Kempower started using robot buses at its Lahti plants

Sustainable factory logistics: Robotic Remoted e-buses transported goods between two Kempower factories in Lahti.

Automated goods transport

Kempower wanted to increase the efficiency of and automate its goods transport between two plants in Lahti. The starting point was to test and verify how autonomous vehicles are suited to transporting modular power units between the production unit and production facilities.  Previously, the power units were transported by trucks. At the same time, the aim was to pilot the smart charging of the autonomous vehicle at Kempower’s plants. 

The 800-metre route was driven between two stops so that a vehicle was always waiting for a new task at the power unit production plant. Once the vehicle was loaded, it was sent off towards the production line. The point of departure had a well-defined space where the vehicle awaited an assignment and where it could be serviced and charged.

Significant benefits from deployment

The deployment of robot buses provided Kempower with several benefits. Robot buses helped increase production efficiency, reduce expensive intermediate storage, reduce emissions and optimize production and logistics processes. 

Kempower's strategic solution was a step towards a more efficient automated production method that strengthens local manufacturing capacity in Finland. At the same time, it highlighted Finnish expertise in the field of electric transportation technology.