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TD SYNNEX has signed a distribution agreement with KUKA in North America and Europe, giving its partners access to KUKA's autonomous mobile robot portfolio in an initial group of markets.
The rollout starts in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the Benelux region. It will combine KUKA products with partner support including enablement, technical training and demand generation as resellers build robotics and automation practices.
The agreement adds industrial robotics to a channel business better known for mainstream IT distribution. It also reflects a broader push by distributors and vendors to connect IT suppliers with operational technology markets such as factory automation, warehousing and logistics.
The initial products covered are autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, used to move materials through industrial and commercial settings with limited human intervention. Collaborative robots, education packages and industrial software are expected to be added as the relationship develops.
The early focus is on a robotics segment gaining traction beyond large manufacturers. Warehouses, eCommerce operators, healthcare providers and automotive businesses are among the target markets identified for channel partners.
Channel expansion
Until now, demand for these systems has largely been served through specialist operational technology channels, with limited overlap with the wider IT reseller market. TD SYNNEX is betting its existing network, which already serves customers in sectors adopting robotics, can help broaden KUKA's reach.
Partner engagement begins immediately across the launch markets. Support will include executive briefings, technical workshops and digital enablement for named partner accounts as well as the wider partner community.
Training will be delivered online and through KUKA Group Colleges, including local-language sessions. Dedicated content, training paths and sales prompts will also be available through TD SYNNEX's PartnerFirst platform.
Hugo Graça, Senior Vice President, Specialised Solutions, Europe at TD SYNNEX, said: "Robotics and automation are becoming increasingly relevant across industries including manufacturing, logistics, healthcare and automotive. Through this agreement, partners can access KUKA Group's solutions backed by the training, enablement and support needed to develop new skills and create new revenue opportunities. We're excited to help partners take advantage of this opportunity and support end customers as they adopt automation."
IT and OT
The tie-up comes as suppliers across the technology sector look for ways to connect artificial intelligence systems with physical operations. In practice, that means combining robotics and mobile machines with cloud systems, edge computing, data infrastructure and software used by corporate IT departments.
For distributors, the key commercial question is whether traditional IT partners can sell into environments that have typically required specialist industrial knowledge. TD SYNNEX sees the agreement as part of its effort to deepen its technical expertise and relationships in what it describes as the physical AI market.
Marcus Auman, SVP of Robotics and Physical AI, TD SYNNEX North America, said: "As IT and OT continue to converge, TD SYNNEX is focused on building the internal capabilities, technical expertise, and strategic relationships needed to better understand and support this rapidly evolving market. Working with industry leaders like KUKA Group enables us to explore the practical applications of physical AI and industrial automation and strengthen our long-term technology strategy."
KUKA adds scale to that strategy. The German automation group generates EUR 3.9 billion in sales, employs around 14,500 people and operates in more than 50 countries. Its business spans industrial automation, intralogistics and warehouse automation, serving industries from automotive and electronics to healthcare, aerospace and education.
By using a distribution partner with broad coverage across the IT channel, KUKA is seeking access to a wider base of resellers and end customers than those typically reached through specialist automation routes. That could matter as smaller and mid-sized businesses assess automation tools once adopted mainly by large industrial groups.
Dave Prezzano, Chief Regional Officer NAM, KUKA, said: "Automation is becoming relevant to a much broader range of businesses, and our partnership with TD SYNNEX gives us a powerful new way to reach them. By bringing together KUKA Group's industrial automation expertise and TD SYNNEX technology ecosystem, we can make automation solutions, including robotics, easier to access, integrate and scale. This is especially important as AI moves from the digital into the physical world, giving rise to Physical AI, and customers look for practical ways to turn that potential into productivity and growth."