Kiva makes warehouse operations significantly faster, of course, but it’s more than that: using the robots means that Amazon can pack more stuff into a given space, they don’t have to waste lots of money on heating or air conditioning or lighting, they don’t have to spend lots of time training people, and they don’t have to worry nearly as much about theft. Robots don’t need overtime, healthcare, or 401(k).

That’s all great news for Amazon, but they’re buying Kiva, not just hiring them. We can only assume that it’s obvious to this gigantic warehouse company that  Kiva Systems are the future of warehousing in general, and they want a piece (or all the pieces) of the action.