Simon brings over 30 years of organizational leadership, demonstrated success in international business and market strategy development. His extensive experience in commercial contract negotiation and execution have played a vital role in the company’s success. Kenworthy is a recognized global expert in robotics, automation, and material cutting processes.

In his new role, Simon will oversee the company’s financial and operational performance, oversee the daily operations, and spearhead its strategic growth. Kenworthy will report to ĚÇĐÄÓ°ĘÓ President and CEO, Nino LaDuca and will continue to serve on the company’s executive leadership team.

“As we move forward, our commitment to innovation and excellence remain strong,” said Kenworthy. “Together, we will continue to set new standards in our industry and pave the way for future growth.”

“Simon and I have worked closely over the past several months to ensure a seamless and successful transition of global leadership for Shape Process Automation,” said Nino LaDuca, CEO of ĚÇĐÄÓ°ĘÓ. “Simon has played a crucial role in our leadership team and commercial operations as we have transitioned multiple companies under the SPA Group. Since 2018, we have acquired and merged several robotic and automation businesses, consolidated facilities worldwide, and continued to strengthen the SPA brand across several new industries. As we continue to expand our reach and develop innovative solutions, it is only fitting that Simon lead the SPA Group into its next chapter of growth.”

Kenworthy holds an Electrical Engineering Degree from Huddersfield University in West Yorkshire, England.

About ĚÇĐÄÓ°ĘÓ
ĚÇĐÄÓ°ĘÓ, Inc. (“SHAPE”) is the world’s leading developer and provider of ultrahigh-pressure process solutions for advanced manufacturing and materials processing applications. SHAPE companies deliver innovative manufacturing process solutions to customers spanning 100 countries and a broad array of industries. For more information, visit shapetechnologies.com.

Media Contact:
Jennifer Rogers-Harris
Marketing Manager
jrogers@shapetechnologies.com

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AUBURN HILLS, Michigan and ATLANTA—May 24, 2022— Robotic system integrator and process cutting solutions provider and robotics technology company today announced a collaboration to enhance SPA’s robotic automation solutions with Mujin’s intelligent robotics platform. At Automate 2022 Show and Conference June 6-9 in Detroit, SPA and Mujin will showcase a Mujin-powered mixed-case depalletizing and palletizing solution.

The SPA/Mujin collaboration is designed to more quickly bring difficult-to-automate tasks such as mixed-case depalletizing and palletizing to a greater number of warehouses and manufacturing facilities throughout North America. SPA is an integrator for the top robotic manufacturers, including Fanuc, one of several robot arms compatible with Mujin’s flagship product, the MujinController. To facilitate these applications, the MujinController uses machine intelligence, a type of AI that automatically manages potential downtime scenarios through perception, autonomous decision making, and real-time motion planning without the need for human intervention.

“The joining of Shape Process Automation’s and Mujin’s advanced technology and system integration capabilities will allow us to enhance our customers manufacturing operations, as well as discover new opportunities within Industrial Automation,” said Nino LaDuca, President, Shape Process Automation Group. “This partnership came at a perfect time since we are celebrating 50 years of providing intelligent automation solutions worldwide.”

Ross Diankov, co-founder of Mujin, expects immediate benefits for joint customers struggling to automate the labor- intensive depalletizing and palletizing applications, among others. “SPA’s experience and reputation in deploying robotics automation solutions make them an ideal fit as Mujin seeks to empower the North American logistics market with Mujin’s revolutionary machine intelligence,” Diankov said. “Together, we can accelerate a new wave of robotics technology in the U.S. and help to advance the vision of a completely autonomous warehouse.”

In addition to the Mujin-powered depalletizing and palletizing application, Shape Process Automation will also feature its innovative robotic laser cutting solution showcasing how its Newton technology can increase part throughput and dimensional quality compared to traditional CNC cutting processes, specifically when dealing with EV lightweight materials. This demo will specifically focus on how battery trays can be manufactured and assembled.

Visit Shape and Mujin in booth 805 in Automate’s Integrated Solutions Center, dedicated to automation, robotics and machine integrators.

Mujn’s Brandon Coats to Discuss Intelligent Robotics for the Modern Warehouse
At Automate, Mujin director of system integration, Brandon Coats, will discuss how logistics facilities can leverage intelligent robotics—through the new approach to robotics called Machine Intelligence —to optimize deploy more robotic systems into production and into new, more advanced applications. Coats’ conference presentation is at 3:30
p.m. on June 7.

About Shape Process Automation
Shape Process Automation provides industrial automation solutions that address efficiency, productivity, and safety challenges within manufacturing operations. As a globally recognized integrator of robotic systems, Shape Process Automation offers solutions for material handling and assembly applications as well as advanced materials cutting with robotic laser, router, knife and waterjet processes. Shape Process Automation is a ĚÇĐÄÓ°ĘÓ Company. For more information, visit

About Mujin
Mujin, a robotics technology company, develops “machine intelligent” robot controllers that are designed as a common platform for industrial and collaborative robots specializing in logistics and other pick-and-place applications. Launched in Tokyo in 2011 with offices in China and operating in the United States at Mujin
Corp., Mujin works with many of the world’s largest companies to make material handling applications easier to deploy, more accurate and less costly. The company’s flagship product, the MujinController, uses machine intelligence technology to give robotic systems real-time decision-making ability that enables truly autonomous, reliable and production-capable robot applications. For more information, visit

Press photos and video:
Watch a video on the MujinController solution
SPA

Company contact details:
Josh Cloer Mujin Corp.
josh-cloer@mujin-corp.com
(678) 343-8819

Lauren Ciampichini
Shape Process Automation
lauren.ciampichini@shapetechnologies.com
(248) 971-9358

US press contact:
Kelly Wanlass
HCI Marketing and Communications, Inc.
kelly@hci-marketing.com
(801) 602-4723

The post Shape Process Automation Partners with Mujin To Deliver Advanced, Intelligent Solutions for North American Warehouses appeared first on Shape Technologies.

WKW Automotive, a major Tier 1 supplier, has awarded Shape Process Automation, a program valued at approximately $15MUSD to provide two inline laser systems complete with material handling capabilities.

This program has the potential to be the highest throughput aluminum robotic laser cutting line in the world.

Shape Process Automation’s solution reduces cost and floor space by nearly 50% by utilizing the NEWTON® technology compared to traditional robots that articulate a cutting head. Laser cutting assembly lines with NEWTON enable customers to reduce their long-term program cost by eliminating direct labor, reducing engineering floor labor, increasing quality, and sustaining long term OEE gains. “WKW is excited to work with world-class technology in delivering industry-leading aluminum fabrications,” said Prakash Patel, Director, Program Management at WKW Automotive.

This project will push Shape Process Automation’s install base of robotic laser cutting robots to surpass 50 units in 3 years. An achievement that would not be possible without repeat customers, SPA’s professional team, and proven suppliers like FANUC Robotics and TRUMPF laser sources.

“This automated production line incorporates the latest in robotic laser cutting, delivering big gains for cutting 3-D automotive components via the Newton cutting head technology. Combined with our other fully integrated manufacturing processes and numerous operational enhancing upgrades, this technology essentially represents the culmination of our 35 years of experience in the industry”, said Nino LaDuca, President of Shape Process Automation. “SPA has supported automotive programs dating back to the 1980s, first on the trimming of automotive interior parts and through to the very latest lightweight structural automotive parts. Being awarded this project demonstrates that Shape Process Automation continues to lead the industry in both design and technology.”

Automotive light-weighting is the concept of using advanced materials such as ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS), aluminum, and other lighter composite materials to reduce the weight of a vehicle to meet increasingly stricter government regulations. Lowering a vehicle’s bodyweight reduced emissions and improves fuel efficiency without compromising safety or performance.

These lightweight materials vary in their methods of assembly and processing (compared to traditional steel). As such, automotive OEM’s & Tiers depend on those in the industry who understand these unique properties and have a proven history of expertise in processing them efficiently and effectively while maintaining the materials’ integrity.

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About Shape Process Automation
Shape Process Automation is the leader in advanced materials processing. Our expertise in waterjet, router, and laser cutting solutions spans decades. Through our unique state-of-the-art Customer Solution Center, we can provide proof of concept for processing a variety of composite materials. Our customers have come to rely on us to provide the technology and know-how to help them realize their light weighting objectives.

Shape Process Automation is a leading supplier of custom factory automation and advanced materials processing solutions. Since the mid-1980s, we’ve designed and installed over 6,000 systems in more than 70 countries, providing world-class solutions and service to the world’s largest companies across multiple industries, locally and around the globe. For more information, visit www.shapeprocessautomation.com.

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