from afar. Smart Robotics, the global specialist in robotics and warehouse automation, today announced their strategic partnership with employment agency chain Labour Power Company, (yearly revenue €400 mln.) the leading recruiter and deployer of international flex workers for Logistics. The partners entered collaborative efforts to provide their clients, across Logistics, with enhanced service solutions and to enable better working conditions for warehouse employees.

The demand for personnel keeps rising. Whilst countless employment agencies are recruiting outside Europe, Labor Power Company offers a more cost-efficient way. Smart collaboration between humans and robots is the answer to a range of developments, such as an aging population, the ever-increasing demand of highly educated people and the persistent tightness in the labor market.

According to Heico Sandee, CTO of Smart Robotics, “Highly productive warehouses are the ones that critically identify areas in their production line that need automating, whilst simultaneously investing in their people. This is part of the reason why Smart Robotics is excited to be partnering with Labour Power Company - to enable people to perform to the highest of their ability, whilst robots take over repetitive and strenuous work.”

Robots and flex employees as coworkers
In the temporary employment world, robots and flex workers are often seen as competitors. “We think solution-oriented instead of supply-oriented”, explains Han van Horen. “Our customers – especially companies in the logistics, food and process industries – cannot do without people, but they cannot do without robots either. The trick is to get humans and robots to work together in a complimenting manner. We have found the right partner for this in Smart Robotics. Robots are now incredibly smart, but you have to fit them into the organization properly. In the right positions, with the right people around and in the right way. That's what we focus on. We see ourselves as a strategic partner for our customers.”

No housing needed
LPC involves Smart Robotics in solving customer challenges. “This is how we arrive at the right solution for each client”, says Van Horen. “As an employer, for example, also look at the housing issue. Robots don't have to live anywhere. And they don't have to commute either. The whole of society benefits from this way of thinking and working.”

Better working conditions and job satisfaction runs in parallel with optimizing and scaling productivity across logistics. This is why combining the strengths of humans and robots is key to the future success of Logistics.