How iRobot's Supply Chain Became Its Last Resort

At its peak, iRobot generated nearly $1.6 Billion in annual revenue, and by 2022 Amazon believed the company was worth $1.7 Billion. By just a few years later, the company that pioneered consumer robotics would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

The company that ultimately took ownership of iRobot wasn't Amazon or another Silicon Valley tech firm or even a U.S. competitor. It was the company's own overseas contract manufacturer.

How does a company go from being a pioneering leader in robotics to being owned by the very supplier that once built its products?

The answer is a story about regulation, supply chains, debt, competition, and unintended consequences.

In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers:

• The rise of iRobot and the creation of the Roomba line of vacuums
• Amazon's $1.7 Billion acquisition attempt — and why global regulators blocked it
• How financial pressure, debt, and supply chain decisions reshaped the company, right into the ground
• And how iRobot ultimately ended up owned by its largest manufacturing partner

Links:

• Kelly Barner on LinkedIn
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• Art of Supply on AOP
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