KORTHOS / ECOSYSTEM / PRODUCT

Stretch

About

About Stretch

Stretch combines a mobile base, perception mast, seven-axis arm and vacuum gripper in a single warehouse platform. Its vision system identifies cartons of different sizes and orientations inside trailers or containers, then plans grasps and transfers each case onto a conveyor. The mobile base repositions continuously as the trailer is emptied.

The robot handles boxes weighing up to 50 pounds and can process hundreds of cases per hour under supported conditions. It requires limited site infrastructure and can be introduced into existing dock workflows over a short deployment period. Boston Dynamics supplies Stretch with fleet software, implementation, operator training, remote monitoring and lifecycle service.

Capabilities

Source-backed capabilities

  • Capability areas: Mobile manipulation
  • Workflows: Box handling, Warehouse case handling
  • Operating environments: Warehouse environment
  • Target markets: Logistics operators and warehouse managers seeking to automate case-handling bottlenecks.
  • Deployment model: Commercial product with customer deployments in logistics facilities.
  • Container unloading

    Commercial deployment - 2023-01-31 - DHL Supply Chain achieved the first commercial deployment of Boston Dynamics Stretch for trailer and container unloading. - environment: trailer unloading

    Source
  • Container unloading

    Commercial deployment - Boston Dynamics documents Stretch operating in Gap distribution centres to unload floor-loaded trailers and handle mixed cartons in customer logistics workflows.

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  • Case handling

    Commercial deployment - Boston Dynamics documents Stretch operating in Gap distribution centres to unload floor-loaded trailers and handle mixed cartons in customer logistics workflows.

    Source
  • Container unloading

    Customer-site use - 2023-01-31 - Stretch is used for unloading floor-loaded containers, marking a first commercial deployment milestone for the platform.

    Source

Operations

  • Operating Milestone

    10,000 cases per day - 2025-03-26 - Gap Inc. Gallatin distribution centre - Gap’s Stretch deployment unloads about 10,000 cases per day with one or two people, compared with 12–15 people for the prior manual process.

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  • Operating Milestone

    up to 1,200 cases per hour - 2024-10-29 - Arvato Louisville - Arvato’s Louisville operation uses Stretch to unload floor-loaded trailers at up to 1,200 cases per hour.

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Deployments

  • Operating Use

    Stretch deployed at Haldensleben - 2024-09-19 - Otto Group / Hermes Fulfilment Haldensleben - Otto Group deployed Stretch at Hermes Fulfilment’s Haldensleben logistics centre for trailer unloading; older multi-robot expansion plans are not counted as achieved.

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  • Customer Site

    first commercial Stretch deployment - 2023-01-31 - DHL Supply Chain - trailer unloading - DHL Supply Chain achieved the first commercial deployment of Boston Dynamics Stretch for trailer and container unloading.

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Supply

Supply / Components

  • Stretch

    Ethercat I O And Twinsafe Safety Modules - robotics_components - Beckhoff Automation - Beckhoff Automation supplies EtherCAT I/O and TwinSAFE safety modules for Boston Dynamics’s Stretch robot - source: blog.beckhoffus.com

    Source

Resources

Media library

Official Boston Dynamics product documentation and exact deployment media for the Stretch warehouse robot.

Timeline

  • Boston Dynamics announces 323,000-square-foot Waltham robotics and AI center

    2026-06-24 - Facility Opening - The facility will consolidate three nearby operations and expand advanced manufacturing, AI, workforce training and R&D capabilities. Massachusetts awarded a $25 million EDIP incentive tied to renovation and buildout for Atlas, Spot and Stretch operations. Boston Dynamics expects to create 1,250 new jobs by 2033 and begin phased move-in during mid-2027.

    Source
  • DHL Group signs MOU with Boston Dynamics for 1,000-plus robot deployment

    2025-05-13 - Partnership - A new agreement with Boston Dynamics scales DHL Group's Stretch deployments and accelerates cross-business automation strategy. Building on the proven success of Boston Dynamics’ Stretch robot—designed for case handling and initially deployed by DHL to automate container unloading—the agreement paves the way for the global deployment of more than 1,000 additional units.

    Source
  • Boston Dynamics Stretch unloads trailers for Gap

    2025-03-26 - Deployment - Stretch's mobile base, robotic arm, vacuum gripper and wireless telescopic conveyor let it unload floor-loaded cartons without a fixed conveyor inside the trailer. At Gap's 1.4-million-square-foot Gallatin, Tennessee distribution center, the robot handles apparel cartons within a lidar-defined safety perimeter. Boston Dynamics says a one- or two-person team can process up to 10,000 cases per day, compared with 12–15 people in the previous workflow; Label Sense and Multipick extend the load-handling capability.

    Source
  • Boston Dynamics deploys first two Stretch robots at Arvato Louisville

    2024-10-29 - Deployment - The robots unload loose-loaded cartons from containers and place them onto a conveyor using a vision-guided suction gripper. Stretch handles packages weighing up to 23 kilograms and can operate for up to 16 hours. The initial programme covers ten Stretch robots across Arvato sites in the United States and Europe.

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  • Arvato Logistics deploys Boston Dynamics' Stretch robots in Louisville warehouse

    2024-10-29 - Deployment - Arvato Logistics deployed two Boston Dynamics Stretch robots at its Louisville, Kentucky warehouse. The robots autonomously unload various loose-loaded boxes from containers, handling packages up to 23 kilograms and operating continuously for up to 16 hours. This deployment is part of a partnership to implement a total of ten Stretch robots across multiple Arvato locations.

    Source
  • DHL Supply Chain achieves first commercial deployment of Boston Dynamics' Stretch robot

    2023-01-31 - Deployment - DHL Supply Chain invested $15M to deploy Boston Dynamics Stretch robots in North American warehouse operations. Stretch is used for unloading floor-loaded containers, marking a first commercial deployment milestone for the platform.

    Source
  • Boston Dynamics Launches Stretch Robot for Commercial Purchase

    2022-03-28 - Product Launch - Stretch is a mobile robot designed to unload floor-loaded trailers and containers in warehouses. The robot can handle packages up to 50 pounds and operates autonomously within existing warehouse infrastructure. All units scheduled for 2022 delivery were sold out due to strong demand from early customers like DHL Supply Chain and Gap.

    Source
  • DHL Supply Chain becomes Stretch’s first commercial customer

    2022-01-26 - Market Signal - DHL Supply Chain invested $15 million in Boston Dynamics' Stretch robots to automate warehouse operations in North America. The multi-year agreement includes deploying Stretch robots to multiple DHL warehouses over the next three years. Stretch robots will initially be used for unloading trucks at select DHL facilities.

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Context

Market context

Stretch is Boston Dynamics' warehouse case-handling robot built for unloading boxes and moving goods in logistics workflows.

  • Target environment: Warehouses, distribution centers and loading docks.
  • Workflow context: Trailer unloading, case conveyance, box movement and repetitive material handling in structured logistics environments.
  • Customer context: Logistics operators and warehouse managers seeking to automate case-handling bottlenecks.
  • Deployment model: Commercial product with customer deployments in logistics facilities.
  • Commercial maturity: Commercially deployed platform with visible field use.
  • Adoption constraints: Designed for structured warehouse layouts and standard case sizes. Less effective in highly variable or unstructured environments.
  • Market position: A specialized mobile manipulation robot targeting the narrow but high-value warehouse unloading problem.
  • Adjacent products: Digit, FoxBot, Proxie

Comparable Systems

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