Logistics business DHL Supply Chain is spending £550mn to expand automation and invest in infrastructure across its UK operations as it serves growing ecommerce demand.. It will add more than 1,000 robots to an automated workforce that already includes more than 2,000, working alongside humans.
The announcement includes the first UK deployment of new Boston Dynamics Stretch Robots – which can unload containers at the rate of up to 700 boxes an hour. This, says DHL, will reduce physical strain on warehouse staff and boost productivity. The organisation also has more than 750 assisted picking robots from Locus Robotics.
DHL Supply Chain says the move aligns with its Strategy 2030. This targets a 50% boost to revenues by 2030, compared with 2023, through sustainable growth. It also comes as the UK government sets out its first Trade strategy since leaving the EU. Its focus is on stimulating economic growth by supporting business and working with international partners.
Investment in context
The company has spent more than €1bn in the last three years on automation, including more than 3,200 digitalisation projects in the UK, Ireland and EMEA regions. It aims to use automation, robotics and digitalisation to enable growth.
Saul Resnick, CEO, DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland, says: “Our investment reflects the growing opportunities across the UK market. Customers are increasingly recognising the benefits of digitalisation and, to date this year, we’ve already surpassed the number of deployments achieved last year. What’s more, the integration of robotics and automation in customer operations is becoming more sophisticated, so customers are seeing greater benefits and faster ROI.
“This momentum is only possible with the right infrastructure and expertise in place, tailored to support high-growth industries like ecommerce and healthcare. That’s why we’re investing for long-term impact, ensuring we are the go-to supply chain provider. The UK’s new Trade Strategy reinforces this direction by supporting fast-growing sectors and enhancing access to global markets – priorities that closely align with our investment focus and customer needs.”
Tim Tetzlaff, global head of digital transformation at DHL Supply Chain, adds: “At DHL, we’re driving the next wave of automation, not as a one-size-fits-all approach but as a set of intelligent, adaptive technologies tailored to the specific needs of individual sectors. For ecommerce, for example, where the market is evolving and demand is growing, we’re expanding our fulfilment capabilities to support that shift with automated solutions that significantly simplify high-volume operations.”
DHL, part of the €84bn-turnover DHL Group, has about 400k employees in 220 countries around the world. It aims to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
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