In context
In mid-2024, warehouse automation was rapidly scaling as major logistics providers sought to boost efficiency amid labor shortages and rising e-commerce demand. Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) had moved from pilot projects to core operational tools, with partnerships like DHL and Locus Robotics demonstrating real-world impact at scale.
What was reported
DHL Supply, the contract logistics arm of DHL, announced it had achieved 500 million picks using Locus Robotics' LocusBot autonomous mobile robots. The milestone pick occurred on May 18, 2024, at DHL's Toledo, Spain facility, where a LocusBot retrieved a consumer home goods product.
The adoption curve shows accelerating growth: it took 2.5 years to reach the first 10 million picks, but the next 100 million were completed in just 28 months, and the last 100 million took only 154 days. LocusBots are now deployed at more than 35 DHL-managed sites worldwide.
DHL's CIO Sally Miller credited the partnership with improving productivity, accuracy, and employee ergonomics across its global network, aligning with DHL's Accelerated Digitalization strategy. Locus Robotics CEO Rick Faulk emphasized the collaborative nature of the technology, which combines AI-driven AMRs with human workers to reduce labor requirements compared to traditional fulfillment systems.
Why it mattered
This milestone demonstrated that AMR technology could deliver exponential productivity gains in real-world logistics operations, reinforcing the business case for large-scale human-robot collaboration. It signaled a shift from pilot deployments to mainstream adoption, encouraging other manufacturers and logistics providers to invest in flexible automation to stay competitive.
“At DHL, we are relentlessly focused on driving innovation and operational excellence through our Accelerated Digitalization strategy aimed at deploying automated solutions at scale.”
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2024-06-19 · “DHL picks record 500 million items using Locus robots”