We are excited to announce that our president, Robert Jodoin, has been recognized as a Leader in Excellence for the Pros to Know Awards 2025. This award is hosted by Supply & Demand Chain Executive. This recognition highlights Robert’s leadership and dedication to driving innovation in the supply chain industry. Each year, the Pros to Know Awards celebrate the top professionals who have made a significant impact in the world of supply chain management.
In this article, we’ll dive into a recap of Robert’s video interview with Supply & Demand Chain Executive. The interview explores Robert’s journey, NūMove’s commitment to innovation, and advice for leaders in the supply chain industry.
Congrats to all the Pros to Know! [SDCE Press Release]
An Overview of Robert Jodoin’s Journey
Robert obtained a diploma in engineering in 1986 and began his career as an electrical engineer in the automation field, working in the beer and tobacco industries.
Various opportunities led him to start his own business in 1989. Alongside his partners, Robert grew the company into a group of seven businesses, employing a total of 125 people. Over time, the company transitioned from being primarily an automation firm to becoming more focused on equipment manufacturing. In 2014, the group sold 80% of its shares to Symbotic.
In 2017, Robert launched a new venture, NūMove, with a renewed focus on delivering sophisticated equipment that incorporates a high level of complexity and requires multidisciplinary expertise, including vision systems, robotics, advanced software, and AI. This focus is reflected in the company’s name: NūMove Robotics & Vision.
Robert also highlighted NūMove’s comprehensive offering, which includes system integration capabilities. As he puts it: “You can be a good equipment manufacturer, but if you don’t have the ability to bring that equipment to market and implement it in customers’ facilities, you don’t have a complete offering.”
Partnerships with Large-Scaled Integrator Are Important to the Success of Supply Chain
A while ago, a market research was conducted to better understand who typically purchases sophisticated automation solutions for the warehousing sector. That research led Robert and his team to pursue partnerships with large-scale integrators, as end users often engage directly with them.
The opportunities NūMove receives are often fairly large projects, ranging from greenfield to brownfield developments, with budgets between $500,000 and $5,000,000. In such cases, end users tend to approach large-scale integrators and major equipment manufacturers rather than mid-sized companies like NūMove.
A key factor when implementing high-level automation in a warehouse is the software component—whether it’s WMS, WES, or similar systems. These types of software are typically provided by large-scale integrators as part of their turnkey solutions.
In turn, these integrators reach out to companies like NūMove, known for their specific expertise, along with other equipment suppliers, to identify the right solutions to meet their clients’ needs.
Under Robert’s Leadership, NūMove Opens a Center of Excellence!
The establishment of the Center of Excellence represents a significant investment for NūMove, and it has proven to be highly worthwhile. When developing sophisticated and complex equipment, it is not feasible to simply design a system and release it to the market. Given the high expectations for performance, robustness, and quality from NūMove’s business partners and clients, the Center of Excellence plays a crucial role by enabling the creation of prototypes and conducting tests to drive innovation.
Another key objective of the Center is to use the displayed solutions to test customer products. By demonstrating that the solutions work effectively for the specific requirements of individual products, NūMove provides valuable reassurance to end users.
Additionally, the Center of Excellence serves as a platform for continuous improvement and optimization of equipment and solutions. It allows all NūMove’s internal teams—engineers, programmers, mechanical and electrical designers, vision specialists, and software developers—to observe firsthand the impact of their enhancements on the systems.
A Commitment to Drive the Development of New Technologies
Robert Jodoin emphasized that NūMove has been investing several million dollars in research and development—a commitment that he described as a never-ending journey. Innovation is not about looking back but always moving forward. NūMove aspires to be seen as a benchmark in the industry, setting the standard for others to follow.
Among the ongoing initiatives, Robert highlighted the development of several advanced equipment, including a particularly complex depalletizing application. This solution involves the integration of vision and artificial intelligence, with active development planned through 2025 and 2026.
A key differentiator for NūMove is its proprietary software solution, NūLogik, which powers all its solutions. More than just a human-machine interface (HMI), NūLogik is a comprehensive software ecosystem that integrates the company’s technologies, algorithms, and control strategies. The platform is under constant development, with new features and statistical tools added regularly to better support clients. All NūMove systems are also equipped with surveillance cameras, allowing the team to remotely monitor operations, identify issues, and recommend optimizations in real-time.
Robert also spoke about InnoPick®, a case storage and sequencing system designed for fast-moving products and mid-size applications. While it has seen strong interest in the beer and soft drink industry, NūMove is now expanding its application to other markets. The company is currently enhancing the system’s ability to handle a wider range of product dimensions in terms of length, width, and height.
Robert’s Advice to his Younger Self: It’s All About the People Around You
Robert Jodoin shared that he had an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age, although he didn’t initially envision owning his own business when he first graduated. He noted that being an entrepreneur hasn’t become any easier over time—it still requires deep passion and the support of a strong network. For him, being well surrounded has always been a crucial part of the journey.
He also expressed pride in having his son involved in the business. As the General Manager of NūMove, his son now oversees about 90% of the company’s resources. Robert often emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with key people, and this philosophy is reflected in NūMove’s leadership. Many of the company’s managers have been around Robert for decades, and a significant number—over 30 employees—have returned after working with Robert in previous ventures. This sense of continuity and loyalty speaks to the strong family-oriented culture that NūMove has cultivated over the years, which Robert believes is a major contributor to the company’s ongoing success.
Adaptability: An Advice for Leaders in the Supply Chain & Logistics Industry
Having worked across numerous industries, Robert Jodoin observed that the warehouse automation sector demands an exceptional level of adaptability. Unlike other fields where equipment is designed solely for specific throughput by example, warehouse automation requires consideration of real-world variables—frequent product changes, shifting SKUs, and broader economic fluctuations.
He noted that the supply chain has experienced significant growth and transformation, and he believes this evolution will continue in the coming years. Whereas changes once took years to unfold, they now happen in a matter of weeks. For Robert, this pace of change reinforces the importance of staying adaptable and maintaining forward-focused energy, rather than dwelling on the past.
To conclude, with almost 40 years in the business, Robert Jodoin still finds great satisfaction in his work. He describes the warehouse automation industry as a dynamic market full of exciting challenges. His passion remains strong, particularly when it comes to shaping company strategy, driving business development, and contributing to the creation of new concepts. He actively supports the sales team and stays involved in the technical side of the business. For Robert, staying hands-on and deeply invested is what keeps the journey fulfilling.