Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR) has announced that Mark Joppru has joined the autonomous mobile robot (AMR) first mover and global market leader as the vice president of sales for the Americas. The former VP of ABB USA’s Consumer Segments and Service Robotics division started May 2, joining an organization that experienced a 42% increase in sales in 2021 over 2020 and 22% growth in the first quarter of 2022 alone.  

“The autonomous mobile robot business is exploding, with more companies from even more industries deploying large fleets as they realize the big benefits they can bring to their organizations,” Joppru said. “MiR’s safe, reliable and easy-to-deploy mobile robots improve efficiencies and productivity, especially important as so many continue to struggle with a disrupted supply chain and ongoing labor shortages. The potential is massive as more invest in improving their supply chains and logistics processes, and I look forward to helping MIR continue to lead the way in meeting our customers’ challenges.”   

Prior to joining MiR, Joppru worked at ABB USA, starting in 2017 as the lead for ABB Motors and Mechanical sales team in the US before being tasked as VP of sales for the Consumer Segments and Service Robotics division in 2020. In his latest role, he was responsible for business leadership, sales and customer experience. Before ABB, Joppru served for 25 years in multiple sales leadership roles at Rockwell Automation, including industry sales director for China and Latin America and global director of automotive sales. Joppru holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and a master’s degree in industrial distribution from Texas A&M University.  

“Mark’s decades of experience in industrial automation and sales management makes him an invaluable leader for our growing team and customer base here in the Americas,” said Thomas Knudsen, chief commercial officer for MiR. “Not only does he know mobile robots, but he understands the challenges customers from myriad industries continue to face and has already demonstrated creative ways that we, along with our partners, can solve them. The Americas remains in highly capable hands.”

Joppru replaces Ed Mullen, who after nearly six years with MiR left to seek new challenges with the software company Dexterity.