FANUC UK has reaffirmed its dedication to the advancement of AI-powered robotic waste picking technology by extending its exclusive UK agreement with Recycleye. The collaboration was further acknowledged internationally when Recycleye received a Global Partner Award for Innovation at the FANUC Global Partner Awards held in Japan in November 2023.
Recycleye, established in London in 2019 with just four staff members, has rapidly grown to become the European leader in AI/robotic waste picking technology, currently employing over 50 professionals. With an installed base of more than 25 systems across several European countries, Recycleye’s technology revolutionizes the waste sector by automating the detection and sorting of mixed recyclables.
The extended exclusivity agreement ensures that Recycleye remains the sole UK company supplied by FANUC UK for recycling applications. Additionally, Recycleye will continue to benefit from a strategic commercial and technical partnership with FANUC throughout its ongoing growth and development phase.
Recycleye’s success has been closely tied to FANUC since its inception, with the latter playing a pivotal role in de-risking Recycleye’s offering to the market. By combining its proprietary AI vision technology with FANUC 6-axis LR Mate robots, Recycleye’s Robotics system enhances sorting accuracy by up to 12% and improves line output by up to 10%, offering an automated alternative to traditional sorting methods and addressing labor shortages in the waste management industry.
During the FANUC Global Partner Awards, Recycleye was recognized for its commitment to innovation, transitioning from a startup to a leader in AI waste sortation within just four years. The judging panel also commended the system’s capability to be swiftly retrofitted into existing waste facilities.
Peter Hedley, Chief Technical Officer and Co-founder of Recycleye, received the Global Partner Award for Innovation from FANUC’s Dr. Kiyonori Inaba, Executive Vice President & General Manager, Robot Business Division. Peter expressed pride in the recognition and emphasized the company’s growth aspirations alongside FANUC.
Oliver Selby, Head of Sales at FANUC UK, highlighted the positive impact of Recycleye’s Robotics system on the waste industry, combining FANUC’s robots and visual line tracking technology with Recycleye’s proprietary AI-driven vision system. Selby affirmed FANUC’s strong commitment to the partnership, leading to the renewal of the exclusivity deal with Recycleye.