DHL Supply Chain accelerates automation deployments with SVT Robotics SOFTBOT platform

DHL Supply Chain announced the deployment of SVT Robotics' SOFTBOT platform across its global warehouse network.

With more than 8,000 collaborative robots (cobots) already active across its global operations, DHL said that the new plug-and-play platform allows DHL to deploy robotics integrations up to 12 times faster than traditional custom coding setups. The logistics organization said that this sets the stage to fast-track future automation rollouts.

SOFTBOT deployments expedite DHL’s automation rollouts 

Before implementing SVT’s technology-neutral software, DHL said that automation projects required separate custom coding for every new technology, taking up to eight weeks to initiate enterprise-wide rollouts.

"It's been exciting to collaborate with DHL on their accelerated digitalization efforts and to support their team in their use of our SOFTBOT Platform," said AK Schultz, co-founder and CEO of SVT Robotics. "In fact, DHL now does the majority of implementations without hands-on support from SVT. This means they can scale even faster and further reduce costs, accelerate their deployments and take advantage of the data visibility that our platform uniquely provides. These are benefits that positively impact their customers."

SOFTBOT's unified data layer also enables visibility into workforce activity and automation performance, which DHL said helps it to coordinate hybrid fleets of associates and robots working side-by-side. DHL said that this supports safer, more efficient workflows without introducing new layers of complexity.

Supported by the platform's prebuilt SOFTBOT connectors, DHL said that it is redoubling its move away from monolithic, all-in-one systems to modular warehouse setups that accommodate multiple automated offerings and can be reconfigured as technology and customer needs evolve. 

"The logistics industry is characterized by rapid change - whether it's customer profile, volumes or newly emerging technology - so our automation solutions need to adapt just as quickly," said Sally Miller, global CIO, DHL Supply Chain. "The SOFTBOT Platform gives us an effective and efficient way to connect different types of robotics to our warehouse systems, monitor performance in real time and scale solutions across sites with confidence."

In addition to accelerating the speed of automation deployments and accommodating different robotic technologies in its tech-agnostic system, DHL said that the SOFTBOT platform provides a single, multi-site dashboard for teams to efficiently monitor system-wide operations. 

"Our operations worldwide are already seeing clear benefits from deploying robotics and automation via SVT," said Tim Tetzlaff, global head of digital transformation, DHL Supply Chain. "As a standard integration layer, the SOFTBOT platform provides the glue between our warehouse management system (WMS) and our digitalization agenda. It has enabled us to replicate goods-to-person solutions across Europe with integration work completed in just three hours. We've also added new operational technology to live operations in Asia Pacific with zero downtime. The platform's global, real-time data access also unlocks significant opportunities to scale logistics AI."

The SOFTBOT Platform is now live in 30 DHL Supply Chain sites worldwide, with plans to expand to more than 100 sites across all geographies over the next three years.