DHL Supply Chain and Locus Robotics have reached a major milestone: their autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) have completed one billion item picking operations across warehouses worldwide. This achievement underscores the critical role robotic automation plays in modern logistics, with the billionth pick-a simple pink hat-occurring at one of DHL’s automated facilities.
The DHL and Locus Robotics partnership began in 2017 and now includes deployments at more than 40 warehouse sites across multiple countries. Thousands of these robots operate in industries ranging from e-commerce and retail to healthcare logistics. They use Locus’s management platform to coordinate seamlessly with human workers, accelerating order fulfillment times.
DHL reports productivity improvements between 30% and 180% in picks per hour due to AMR integration, alongside an 80% reduction in training time for new warehouse employees. These gains reflect a broader trend of logistics companies investing in automation to meet rising consumer demand and address labor shortages.
Looking ahead, DHL and Locus Robotics plan to expand their robot fleet to 5,000 units, aiming for the largest AMR deployment in the logistics industry. The companies highlight that logistics priorities are shifting from sheer speed toward reliability and consistency, ensuring smooth order processing during peak demand periods. Automation is becoming the invisible backbone powering the ever-growing online retail sector.