DHL is one of the world’s leading logistics providers, with more than 600,000 employees and a 2024 revenue of over $92 billion. To keep up with increasing demand and stay ahead of its competition, the Bonn, Germany-based company uses robotics to support numerous warehousing and logistics tasks.
Generally, DHL prefers robotic systems that can work in many facilities on many different tasks. The first thing the company looks for when evaluating a new automation system is whether it can fit into multiple facilities, according to Sally Miller, DHL Supply Chain’s chief information officer for North America.
Let’s look at some of the numerous robots DHL has used throughout its facilities.
Locus Robotics AMRs set picking records
Locus Robotics and DHL have been working together since 2017, and their partnership has only grown through the years. In June 2024, Locus Robotics said its LocusBot autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) had surpassed 500 million picks for DHL Supply Chain. That unit has deployed 5,000 robots at more than 35 DHL-managed sites worldwide.
It took the third-party logistics provider (3PL) 2.5 years to reach the first 10 million picks with the LocusBots and then 28 months to complete the next 100 million picks. The last 100 million picks took just 154 days.
Locus Robotics won a 2025 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award for reaching 4 billion picks worldwide.
Miller said that DHL likes Locus because the company continued to add new use cases to its robots after deployment, and they work well alongside its employees. With Locus’ person-to-goods automation, the work involves less walking back and forth across the facility, so DHL has seen lower turnover and higher applicant rates at warehouses that have LocusBots.
Boston Dynamics has first Stretch customer in DHL
DHL was Boston Dynamics’ first commercial customer for its trailer-unloading robot Stretch back in January 2022, when the companies announced a $15 million deal. However, Boston Dynamics has been collaborating with DHL since 2018, when it began developing Stretch.
With a 6.5-ft. extended reach and 10-ft. vertical reach, Stretch is able to grab packages from different corners of shipping containers without needing any information about how the container was loaded or prior knowledge about the individual packages themselves. With Stretch, DHL said it has seen fewer damages, falls, and drops.
While Stretch is starting with trailer unloading, DHL plans to gradually scale Stretch for more tasks across multiple facilities over the next few years. The 3PL also said it hopes to integrate Stretch into its warehouse management system (WMS) so the robot knows where to go and what to pick.
Fox Robotics autonomous forklifts help unload
DHL has used Fox Robotics’ robotic forklifts with Boston Dynamics’ case-unloading robots and Locus AMRs to completely automate trailer unloading. According to the company, this is a demanding and challenging task, typically one of the least-liked jobs in the facility.
Fox Robotics allows one operator to control six to eight forklifts at a time. In addition, its forklifts don’t need any integration into a WMS, making for a speedy deployment process and contributing to ROI immediately.
DHL acquired its first FoxBot in November 2021, and has continued to scale since then. At a Kentucky facility, FoxBots handle 90% of inbounds and have reduced claims for damaged pallets by 30%.
Effidence adds EffiBOT to DHL lineup
DHL said it uses EffiBOT, a fully autonomous handling robot, which also has a follow-me mode to follow humans and carry loads of up to 300 kg (660 lb). The robot is developed by Effidence, a French robot maker.
Effidence said its robot can be used in environments that continue to be too complex or dynamic for most AMR technology today. DHL began testing EffiBOT in 2016 and continues to use the indoor/outdoor robot.
EffiBOT features a 2WD or 4WD configuration, its design offers a good crossing capacity. Uneven floors and up to 10% slopes are not a limit, the company said.
Geek+ provides goods-to-person AMRs
DHL also uses a goods-to-person (G2P) AMRs from Geek+. The system features robots that are able to pick up inventory shelves and transport them to the required picking or pack station, where an employee prepares the order for fulfillment without having to walk anywhere.
The system eliminates the redundant walking of the picking workers, improving the accuracy of the picking and reducing labor intensity. Compared to manual picking, the picking efficiency is improved by two to three times, Geek+ said.
ForwardX AMRs aid 3PL
In 2023, DHL implemented ForwardX’s assisted picking system in one of its flagship warehouses, dedicated to providing vital daily replenishment for approximately 600 locations for a chain brand coffee store within a single city. The company initially deployed five AMRs and later ordered 15 more.
Within just two months of using ForwardX’s Flex 300-S AMRs, DHL saw an increase of over 100% in units picked per hour (UPH) and savings of over 30% in operational costs.
DHL deploys AutoStore ASRS
While automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) come with a higher initial investment, DHL has found them useful for handling large volumes of stock-keeping units (SKUs) of slow- and medium-velocity goods.
The company was involved in nine AutoStore ASRS deployments across Singapore, the US, and Germany, with four more in planning. Through this partnership, a fleet of over 1,000 robots has significantly boosted operational efficiency and throughput in DHL’s fulfillment warehouses, the company said.
AutoStore’s cube-based ASRS is a high-density system that reduces the required space by up to 60% and can speed up manual picking up to five times in comparison with conventional picking.