We move stuff. Simple Wins with AMRs and AGVs

We move stuff.

That's the first pillar of simple automation. Before you worry about fancy robotics or AI-powered systems, start with the most obvious labor drain in your facility: walking.

Your people spend half their shift moving materials from Point A to Point B. That's not work. That's waste.

The Walk Is Killing Your Margins

Here's what's happening right now on your floor:

A picker grabs an order. Walks 200 feet to staging. Walks back. Repeats 80 times a shift.

A line worker runs out of parts. Walks to the stockroom. Waits. Walks back. Production stops for six minutes.

A forklift driver shuttles pallets between receiving and storage all day. That's it. That's the job.

None of that is value-added work. It's just... movement. And you're paying $18–$25 an hour for it.

AMRs and AGVs Handle the Dumb Movement

Automated Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) do one thing really well: they move stuff without you needing to think about it.

AGVs follow fixed paths. Think of them like trains on invisible tracks. They're predictable, reliable, and great for repetitive routes that don't change much. If you move pallets from receiving to storage on the same path 40 times a day, an AGV handles it.

AMRs are smarter. They navigate dynamically. No fixed tracks. No markers on the floor. They see obstacles, reroute, and adapt. If your facility layout changes or you need flexibility, AMRs win.

Both technologies do the same job: they replace the walking so your people can do the actual work.

You Don't Need a System Overhaul

This is where most companies freeze up. They think automation means ripping out shelving, rewiring the building, and installing a $2 million conveyor system.

Not with AMRs and AGVs.

These robots work in your existing space. No construction. No downtime. You point them at a task, and they start moving materials. That's it.

One facility deployed AMRs to shuttle bins between pick stations and packing. Setup took a week. ROI hit in under 18 months. No massive infrastructure project. No six-month planning cycle. Just robots doing the commute.

The ROI Is in Labor Redirection

Here's the key: you're not replacing workers. You're redirecting them.

When a robot handles the A-to-B movement, your pickers stop walking and start picking. Your line workers stay at their stations. Your forklift drivers focus on the complex lifts that actually require skill and judgment.

Example:

A 200,000-square-foot warehouse runs three shifts. Each shift has four material handlers who spend 60% of their time walking between zones. That's 7.2 worker-hours per shift just... moving.

Deploy three AMRs to handle zone-to-zone transport. Those material handlers now spend 90% of their time on value work: receiving, sorting, quality checks. You didn't cut headcount. You redirected 21.6 hours of labor per day toward tasks that actually matter.

At $22/hour, that's $475 per day. Over 250 working days, that's $118,750 in redirected labor value. Per year.

And the robots don't call in sick.

Small Moves, Big Wins

You don't need to automate your entire operation on Day One.

Start with one repetitive route. Maybe it's moving totes from receiving to staging. Maybe it's shuttling empty bins back to pick zones. Maybe it's transporting finished goods to the loading dock.

Pick the move that happens 30+ times a shift. Deploy one AMR or AGV. Measure the impact.

If it works (and it will), add another robot. Then another. You're building automation incrementally: no massive upfront risk.

AGVs vs. AMRs: Which One Do You Need?

Choose AGVs if:

• Your routes are fixed and predictable

• You move standard loads on the same path repeatedly

• Your facility layout doesn't change often

• You need consistent delivery timing

Choose AMRs if:

• Your layout changes seasonally or frequently

• You need flexibility to adapt to new workflows

• You have obstacles or dynamic conditions on the floor

• You want robots that can handle imperfect pallet placement or variable conditions

Honestly? Most facilities benefit from a mix. AGVs for the high-volume, repetitive stuff. AMRs for the flexible, adaptive tasks.

This Is Part of the Four Pillars

Moving stuff is just one piece of the puzzle. At Approach Automation, we think about simple automation in four categories:

1. We move stuff – AMRs and AGVs for material transport (you're reading this one)

2. We store stuff – Vertical and horizontal storage that maximizes space

3. We clean stuff – Autonomous sweepers and trash runners that keep the floor safe

4. We track stuff – Real-time inventory systems that eliminate guesswork

These aren't massive, complex projects. They're simple wins. You pick the pillar that's bleeding the most labor, automate it, and move on to the next one.

Get Started

If you're spending $50K+ per year on material handlers who do alot of walking, you have a labor leak.

AMRs and AGVs plug it. No construction. No system overhaul. Just robots doing the boring commute so your people can do the real work.

The ROI is there. The technology is proven. The deployment is simple.

Now you just have to decide: do you want to keep paying people to walk laps around your building, or do you want to redirect that labor toward something that actually drives revenue?

Ready to stop the walking? Reach out to Approach Automation and let's find your first simple win.