Dive Brief:
- DHL Supply Chain is once again expanding its fulfillment automation agreement with Locus Robotics, this time pledging to deploy 5,000 autonomous mobile robots worldwide.
- The Locus Origin AMRs will be fully deployed in multiple of DHL Supply Chain’s 1,500 warehouses and distribution centers by the end of the year, according to a press release.
- The logistics provider has already deployed 3,000 AMRs globally with over 2,000 in North America, Sally Miller, global digital transformation officer at DHL Supply Chain, said in an email.
Dive Insight:
According to Miller, the need for autonomous robots are being fueled by three factors: ongoing labor challenges, increased investments and rise in e-commerce.
“LocusBots specifically increase productivity by 2X-3X while lowering operational and labor costs while providing unparalleled flexibility to scale as needs change or there are opportunities for growth,” Miller said.
Miller declined to say which warehouses would receive the new robots, saying only "need and feasibility" will determine deployments.
"It is also important to note that an advantage of these AMRs is that [they] require very little setup enabling flexibility to quickly scale as demand increases or decreases," Miller added
The logistics provider will use the expanded fleet to improve worker productivity, order accuracy, speed and efficiency, according to the press release.
"By using advanced robotics and data intelligence, we can further improve our operational efficiency, reduce processing time, and continue to improve our customer experience," DHL Supply Chain Global CIO and COO Markus Voss said.
The news marks another expansion in DHL Supply Chain and Locus Robotics' partnership, which officially began in 2017. What started then as a test for the logistics provider eventually grew to a fleet of 2,000 assisted picking robots by the end 2022.
Locus Robotics has been rapidly expanding its client base, having also signed on other warehouse operators. Geodis, for example, signed on to deploy 1,000 AMRs at warehouses worldwide in 2022. UPS and Cardinal Health have also worked with Locus Robotics, according to the company's website.
