DHL Supply Chain
About
About DHL Supply Chain
DHL deploys different robot types around specific warehouse bottlenecks. Boston Dynamics’ Stretch unloads mixed cartons from trailers onto conveyors, while Locus and 6 River collaborative mobile robots guide picking and move orders between workers and processing areas.
The division evaluates systems in operating warehouses, connects them with customer and warehouse-management software, trains site teams and scales successful deployments across its network. More than 2,000 robots operate in its UK and EMEA operations, giving DHL a role as both logistics operator and large-scale automation integrator.
Articles
Deployments
- Operating use
2026-03-17 - The SOFTBOT integration layer was live at 30 DHL Supply Chain sites, with expansion planned to more than 100 sites over three years. - SOFTBOT multi-site robotics integration
Source - Operating use
2025-10-01 - DHL Supply Chain reported more than 8,000 collaborative robots integrated across global operations. - DHL Supply Chain global operations
Source - Customer site
2023-01-31 - DHL Supply Chain deployed Boston Dynamics Stretch for commercial truck-unloading automation in a warehouse operation. - single named commercial deployment - DHL warehouse operation
Source
Supply
Supply chain relationships
- AutoStore
Inbound - Equipment - AutoStore supplies AutoStore warehouse-automation systems for DHL global warehouse-automation programme
Source - Zivid
Inbound - Perception - DHL Supply Chain uses a Zivid One 3D camera in a robotic picking cell at its Beringe warehouse
Source - Hai Robotics
Inbound - Equipment - Hai Robotics supplies HAIPICK warehouse-automation system for DHL apparel warehouse
Source - Geek+
Inbound - Oem Builders - Geek+ delivered 41 robots and its RoboShuttle system to DHL’s Te Kapua healthcare logistics facility
Source - Element Logic
Inbound - Warehouse Automation - Element Logic supplied DHL Supply Chain with an AutoStore small-parts warehouse and robotic picking system
Source
Team
- Hendrik Venter - CEO, DHL Supply Chain
Timeline
Events
- 2026-08-26 - Deployment - DHL Supply Chain deployed Geek+ robotics at its new healthcare-logistics facility in New Zealand
The system supports healthcare logistics in a newly opened New Zealand facility Geek+ mobile robots handle automated storage and order-fulfilment workflows The record is limited to the named DHL Supply Chain facility
Source - 2026-08-17 - Deployment - DHL Supply Chain completes Vecna CaseFlow pilot
The pilot combined autonomous mobile robots with workflow orchestration for case picking. The first implementation met acceptance milestones with stable performance. DHL described the result as a basis for broader evaluation and possible future deployments.
Source - 2026-03-17 - Deployment - DHL expands SOFTBOT robotics integration across warehouse sites
The integration layer connects multiple robot types with DHL warehouse-management systems. DHL said it had integrated more than 8,000 collaborative robots across operations. The deployment program targets faster repeatable integration across different facilities and robot vendors.
Source - 2026-03-16 - Deployment - DHL expands SVT SOFTBOT across warehouse network
SOFTBOT was live at 30 DHL sites; expansion beyond 100 sites over the following three years remained a plan. DHL completed goods-to-person integrations in three hours in Europe and added technology to live Asia-Pacific operations without downtime. Prebuilt connectors link automation to warehouse systems, while a shared dashboard provides monitoring across sites.
Source - 2025-12-02 - Deployment - DHL begins 15-unit Carter rollout in Mexico
The rollout is Carter’s first deployment in DHL’s Latin American operations. Carter improved productivity by more than 60% in North America and 30% in Mexico. Warehouse-management-system integration is scheduled for 2026, followed by phased expansion across the Americas.
Source - 2024-05-18 - Production Milestone - DHL Supply Chain reaches 500 million picks with LocusBots
The operating network covered more than 35 DHL-managed sites worldwide. The last 100 million picks took 154 days. The milestone involved an associate retrieving a consumer home-goods product with a LocusBot.
Source - 2024-02-01 - Partnership - DHL partners with Robust.AI on warehouse AMRs
The partnership targets fulfillment workflows using autonomous mobile robots. DHL positioned Carter as a robotic coworker for warehouse operations.
Source - 2023-11-07 - Partnership - DHL & AutoStore™ Expand Global Warehouse Automation
DHL Supply Chain is the named logistics operator. The expanded scope covers additional AutoStore deployments. The announcement is a partnership expansion, not one site claim.
Source - 2023-11-07 - Partnership - DHL and AutoStore expand warehouse-robot partnership
DHL and AutoStore expanded their warehouse-robot partnership. DHL planned to deploy more than 1,000 AutoStore robots across multiple DHL Supply Chain sites. The expansion created a scaled goods-to-person automation signal inside DHL global logistics operations.
Source - 2023-01-31 - Deployment - DHL deploys Boston Dynamics Stretch commercially
DHL commercially deployed Boston Dynamics Stretch for automated truck unloading. Stretch was deployed as part of DHL accelerated warehouse automation program. The deployment is a named early commercial warehouse use case for Boston Dynamics' mobile manipulation robot.
Source
Relations
Relationships
- AutoStore
Qualified Robotics Relationship - DHL Supply Chain and AutoStore expanded their global warehouse-automation partnership.
- Geek+
Qualified Robotics/autonomy Fact - DHL Supply Chain deployed Geek+ robotics at its new healthcare-logistics facility in New Zealand.
- Gausium
Robot Deployment - Gausium cleaning robots are deployed in DHL logistics and warehouse operations.
- SVT Robotics
Logistics Customer - DHL reported SVT Robotics SOFTBOT software operating at 30 warehouse sites worldwide in March 2026.
- Robust.AI
Warehouse AMR Partnership - DHL partners with Robust.AI on warehouse AMRs
- Boston Dynamics
Warehouse Deployment Customer - Boston Dynamics Stretch was commercially deployed by DHL Supply Chain for warehouse truck-unloading automation.
Context
Shared workflows
- GEODIS
workflow adjacency - Contract Logistics Automation
- Honeywell International
workflow adjacency - Logistics Warehouse Robot Deployment
- Cainiao
workflow adjacency - Logistics Warehouse Robot Deployment
- Clobot
workflow adjacency - Logistics Warehouse Robot Deployment
- Hyundai Glovis
workflow adjacency - Contract Logistics Automation
- Okamura
workflow adjacency - Logistics Warehouse Robot Deployment
Context tags
- Warehouses - Customer Environment - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.
- Logistics operations - Customer Environment - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.
- Logistics robotics operator - Peer Group - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.
- Logistics warehouse robot deployment - Workflow - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.
- Contract logistics automation - Workflow - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.
- Logistics operator layer - Stack Layer - DHL Supply Chain operates warehouses and deploys robotics and automation across contract-logistics operations.