In this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin chats with Veena Radhakrishna, Head of Software and Co-Founder at Cartesian Kinetics. The company is carving a unique niche of bringing automation solutions to brownfield warehouse sites.
Veena shares the founding story of Cartesian Kinetics, their flagship Carte+ system, and how the company’s design-first approach is helping warehouses overcome the typical barriers to automation. With insights on industry dynamics, adoption challenges, and practical deployment strategies, Veena explains why brownfield operations are a massive yet underserved market for automation.
Why Brownfield Warehouses Need Smarter Automation
The logistics industry has undergone rapid changes over the past few years, with a noticeable shift toward increased efficiency and flexibility. As Veena explains, “the warehousing industry has been super dynamic and the rate of change over the past three to four years has surpassed the rate of change over the past two decades.” Yet, out of roughly 28,000 U.S. fulfillment centers, only about 6,000 have implemented any form of automation.
That gap reflects both the potential and the challenges facing brownfield warehouses. Many operators hesitate to automate brownfield warehouses due to infrastructure limitations, permit requirements, or concerns about major operational disruptions. Veena points out that “there is inherently an urge to automate… but it’s actually like crossing the chasm between interest to actual investment where we are seeing the majority of the drop-offs.”
A Design-First Approach to Warehouse Robotics
Cartesian Kinetics has developed Carte+, an omni-rack robotic platform designed to retrofit easily into existing warehouses. Unlike traditional automation systems, their solution doesn’t require tearing down infrastructure or halting operations. “Our robots actually go in and fit into bot parts that are fit in between existing racking systems,” Veena explains.
The system is flexible enough to work with different rack makes, can function in environments as low as seven feet, and eliminates the need for costly floor preparation. This infrastructure-light model eliminates lengthy permitting processes and reduces downtime—critical benefits for operators wary of disruption. Veena notes, “We can actually go in, even in like a seven feet plus kind of environment and deploy an automation system… without much changes to infrastructure.”
Fast Deployment and Seamless Integration
For warehouse operators, speed and minimal disruption are everything. Cartesian Kinetics has engineered its system for sub-six-week installs, supported by a digital twin that allows testing and ROI validation before physical deployment. “We do a sub-six-week install… and a lot of the planning and the integration and testing happens prior to the actual install,” Veena explains.
Equally important, the system supports incremental rollout by automating brownfield warehouse aisles one at a time, allowing operations to continue uninterrupted. Multi-tenant functionality also makes the platform attractive to 3PLs, enabling them to aggregate client volumes without compromising SKU traceability. “Our system will inherently separate out the SKUs, track them, ensure there’s no mix-up, while maintaining traceability,” Veena adds.
Key Takeaways on Automating Brownfield Warehouses
- Only ~6,000 of 28,000 U.S. fulfillment centers have adopted automation, leaving a massive underserved market.
- Historically, automating brownfield warehouses faced barriers such as infrastructure limitations, permitting issues, and operational downtime, which hindered the adoption of automation.
- Cartesian Kinetics’ Carte+ platform seamlessly integrates into existing racking systems with minimal modifications.
- Installations can be completed in under six weeks, aided by digital twin technology for pre-validation of ROI.
- The platform supports aisle-by-aisle rollout and is designed for multi-tenant environments, making it ideal for 3PLs.
