Swisslog

Swisslog develops automation and robotics systems that power some of the world’s largest warehouses, distribution centers, and hospitals. Its solutions—including AutoStore, CarryPick, and CycloneCarrier—integrate mobile robots, conveyors, and AI-driven software for order fulfillment, storage, and material handling. Each system is engineered as a complete automation ecosystem: hardware, software, configuration, and data services designed to work seamlessly together. Swisslog’s proprietary SynQ software platform serves as the digital layer across these systems, managing warehouse operations, synchronizing data between machines, and optimizing throughput in real time.

The company’s business model is hybrid, combining hardware sales with leasing and usage-based financial options that resemble a Hardware-as-a-Service (HaaS) structure. Customers can finance full automation systems—including hardware, software, and installation—through leasing arrangements with volumetric adjustments, where payments fluctuate with order volume across the year. Swisslog also offers pay-per-pick agreements, tying costs directly to the number of picks performed by the system. These models let customers align expenses with throughput and seasonality while preserving capital for other investments. By shifting automation from a fixed asset to a flexible service, Swisslog lowers the barrier to advanced robotics and scales its business around customer success and utilization.

“Some organizations have been in a holding pattern when it comes to automation,” explains Bob Hoffman, Senior Director of Solution Management—Americas at Swisslog. “They know they need it but are unwilling or unable to make the capital investments required to purchase new systems. Thanks to the financial solutions that are now available, it isn’t necessary to make large capital investments to automate warehouse processes.”