Major Milestones
ITRI’s Transformation of Taiwan’s Logistics Industry: From Cold Chain to AI Logistics
During the 1960s, the global economy experienced rapid growth, which led to a significant increase in commodity distribution and the rise of the logistics industry in Taiwan. By the 1990s, as information and communication technology began to commercialized, Taiwan’s logistics industry received a boost from ITRI. ITRI built an electronic label-aided picking system, which was embraced by several companies including Sanshang Department Store, Rock Records, Kingstone, and Laurel Corporation. This innovation ushered a new era of electronic commerce in Taiwan.
As Taiwan’s logistics industry continued to prosper, ITRI actively developed cold chain technologies and assisted companies in building installations such as the automated cryogenic logistics warehouse, cold-storage logistic system for multi-temperature and non-refrigerated power deliveries, multi-temperature joint-distribution and operation system, and the multi-temperature keep-fresh system. In 2018, ITRI created Taiwan’s first fourth-party logistic startup, named Fresh & Fast Cold Chain Technology, which offered a wide range of customized cold chain solutions.
In 2019, ITRI brought AI technology to logistics and built Asia’s inaugural high-density smart warehouse with Yahoo!Kimo, HCT Logistics, and iAmech. This smart warehouse represented a major leap forward for the logistics sector, which had traditionally relied on manual order picking. In 2021, ITRI teamed up with HCT Logistics to launch Taiwan’s first warehouse-to-warehouse self-driving logistic service that navigate public roads alongside with automobiles and scooters. This innovative service brought smart logistics into Taiwan’s logistics industry.
ITRI built Taiwan’s first heat-preserving, high-efficiency vacuum refrigerator.
ITRI built an electronic label-aided picking system, an order picking technology later adopted by Retail Support International, Sanshang Department Store, Rock Records, Kingstone, Laurel Corporation, and Mizhi Mail Order Company.
ITRI built the cold storage logistic system for multi-temperature and non-refrigerated power deliveries and automated low-temperature storage system.
ITRI assisted Kerry TJ Logistics in establishing the Linkou International Automated Low-Temperature Logistic Center, which was Taiwan’s first low-temperature automated logistic warehouse. The warehouse boasted 2,000 storage places and has the capacity to handle up to 300,000 operations.
ITRI founded an alliance for multi-temperature fresh-keeping service industry that helped establish systems including the all-temperature co-distribution system for chain stores, an all-temperature automated logistic center for productions and sales, and an all-temperature e-commerce home delivery system.
ITRI created Fresh & Fast Cold Chain Technology Incorporated.
ITRI developed with Yahoo! Kimo Asia’s first-ever AI-Based High-Density Shuttle Rack Service System, and maximized storage space efficiency by integrating HCT Logistics and iAmech. The system later won the 2021 Edison Gold Award.
ITRI combined the vehicle fleet, cold storage, temperature monitoring, and AI routing technologies to create a cold chain carrying capacity-sharing platform. The platform is now used by companies such as RD&D Cold Logistics Co., Ltd., Green Shower, and Hi-Life.
ITRI collaborated with HCT Logistics to launch Taiwan’s first warehouse-to-warehouse self-driving logistic service that navigate city roads alongside with automobiles and scooters in Hsinchu City.
ITRI transferred a smart cold chain automation technology to Roundday Dalin Cold Chain Co., Inc., prompting it to construct the Smart Fresh Food Logistic Park.
