LG CNS Senior Vice President of Smart Logistics & City Business Division Lee Jun-ho, fifth from left, poses with Kurly Chief Operating Officer Huh Tae-young, center, after signing a partnership agreement at LG CNS headquarters in Gangseo District, Seoul, April 28. Courtesy of LG CNS.
LG CNS is partnering up with e-commerce operator Kurly to test humanoid robots and expand automation across logistics operations, as both companies push to enhance efficiency in fulfillment centers.
The company announced Monday that the two recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to conduct a proof of concept for humanoid robots and collaborate on advanced logistics automation.
Kurly, known for its early-morning fresh food delivery service, has been expanding its product categories into beauty, fashion and home goods, building on its retail-tech logistics infrastructure, while scaling its logistics capabilities.
The company has accumulated large volumes of operational data across its fulfillment network, which it aims to leverage for artificial intelligence (AI)-driven optimization.
Under the agreement, the companies will use Kurly’s logistics infrastructure to validate humanoid robots in real-world environments, develop intelligent logistics solutions and explore new business opportunities.
“Kurly’s logistics expertise, combined with LG CNS’ technological capabilities, is expected to generate meaningful synergies in logistics automation,” said Park Sang-kyun, head of LG CNS’ Telecommunications, Distribution, Service Division. “Through this partnership, we aim to develop practical, field-driven innovations.”
A key focus of the partnership is the humanoid robot proof-of-concept project at Kurly’s logistics centers. The companies plan to identify logistics tasks where robots can ease physical strain on workers and improve safety.
They will also evaluate LG CNS’s robot learning and operations platform, PhysicalWorks, in real-world operations to assess its effectiveness in live environments. Performance metrics will include task accuracy, execution speed and efficiency gains compared to existing workflows.
In parallel, LG CNS will integrate Kurly’s automation equipment with its logistics operating systems to optimize the full process from inbound handling and storage to picking and outbound shipping.
Source: Korea Times News
