IFOY Audit
Finalists undergo the three-stage IFOY Audit as part of the IFOY Audit, which takes place during the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS. This consists of the scientific IFOY Innovation Check, the IFOY Test and the jury test.
ecoro P2X
ecoro
ecoro is a pioneering transport system for palletized goods that uses automated shuttles on dedicated lanes and integrates seamlessly into existing intralogistics infrastructure. By reducing intralogistics costs by up to 80 %, it combines maximum process reliability, flexibility, and low investment costs, bridging the gap between driverless transport systems and electric floor conveyors.
Product name and company
ecoro P2X – ecoro
Description
The ecoro Shuttle is an innovative, automated transport vehicle designed for the efficient movement of palletized goods on factory premises and in industrial areas. It can transport up to four pallets with a total weight of up to 2.4 tons electrically, operating on a dedicated, fenced lane that protects it from external influences and allows for significantly higher speeds.
By forgoing complex sensor systems, the vehicle remains cost-effective and competitive. Power is supplied inductively during travel, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous transport flows. Loading and unloading of the ecoro Shuttle is done automatically via specialized loading terminals. With direct integration into intralogistics systems and automated truck loading systems, the shuttle can seamlessly integrate into existing logistics chains. It is compatible with customers’ WMS and ERP systems, enabling efficient, end-to-end process control.
The vehicle is managed by the central ecoro Control Center, which ensures smooth and optimized transport operations. The ecoro Shuttle focuses on automating continuous transport flows for industrial companies and is particularly suited for linking warehouses and factories over short distances. This provides a reliable and efficient solution for existing in-plant connections.
Innovations
The ecoro Shuttle combines the advantages of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and electric floor conveyors (EFCs), offering a flexible, efficient solution for intralogistics. Unlike AGVs, it operates on a separate, protected lane that enables higher speeds and increased throughput, while minimizing disruptions and reducing operating costs. Compared to EFCs, the shuttle provides significantly greater flexibility and is easier to scale, allowing versatile applications and lower investment costs. This combination makes the ecoro Shuttle a “Best of Both” solution, merging the efficiency of EFCs with the flexibility of AGVs.
A key advantage is complete transparency of the transport process: the location of each pallet is traceable at all times, enabling precise flow control and minimized downtime. The entire process – from loading and unloading to transit – is fully automated, allowing seamless integration into existing intralogistics frameworks.
The usage of cost-effective automotive components reduces unit costs and offers an attractive price-performance ratio. Unlike traditional AGVs, the system requires fewer sensors and computing power, yet remains fully automated and does not rely on expensive, heavy batteries. Power is supplied inductively during travel, minimizing downtime and maximizing efficiency.
With low investment and operating costs and a high degree of automation, the ecoro Shuttle is an ideal, cost-effective solution for constant transport flows in intralogistics.
Market relevance
The ecoro System is highly relevant to the market as an innovative solution that combines the advantages of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and electric floor conveyors (EFCs). It offers the flexibility and scalability of AGVs along with the efficiency benefits of an EFC system that operates on dedicated lanes. This combination fills a gap in the market, providing a cost-effective, automated transport solution capable of meeting high throughput demands while maintaining flexibility.
The ecoro System is particularly attractive for applications in confined areas with high transport volumes, such as industrial sites and business clusters, where Milkrun strategies are frequently employed for efficient material supply and removal.
The European market for AGVs is estimated at approximately USD 1.52 billion in 2024, with projected growth to USD 2.61 billion by 2029. The global market for Electric Monorail Systems (EMS) was estimated at USD 411.6 million in 2023, with Europe accounting for about 25 % of the global market. This equates to around USD 103 million for EMS in Europe, with potential growth to approximately USD 130 million by 2030.
In summary, this brings the European market size for automated transport systems to around USD 1.62 billion in 2023, with growth to nearly USD 2.74 billion in the coming years. The ecoro System provides an attractive solution for companies needing both the efficiency and speed of EMS and the flexibility of AGVs, making it a tailored innovation for various industries with continuous material flow and high transport requirements.
Customer benefits
The ecoro System offers a variety of benefits that enhance efficiency and safety while reducing costs:
- Significant cost reduction: With the ecoro AGV system, internal operating expenses can be reduced by up to 80 %, leading to a substantial relief in your operating costs.
- Robust and safe system: The protected, dedicated lane ensures high operational safety and safeguards employees through spatial separation between work areas and vehicle traffic.
- Lower investment costs: Compared to rail-based transport systems, ecoro offers lower investment costs since no rails need to be installed. This also increases flexibility in planning and expanding your logistics setup.
- High flexibility and scalability: The system can be adjusted as needed, with vehicles added or removed based on workload – ideal for growing or seasonally fluctuating demands.
- 24/7 operation: With the ability to operate around the clock, ecoro ensures continuous supply and maximum productivity.
IFOY Innovation Check
Functionality / Type of implementation
The P2X system from the start-up Ecoro is an automated solution for pallet-based material supply within factory premises – essentially for traditional in-plant transportation. The goal of its development was to create a solution that is as simple, cost-effective, and fast as possible, enabling high throughput over long distances while lowering the entry barrier for automating in-plant logistics.
The system operates in designated, enclosed areas and features an additional lane for overtaking or bypassing stationary vehicles in case of a malfunction. The vehicles are equipped with minimal sensors and computing power and are centrally managed by a fleet management system for highly efficient operation. This makes the solution highly scalable while keeping entry costs low – an important advantage, as automation projects for outdoor in-plant transport have so far only been implemented sporadically.
The vehicle prototype stands out with a high-quality, attractive design. Its automotive-inspired construction gives it a modern appearance and signals that it is designed for higher speeds.
Novelty / Innovation
The P2X system is unique in the market. Its innovation lies not only in the overall concept but also in the design and features of the shuttles, particularly in the deliberate avoidance of extensive sensor technology and computing power. Instead, it relies on components widely used in the automotive industry, making the solution especially cost-efficient.
With the right infrastructure, the initial investment required for system deployment can be kept very low.
A key highlight is the vehicle’s high speed, ranging from 30 to 60 kilometers per hour, allowing for exceptionally high throughput. However, such speeds are only achievable in enclosed lanes. The system’s intelligence lies in its fleet management, which ensures seamless coordination, prioritization, and visualization of all transport operations.
Customer benefit
In brownfield projects, long transport routes within factory premises are often unavoidable. Ecoro provides a cost-effective, fast, and flexible automation solution without requiring extensive additional infrastructure, provided that a designated driving area is available.
This enables a highly economical automation approach with significant throughput. The solution is also highly scalable and offers flexibility in fleet management as well as in the loading system design, ranging from manual to fully automated handling.
Market relevance
In many factories, daily internal transport for material supply is in use, but layout adjustments are often not possible. At the same time, the increasing cost pressure and the lack of labor require a higher level of automation. Therefore, an economical and low-risk solution is essential to remain competitive or take the first step toward automation.
Existing AMR and AGV systems are often unsuitable for safe outdoor operation. Their complex sensors are designed for operation in non-enclosed environments but are sensitive to poor environmental conditions and allow only very limited speeds. Ecoro´s solution overcomes these limitations and provides an efficient alternative.
IFOY verdict
The P2X system is a cost-optimized, high-speed transport solution designed to replace existing in-plant pallet transport with a fully automated system. By combining enclosed driving areas, a specially developed control architecture, and optimized vehicles, it provides the necessary robustness and speed required for demanding outdoor operations.
| Functionality / type of implementation | + |
| Novelty / Innovation | ++ |
| Customer benefits | + |
| Market relevance | + |
| ++ very good / + good / Ø balanced / – less / — not available | |
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Statutes
In den Statuten sind die Grundwerte und die Standards des IFOY AWARD festgelegt, nach denen die Organisation handelt. Dazu gehören unter anderem Gremien, Wahlomodus, Bewertungskriterien sowie der Code of Conduct.
Committees
The International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year has three bodies: Jury, sponsors, and advisory board.