DHL Supply Chain recently expanded its partnership with a leading provider of automated robots to meet increasing volumes and seasonal peaks at two DHL warehouses in Ohio.
The deal with Locus Robotics Corp. includes the deployment of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at DHL Supply Chain’s warehouses in Canal Winchester and Lockbourne that will be used to help fill high-volume orders for global American-based clothing retailer Carhartt Inc., a DHL Supply Chain customer.
“As the supply chain and logistics industry has rapidly transformed, we have developed an accelerated digitization program, which aims to identify, nurture and deploy innovative technology solutions at scale,” said DHL Supply Chain Engineering Director Tim Dolcich. “Locus has been a trusted partner in providing solutions that challenge how we do business and improve customer outcomes.”
DHL Supply Chain, a division of Deutsche Post DHL Group, said in a Sept. 27 statement that the new agreement to use more Locus AMRs will double e-commerce productivity for Carhartt.
“Locus’s growing relationship with DHL Supply Chain further emphasizes the increasing demand for warehouse automation to support fast-growing retail brands such as Carhartt,” said Rick Faulk, CEO at Locus Robotics. “Locus’s flexibility, seamless scalability, and fast ROI has been a proven approach that enables DHL to consistently meet and exceed their customers’ expectations, especially as we head into the peak season.”
DHL Supply Chain North America and Locus Robotics have partnered since 2017 to support piece picking order fulfillment in warehouses for a range of retail and healthcare brands.
LocusBots — which navigate through the warehouses and collaborate with associates to improve order picking productivity and throughput efficiency — may be seamlessly deployed as demand changes to support a wide range of picking strategies and workflows.
“Implementing Locus has quickly proven to be an ideal choice to deliver high productivity, letting us fulfill orders at a record pace,” said Tony Gariety, vice president of distribution operations at Carhartt. “Locus’s ease of use and fast training has also helped us with recruiting and retaining employees and seasonal workers.
“So, all the way around, there are some real competitive advantages,” Gariety said.