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Schnuck Markets to deploy floor-scrubbing robots

BrainOS-powered Tennant robotic scrubbers to roll out to over half of chain’s stores

Russell Redman

October 14, 2020

2 Min Read
Tennant BrainOS robotic scrubber-supermarket.png
Schnucks is using BrainOS-enabled Tennant model T380AMR robotic scrubbers to provide improved cleaning efficiency and flexibility.Tennant Corp.

Schnuck Markets plans another robot rollout, this time to aid in store maintenance.

San Diego-based Brain Corp., said Wednesday that its artificial intelligence (AI) technology will power Tennant Corp. floor-scrubbing robots to be deployed at more than half of Schnucks stores by the end of the year. The St. Louis-based grocer operates 112 supermarkets in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

The autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), Tennant model T380AMR robotic scrubbers, incorporate new software features for BrainOS-enabled robotic scrubbers that deliver improved cleaning efficiency and flexibility for commercial locations, according to Brain Corp. The BrainOS AI platform is used to build, operate, and manage multiple robotic applications.

“These new robotic scrubbers will enhance cleaning performance, while giving valuable time back to teammates so they can spend more time doing what is most important: serving our customers,” Kim Anderson, senior director of store operations support at Schnucks, said in a statement. “Robotics and technology are important tools for helping us improve in-store experiences and achieve our customer-first values.”

The Schnucks BrainOS-powered robotic scrubbers include route-cleaning upgrades that provide multiple consecutive routes, enabling up to six different routes to be scheduled and executed. A route-repeat function also allows for a continuous loop of one or more routes to clean problem areas. 

Related:Schnuck Markets rolls out shelf-scanning robots to over half of store base

Users of BrainOS robots, too, can now look at activity reports and autonomous usage metrics for one robot in one store or many robots across locations, thanks to a new centralized data warehouse and a high-performance reporting infrastructure, Brain Corp. said. In addition, unified reporting across applications enables executives to get performance metrics of multiple BrainOS-powered robotic applications via a single interface. 

“Our goal is to make BrainOS-powered robots dead simple to use for any global audience and to help end-customers better collect and leverage robotic data so they deliver better customer experiences,” according to Jon Thomason, CTO of Brain Corp. “This new release extends the value of our platform and sets the bar for what users should expect from their investment in autonomous robots.”

In late September, Schnucks announced plans to roll out Simbe Robotics’ Tally shelf-scanning robot to another 46 supermarkets, covering more than half of its store base with the autonomous inventory management technology. Sixty-two stores in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana will have Tally robots once the deployment is completed. 

Related:Schnucks to expand use of shelf-scanning robots

The Tally robots travel the entire floor at Schnucks stores two to three times daily and scan about 35,000 products each time, helping the retailer keep products organized and stocked on shelves. Schnucks first tested Tally at several stores in July 2017 and expanded the robot pilot to 15 stores in the fall of 2018. 

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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