DHL Supply Chain, part of DHL Group, is expanding its partnership with robotics technology firm AutoStore to automate warehouse operations on a global scale further.
There are nine operational AutoStore warehouse projects with four more in the planning stage. This will position DHL Supply Chain as one of AutoStore’s largest 3PL clients, reinforcing their commitment to digitalisation and automation.
The nine existing Systems effectively operate 800,000 bins, with the forthcoming four Systems elevating the total number of bins to a remarkable 1.2 million. In the future, DHL intends to construct five further facilities in addition to those already in operation or planning.
This innovative automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) technology has been developed to efficiently manage and optimise inventory using vastly reduced warehouse space. Its highly modular and scalable design makes it a preferred solution for e-commerce and businesses handling smaller products such as fashion and tech items.
The partnership aims to accelerate the implementation of this technology that enhances abilities to meet diverse client needs.
A fleet of more than 1,000 robots will enhance operational efficiency and throughput
Markus Voss, COO and CIO at DHL Supply Chain, emphasises the importance of this collaboration: "We are pleased to expand our existing relationship with AutoStore as we continue to implement our digitalisation and automation strategy in a growing number of warehouses, allowing us to better and faster serve our customers.”
He commented that AutoStore’s standardised and modular technology perfectly aligns with DHL’s aim to make operations more efficient, enabling swift scalability and adaptability across various use cases and end markets – a crucial factor for DHL as a third-party logistics provider.
“Through a standardised approach and dedicated stock availability we will be able to significantly drive down implementation times,” he added.
