Imagine the warehouse of the future: Will it remain a chaotic maze of stacked goods, or transform into an orderly, intelligent system operating at peak efficiency? The winners of ProMat 2025's Innovation Awards are making the latter vision a reality through groundbreaking technologies.
During MHI's Industry Night at ProMat 2025, the annual innovation awards recognized solutions that not only represent the cutting edge of logistics technology but also signal the industry's future direction.
Existing Product Innovation Award: Concentric PowerHIVE Forklift Battery System
Concentric's PowerHIVE system earned the Existing Product Innovation Award by revolutionizing forklift battery replacement—a traditionally labor-intensive process requiring specialized equipment and personnel while posing safety risks.
- Automated swapping: Robotic arms and smart controls eliminate manual intervention
- Modular architecture: Scalable configurations adapt to diverse facility needs
- Safety assurance: Multi-layered protection with sensors and alarms
- Intelligent monitoring: Real-time battery analytics and optimization
This system marks a quantum leap in battery management, boosting operational efficiency while enhancing workplace safety.
Sustainable Innovation Award: GRI Inc.'s Eco-Conscious Solid Tires
GRI Inc. claimed the Sustainable Innovation Award with its environmentally responsible solid tires for material handling equipment, reflecting logistics' growing emphasis on ecological stewardship.
- Renewable materials: Natural and recycled rubber reduce petroleum dependence
- Clean manufacturing: Environmentally benign production processes
- Extended durability: Superior wear resistance minimizes replacements
- Energy efficiency: Low rolling resistance improves fuel economy
These tires deliver both performance and sustainability, helping logistics firms achieve environmental targets without compromising operations.
Best IT Innovation Award: FiDUS Global Pontem Warehouse Control System
FiDUS Global's Pontem WCS (Warehouse Control System) won for its advanced integration capabilities that elevate warehouse automation beyond traditional WMS (Warehouse Management System) functions.
- Unified automation: Seamless coordination of conveyors, sorters, and AGVs
- Dynamic optimization: Real-time process adjustments based on operational demands
- Comprehensive visibility: Live monitoring of equipment and material flows
- Predictive analytics: Data-driven decision support for continuous improvement
Pontem represents a paradigm shift in warehouse management, enabling unprecedented levels of operational intelligence.
Best New Innovation Award: Anyware Robotics Pixmo System
Anyware Robotics' Pixmo autonomous mobile robots earned recognition for automating two notoriously manual processes—truck unloading and pallet stacking.
- Self-navigation: Agile movement in complex warehouse environments
- Computer vision: Precise identification and handling of diverse loads
- Plug-and-play deployment: Minimal infrastructure requirements
- Collision prevention: Multiple fail-safe mechanisms
This innovation promises to transform labor-intensive operations while dramatically improving workplace safety.
Startup Showcase Winner: Freespace Robotics
Freespace Robotics impressed judges with its compact Automated Storage/Retrieval System (AS/RS) that consolidates multiple logistics functions—including buffering, staging, and sorting—within a space-efficient cube configuration.
Selection Process
The awards evaluated 234 submissions through a rigorous two-stage review by nine independent judges from material handling and supply chain sectors. Finalists presented live demonstrations during ProMat 2025 before winners were announced.
These innovations collectively demonstrate logistics' technological transformation—boosting efficiency, sustainability, and safety while redefining operational possibilities for the coming decade.