The annual award program recognizes the most innovative and effective solutions in the intralogistics and material handling industry.
Exotec, a global warehouse robotics provider, was awarded the prestigious 2025 IFOY Award for its Next Generation of Skypod System in the “Robot Warehouse System” category. The official award ceremony took place on July 3 at the historic Phoenixhalle in Dortmund.
The IFOY Award, short for “International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year”, is an important international honor in the logistics industry. The committee completes a rigorous, multi-phase judging process evaluated by an independent jury of international experts, scientists, and trade journalists. The winners highlight groundbreaking innovations that demonstrate exceptional efficiency and customer benefits.
Exotec’s Next Generation of Skypod System impressed the jury with its advanced robotics, modular architecture, and efficient handling of totes and bins from storage to picking. The Next-Gen system offers increased storage density, precise order sequencing, and the ability to handle both each and case picking. This sets a new standard for addressing the challenges of modern warehouse logistics, especially in complex operations requiring scalability and flexibility.
Design improvements for the Next-Gen system include a more compact and agile robot, new workstations enabling robot-to-robot picking, and the Exchanger system for inbound and outbound goods. With its optimized design and expanded Deepsky software functions, the system enables 30 percent higher storage density and 50 percent more throughput per station. The IFOY Innovation Check rated this new generation as a consistent advancement with high dynamics, flexibility, and process reliability, making it a forward-looking solution for modern logistics businesses.
Receiving the IFOY Award serves as an international milestone and an affirmation of Exotec’s innovative strength, reinforcing the company’s commitment to developing sustainable, future-oriented solutions for the logistics industry and driving the transformation of intralogistics forward.
“Winning the IFOY Award is a tremendous honor for Exotec,” said Renaud Heitz, CTO and Co-founder of Exotec. “IFOY is considered one of the most prestigious awards in intralogistics and automation. Being selected as a winner is a testament to the dedication and innovation of our entire team. This award highlights the high standards we hold ourselves to and the impact our solutions have on the industry.”
“The IFOY Award not only confirms Exotec’s technical excellence but also affirms our mission to develop sustainable and future-proof solutions for the logistics sector,” added Markus Schlotter, Managing Director of Exotec Central Europe. “As a holistic solutions integrator, we don’t just develop individual technologies—we offer complete intralogistics solutions from a single source. This award motivates us to continue driving innovation, increasing efficiency, and conserving resources—for a sustainable transformation of intralogistics.”
“Winning the IFOY Award highlights the international recognition of our innovation capabilities,” says Aurélie Clerquin, Vice President of Finance at Exotec. “From the company’s inception, we have made substantial investments in research and development to establish and expand our position as a technological leader. This award motivates us to continue bringing forward-looking solutions to the intralogistics market, developed through constant collaboration with intralogistics experts from around the world.”
About Exotec
Exotec is a global warehouse robotics company powering the world’s largest brands. The company combines the best of hardware and software to offer elegant warehouse robotic systems that drive operational efficiency, add resiliency, and improve working conditions for warehouse operators. 50+ industry-leading brands including Gap Inc., Carrefour, Decathlon, and UNIQLO trust Exotec to improve their operations across 150+ sites worldwide.