Robotshop
RobotShop Inc. RobotShop is a robot store for personal and professional robot technology. It provides personal, domestic and professional robots, development platforms, kits, and specialized robotic parts. RobotShop is also an important source for robotics education and research.[3][4] RobotShop sells worldwide.
Private | |
Industry | Service Robotic Market |
Founded | 2003[1] |
Founder | Mario Tremblay, Sandra Fradet |
Headquarters | Mirabel, Quebec[2] |
Area served | Canada, America, Europe, Japan, International |
Products | Domestic robots Professional Robots Robot Toys Robot Development Platforms Robot Kits Robot Parts |
Services | Technical Support |
Website | www.robotshop.com |
History
Founding
On 3 May 2002 Mario Tremblay, president and founder of RobotShop, spearheaded a project with two of his university colleagues to build a robotic lawn mower named "RoboR" and created RobotShop - Robotics at your Service - as a general/unlimited partnership. With the financial backing of the Centre de Développement Technique de l'École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) de Montréal (Centech) they began building a prototype of the robotic lawn mower.[5] In order to further finance research and development, RobotShop took on consultation and development work in general robotics for industrial and university clients.
Sandra Fradet joined Mario Tremblay end of 2003 to create RobotShop Distribution, and the previous unlimited partnership was dissolved. RobotShop was founded to distribute and sell robot parts and domestic robots. It was incorporated as RobotShop Distribution, Inc. and was renamed as RobotShop Inc. on January 4, 2016, to reflect the expansion of its activities in the service robotic market.[6] Shortly after the deployment of the website, the first sales started to come in.[7] In order to expand RobotShop they obtained encouragement from the Fond de Jeunesse Québec (FJQ), the Soutien aux Jeunes Entrepreneurs (SAJE) and also from the Fondation du Maire pour la Jeunesse de Montréal (FMMJ).[8]
Expansion
After months of working out of their homes, RobotShop relocated in October 2005 to an 1,800-square-foot (170 m2) space in Boisbriand, Quebec and soon they hired their first employees. The company continues to grow rapidly following the strong growth of the domestic robotics market. The facilities were enlarged up to 6,000 square feet (560 m2) in 2008 to respond to the increasing demand and the need for additional employee space.
In July 2010, RobotShop acquired Gorobotics.net, a popular blog blogging about robots since 2000.[9]
In July 2011, RobotShop moved in their new Headquarters in Mirabel offering 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of space.[10] RobotShop now has a global logistic with warehouses in Canada, United-States and Europe.
In June 2012, RobotShop has been named one of PROFIT 200's Fastest-Growing Companies in Canada. Coming in at number 63, RobotShop has grown 843% in five years.[11][12]
In August 2012, RobotShop acquires Lynxmotion inc. Lynxmotion design and manufacture a variety of hobby and research level robot kits and parts, and specialize in a modular robotics building system known as the Servo Erector Set.[13] Lynxmotion also hosts an active online community forum of hobby roboticists at Lynxmotion.net where projects, code, and technology is shared and support is provided for products.
In June 2013, RobotShop secured an additional 100 000 sq. ft of land that is adjacent to the 60,000 square they already own, totaling more than 160,000 square feet (3.67 acres).[14]
In December 2013, RobotShop entered the drone market by acquiring DiaLFonZo-Copter and launched Lynxmotion UAV. DiaLFonZo-Copter specializes in designing and producing multi-rotor helicopter kits.[15]
In August 2015, RobotShop announced the acquisition of Let’s Make Robots (LMR), a website that brings together the world’s largest community of robot makers and enthusiasts.[16]
Products and services
RobotShop specializes in robotics technology and offer a wide range of products and services in this sector.[17][18][19][20] RobotShop also provides robot repair to their customers, support and troubleshooting, as well as a Learning Center providing both new and seasoned robot builders educational tools needed to build different types of robots.[21][22]
See also
References
- Industry Canada - Corporation
- "Robotshop: La robotique à votre portée". Québec Micro (in French). April 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- Lapierre, Isabelle. "L'aide du futur". Magazine Le Village (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- Massicotte, Jean-Sébastien (June 18, 2005). "Tondeuses-robots. Des appareils sans fil... et sans pilote ! Newspaper article about RobotShop and its products" (PDF). Le Soleil (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- ETS Centech: September 2002 Bulletin
- Industry Canada
- Synnett, Cindy (September 22, 2004). "Robotshop". Metro Montreal (in French). Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- 2005 SAJE/CLD 2005 Annual Report
- Press Release: GoRobotics.net Acquired by RobotShop
- Press Release: RobotShop Builds New Headquarters
- RobotShop.com, "The Amazon of Robotics" is one of Canada's Fastest-Growing Companies.
- PROFIT 200: Ranking 2012
- Press Release: RobotShop Acquires Lynxmotion, a Leading Manufacturer of Educational Robot Kits
- RobotShop Secures An Additional 100 000 sq. ft of Land RobotShop Blog
- Press Release: RobotShop, “The Amazon of Robotics”, Enters The Drone Market By Acquiring DiaLFonZo-Copter and Launches Lynxmotion UAV
- Press Release: RobotShop Acquires LetsMakeRobots.com
- Turrentine, Jeff (May 5, 2005). "Relax, grass-cutting gizmo at work". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- Turrentine, Jeff (May 5, 2005). "Relax, grass-cutting gizmo at work" (pdf). Toronto Star. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- "Robotshop: La robotique à votre portée". Québec Micro (in French). April 2007. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
- Television report on RobotShop Distribution Inc., NerdZ TV show, Thursday, November 30, 2006, by Jean Fournier
- Crowley, Dan (2005). The 505 Weirdest Online Stores: 505 Things You Never Thought You Could Buy ... Sourcebooks, Inc. p. 64. ISBN 1-4022-0377-2.
- RobotShop Learning Center