Industries across the board are undergoing a technological revolution that is changing the way they do ... everything.
In a 2022 article, McKinsey refers to the current technological revolution as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0. Previous phases of the industrial revolution saw the advent of things like the steam engine in 1.0, the assembly line and mass production in 2.0, and automation and digital computing in 3.0.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution, meanwhile, is marked by "data and connectivity, analytics, human-machine interaction, and improvements in robotics."
Spindle is poised to be a part of this industry transformation. We have been researching, learning, innovating ... all toward the goal of helping the commercial laundry industry get things done, better, faster, safer and smarter.
With that philosophy in mind, we are tapping into the spirit of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to launch Spindle Robotics.
As has happened in other industry sectors, we will strive to bring this technological revolution to the commercial laundry industry in the form of laundry robotics.
For a long time, cost stood as a towering barrier between laundry plants and robotics adoption. In short, the economics didn't make sense for many laundry plants, and robotics have been out of reach for them.
Not anymore.
With advancements in technology and more affordable, accessible robots, Spindle has developed a robotics solution where the ROI finally works.
We're lowering barriers to entry and making robotics a practical, scalable solution for the commercial laundry industry.
As demand for faster turnaround times and cost-effective operations grows, automation has emerged as a game-changer, streamlining labor-intensive tasks and reducing human error.
We eat, sleep and breath commercial laundry. Spindle has always strived to solve the industry’s largest pain points through technology.
Spindle has a proven track record of bringing groundbreaking technology to commercial laundry. From our parent company, Dober, pioneering smart dispense systems, washfloor tracking, and real-time production tracking, we have consistently led the way in operational modernization. Our team thrives on solving complex challenges others haven’t tackled yet. 
We’ve built the robotics expertise so you don’t have to: Spindle Robotics has assembled a team of experienced robotics engineers and invested in state-of-the-art tools, technology, and R&D to develop automation solutions tailored for commercial laundries. Instead of spending time and resources figuring out automation on your own, you get a proven, ready-to-deploy system designed to seamlessly integrate into your operations—without the hassle of complex development, testing, or costly trial and error.
For example, our Garment Sorting Cobot, lovingly dubbed "Dolly," is engineered to handle the repetitive task of transferring garments from rail systems to sorting mechanisms (you can see a brief snippet of it in action here).
Our robotics solutions are designed to work within your existing plant layout, requiring little to no modifications to your facility. Unlike traditional automation solutions that demand complex reconfigurations and expensive equipment, our vendor-agnostic system integrates effortlessly with any laundry equipment—enhancing your operations without disrupting workflows or requiring major infrastructure changes.
With a singular focus on bringing robotics to commercial laundries, Spindle ensures automation solutions are purpose-built to align with the industry’s unique workflows and operational demands.
Spindle collaborates closely with laundry operators to develop robotics solutions that address real-world pain points and deliver measurable value.
We are collaborating with Universal Robots, a leader with over 100,000 deployed cobots worldwide, to bring proven robotic automation to the laundry industry. Think of them as the foundational hardware and Spindle as building the brains and working with other vendors in our industry to make this transition as seamless as possible.
Many laundry plants struggle with repetitive, labor-intensive tasks that lead to high turnover and operational bottlenecks. With Spindle Robotics, operators can free up human workers for more valuable roles.
Spindle Robotics is focused on solving these key challenges:
What are the benefits of deploying Spindle Robotics in your plant?
Here are just some benefits you could realize in your operation:
Spindle's team of engineers continue to work hard in the space to develop robotics tools for the commercial laundry industry.
We’re developing multiple robotics projects beyond our first solution—each designed to drive efficiency and reliability in laundry operations.
In addition to our robot colleague Dolly, we also have a number of other projects in the works.
We'll have more to share about them as 2025 progresses.
The integration of robotics into the commercial laundry industry signifies a pivotal shift toward automation and efficiency. Innovations like Spindle's "Dolly" exemplify how technology can address industry-specific challenges, leading to safer work environments, optimized operations, and enhanced service delivery. 
We're excited to show off our work in this space at The Clean Show in Orlando, Florida this year, (Aug. 23-26).
As research progresses and technology becomes more accessible, the future of laundry operations will likely be characterized by increased automation, with human workers focusing on supervisory and technical roles to complement their robotic counterparts.
Here at Spindle, we aim to make that future a reality. For many facilities, robotics have been viewed as luxuries they can't afford.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
Just as in the 20th century automobiles and household appliances becoming more and more accessible to the common man, robots are quickly going that way in the commercial laundry industry.
Robots for everyone, we say.
See you in Orlando this August.
Interested in our robotics plans and think you might see a good fit in your plant? Reach out and let's have a conversation about how robotics can fit into your plant.
