Colruyt Sells 70% of Its Autonomous Pallet Trucks R&D to Kion, Impact of €20M
Colruyt Group and KION have entered into a strategic partnership focused on the development of autonomous pallet trucks. The Belgian retailer has sold 70% of its autonomous vehicle research and development activities to the German logistics giant, while retaining a 30% minority stake.
A Transaction Valued at 20 Million Euros
Colruyt Group has transferred a significant portion of its R&D activities related to autonomous pallet trucks to KION. This transaction is expected to generate a positive impact of approximately €20M in Colruyt Group's consolidated earnings for the fiscal year 2026/27. The Belgian group retains a 30% stake, and its subsidiary Smart Innovation will now be accounted for as an associate company using the equity method.
Technology Tested Since 2023 in Two Logistics Centers
In 2023, after years of intensive research, Colruyt Group and KION's brand 'STILL' launched the first internally developed autonomous pallet truck. These self-driving vehicles (SDV) have been operational for two years in two Colruyt Group distribution centers, moving alongside logistics teams with precise pallet localization thanks to the integration of artificial intelligence and computer vision. The innovation team at Colruyt Group Smart Innovation, integrated within Colruyt Group Technics, developed the software intelligence while STILL handled the hardware integration. This partnership will be led by the Colruyt Group Smart Innovation team, which will continue to lead current and future developments. The industrial deployment will initially focus on the EMEA markets.
Expertise Center in Antwerp for Global Deployment
The commercialization of this technology is supported by the KION Automation Center Antwerp, a dedicated expertise center established in Belgium by KION. The solution is fully developed in Belgium, with support from VLAIO (Flemish Agency for Innovation and Entrepreneurship). With its global presence and industrialization expertise, KION plans to deploy this innovation globally and sees significant potential for these solutions in distribution and beyond across various sectors.
