# MODEX Recap; Family-owned business turns to cobots for help

- Show: [The Robot Report Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast)
- Published: 2022-04-08
- Length: 1h 13m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help
- Listen: https://soundcloud.com/robot-report-podcast/modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help

## Summary

Steve Crow and Mike Oisman recap the MODEX tradeshow, highlighting Boston Dynamics' Stretch truck-unloading robot, Big Joe's cobot pallet jack, and the merger of Locust and Waypoint Robotics. They interview Brian Tu, Chief Revenue Officer of DCL Logistics, a family-owned fulfillment company that deployed Universal Robots cobots to address labor shortages and rising costs. Tu explains how the modular cobots improved productivity by over 200% and eliminated miss-picks, offering a flexible alternative to expensive, inflexible enterprise automation systems.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=0) Introduction and MODEX Overview
- [4:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=259) Boston Dynamics Stretch and Product Design
- [11:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=689) Big Joe Cobot Pallet Jack and FlexCube Navigator
- [25:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=1509) Locust and Waypoint Merger and Phantom Auto
- [29:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=1778) Industry News: Amazon Unionization and LIDAR Debate
- [39:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=2346) Sarkos Acquires RE2 Robotics and NASA Ingenuity
- [43:04](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=2584) DCL Logistics Interview: Challenges and Automation Strategy
- [1:09:39](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2022-04-08-modex-recap-family-owned-business-turns-to-cobots-for-help#t=4179) Conclusion and Robotics Summit Promo

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Boston Dynamics (company)
- Stretch (product)
- Big Joe (company)
- Vecna Robotics (company)
- ROEQ (company)
- FlexCube (company)
- Phantom Auto (company)
- Locust Robotics (company)
- Waypoint Robotics (company)
- Sarkos (company)
- RE2 Robotics (company)
- NASA (company)
- Ingenuity (product)
- DCL Logistics (company)
- Universal Robots (company)
- Zebra Systems (company)
- Six River Systems (company)
- Toyota (company)
- Woven Planet (company)
- Tesla (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [173: Leveraging Robotics in an Unstructured World with Dexterity's Michael Patrick Perry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2024-02-20-173-leveraging-robotics-in-an-unstructured-world-with-dexteritys-michael-patrick) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [Lowering the Barrier to Robot Deployment](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2022-09-27-lowering-the-barrier-to-robot-deployment) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Solving Labor Challenges the Simpler Way: A Fresh Look at Robotics w/ Ken Macken](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-03-03-solving-labor-challenges-the-simpler-way-a-fresh-look-at-robotics-w-ken-macken) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [Doubling-Down on AMRs, Cobots, and Machine-as-a-Service with Craig Francisco](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2021-03-23-doubling-down-on-amrs-cobots-and-machine-as-a-service-with-craig-francisco) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [How Humanoid Robots Are Already Transforming Production Lines w/ Colin Webb and Paul Baker](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-02-17-how-humanoid-robots-are-already-transforming-production-lines-w-colin-webb-and-p) (The Manufacturing Executive)

## Citing this page

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