Minato-ku, Tokyo and Mountain View, California, 10 June 2024 – ITOCHU Corporation, one of Japan’s largest general trading and investment companies, and Gatik, the market leader in autonomous middle mile logistics, today announced a strategic partnership and investment from ITOCHU in Gatik to accelerate the deployment and scaling of Gatik’s autonomous delivery network across North America. This collaboration aims to further transform the B2B middle-mile logistics sector by leveraging Gatik’s proven autonomous vehicle technology and ITOCHU’s Corporation’s extensive automotive resources and expertise.
This collaboration is the latest in a series of strategic partnerships that Gatik is leveraging to revolutionize the North American logistics landscape through the deployment of Freight-Only at scale. By working directly with industry leaders, Gatik is directly addressing the logistics sector’s mounting pressures, including surging e-commerce demands, critical driver shortages, and rising operational costs. Together, these partnerships are reshaping the industry to meet the increasing expectations of end-consumers while alleviating the strain on traditional logistics infrastructure. Gatik’s partnership with ITOCHU underscores the industry’s growing confidence in Gatik’s technological leadership and its commitment to addressing the increasing demands of the logistics sector.
“We’re thrilled to strengthen our relationship with ITOCHU, further solidifying Gatik’s position as the leading provider of autonomous transportation as a service for the middle mile,” said Philip Reinckens, Gatik’s Senior Vice President of Commercialization and Operations. “This partnership is another example of the growing momentum and investment behind our technology and operations and a testament to the increasing demand for safe, reliable autonomous logistics. Together with our growing list of partners, we’re looking forward to continuing to transform the sector for the benefit of our Fortune 500 customers and their end consumers.”
“Gatik’s cutting-edge autonomous technology aligns perfectly with our goal to expand our downstream presence in the US automotive market and revolutionize logistics services,” said Atsushi Kuromi, General Manager, Itochu Corporation. “With their demonstrated safety record and methodical approach to scaling, we see immense potential in Gatik’s ability to further optimize middle mile delivery, address driver shortages, and ultimately create a more sustainable and efficient supply chain for the benefit of consumers. This strategic partnership not only strengthens our existing operations but also opens doors for innovative solutions across our global network.”
About Gatik
Gatik, the leader in autonomous middle mile logistics, is revolutionizing B2B logistics with autonomous transportation-as-a-service (ATaaS) and prioritizing safe, consistent deliveries and streamlining freight movement by reducing congestion. The company focuses on short-haul, B2B logistics for Fortune 500 retailers and in 2021 launched the world’s first fully driverless commercial transportation service with Walmart. Gatik’s Class 3-7 autonomous box trucks are commercially deployed in multiple markets including Texas, Arkansas, and Ontario. Gatik is partnered with industry leaders including Ryder, Goodyear and Isuzu. Founded in 2017 by veterans of the autonomous technology industry, the company has offices in Mountain View, Dallas Fort Worth and Toronto.
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