Melco Mobility company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is expanding its strategic partnership with US-based robotics firm Cartken in a push to automate industrial logistics across Japan.
Melco Mobility Solutions, which distributes Mitsubishi Electric’s automotive equipment and operates mobility services, has entered a multi-million dollar agreement with Cartken to deploy nearly 100 of the latter’s AI-powered autonomous robots.
The units, known as Cartken Haulers, will be rolled out across factories, warehouses, logistics centres, and medical and life sciences facilities nationwide by the end of the current fiscal year.
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The expansion marks a new phase in the collaboration between the two companies, which began in 2022 when Mitsubishi Electric and Melco Mobility Solutions became Cartken’s official distributor and operator in Japan.
Mitsubishi Electric is also a strategic investor in Cartken, having participated in the company’s most recent funding round.
The deployment aims to address Japan’s growing labour shortages in logistics and manufacturing, and is expected to accelerate the adoption of autonomous systems in industrial environments.
The Cartken Hauler is a heavy-duty autonomous robot capable of carrying payloads of up to 300kg.
It is designed for outdoor and inter-building transport, and can navigate uneven terrain and ramps in various weather conditions.
Melco Mobility Solutions has played a key role in adapting Cartken’s technology for the Japanese market, including securing regulatory approvals. In a previous milestone, the company’s Cartken Courier robot became the first delivery robot in Japan authorised to operate autonomously on public roads at night.
The partnership has also yielded solutions such as elevator-integrated delivery systems, allowing robots to move autonomously across multiple floors.
Achievements and innovations in retail and e-commerce, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, automotive, transport & logistics, and more will be celebrated at the Robotics & Automation Awards on 29 October 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.roboticsandautomationawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s robotics and automation sectors!
