Four robotics and automation organisations have officially signed the Barcelona Declaration on Robotics and Automation 2026, an agreement that consolidates a global initiative to advance a common policy agenda with governments and position robotics as a strategic priority for economic, industrial and social development. What began as a shared vision has now become a permanent framework for international collaboration, through which the signatory organisations commit to working jointly with governments, industry and public institutions to advance policies that foster the development and adoption of robotics and automation. The Declaration has been signed by the Spanish Association of Robotics and Automation (AER Automation), A3 – Association for Advancing Automation (United States), the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) and VDMA Robotics + Automation (headquartered in Germany), four leading organisations representing the global robotics and automation industry.
This article was first published in the August 1st 2026 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
Warehouse automation is accelerating at an unprecedented pace. From autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) to conveyor networks and advanced picking solutions, modern logistics operations are becoming faster, more efficient and increasingly sophisticated. As businesses invest in automation to improve productivity, increase capacity and respond to rising customer expectations, attention is often focused on the technologies themselves. Yet the success of any automated operation depends on something far more fundamental: the structure that supports it, writes John Scott Works.
Leading sensor manufacturer SICK has enhanced production capacity and improved intralogistics efficiency at its Hungarian manufacturing facility through automation technology supplied by KNAPP. Working closely with KNAPP, the company has automated its production logistics using a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), an automated small-parts warehouse, goods-to-person picking workstations and SAP® EWM software. This fully integrated automation solution supports just-in-time deliveries to production lines, streamlines material handling processes and provides greater visibility for effective inventory management.
It’s almost impossible to hold a conversation about the future of logistics without talking about the role of artificial intelligence (AI). But before this technology can optimise inventory, improve forecasting or support better decision-making, organisations first need to solve a much more fundamental problem: ensuring they have accurate, connected, and reliable operational data. By bringing together inventory, warehousing, procurement, finance and customer data within a single platform, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have helped organisations improve efficiency, increase visibility, and streamline decision-making, says Steve O’Keeffe, UK&I RVP at Epicor.
Automation, robotics and, more recently, AI are reshaping the logistics landscape. Yet despite all the hype, most aren’t ready to access the full benefits that can be found in technologies like AI. Inteq’s research shows that 62% of retailers believe AI and machine learning will redefine logistics within the next five years, but many report they still aren’t prepared, held back by high upfront costs and complex integration challenges. The gap between belief and action is where the opportunity lies, in the opinion of Scott Merrick, Managing Director at Inteq.
AI is set to transform the logistics industry in the next half decade, but is the industry ready for this colossal change?
George Simpson
Features Editor
Comments are closed.