Figure AI’s robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the industrial and home markets. (Photo courtesy of Catalyst Brands)
NEW YORK – A new set of workers will begin handling sorting and packing activities at Catalyst Brands‘ distribution center in Nevada.
Catalyst – parent company of JCPenney, Aéropostale, Brooks Brothers, Lucky Brand, and Nautica – has forged a partnership with humanoid robotics company Figure AI Inc. to automate repetitive, physically demanding tasks at the DC and logistics center in Reno.
The goal is to enhance supply chain efficiency at the facility – which underwent a $40 million infrastructure update in 2024 – and free human employees to focus on higher-skill functions.
The humanoid robots will first assist employees in the facility’s Joey Pouch sorting system sequencing, a computerized induction, sorting and packing system. Moving forward, Figure and Catalyst will identify the best use cases for humanoid automation across the system.
“As we invest in and scale our portfolio, this collaboration with Figure shows how emerging technologies can modernize our operations while strengthening our workforce,” said Marc Rosen, CEO of Catalyst Brands.
Figure is an AI robotics company that develops autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. Demonstration videos on Figure AI’s website show its robots unloading a dishwasher, making a bed, folding laundry and tidying a living room.
“As Catalyst Brands scales its multi-brand portfolio, our humanoids provide a standardized labor solution that can be deployed across diverse industries instantly,” said Brett Adcock, Founder and CEO of Figure. “This collaboration establishes the playbook for how AI-driven hardware can serve as a primary growth engine for modern holding companies.”
