DHL Scales Global Operations with AutoStore

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For more than a decade, DHL Supply Chain has been modernizing their warehouse operations with AutoStore systems, seeking to enable swift scalability and standardized automation across their global markets. Working with AutoStore, the world's leading logistics supplier has grown its automated footprint to twelve operational facilities across five countries, with four more sites already in development. From Singapore to Poland, Germany to Australia, and across the United States, each facility has expanded its initial implementation, with DHL's global fleet now exceeding 1,000 AutoStore Robots.

Workers enjoy improved ergonomics. Productivity has surged. And the modular design of AutoStore's solution ensures DHL can scale rapidly as market demands shift, maintaining their leadership position in logistics innovation.

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The Challenge: Scaling Operations Across Global Markets

With operations spanning 220 countries and a workforce of over 600,000, DHL needed to maintain its market leadership while meeting rapidly evolving customer demands. The company sought to implement digitalization and automation strategies that would enable swift scalability across various markets, while reducing implementation times through standardized approaches.

• Meeting growing e-commerce demands: DHL needed to fill increasing order volumes while maintaining high service levels across their global network.
• Optimizing efficiency: The company needed to dramatically improve productivity and throughput without expanding their physical footprint.
• Enhancing ergonomics: Manual order picking and excessive walking distances were taking a physical toll on warehouse staff, creating a need to reduce employee strain and improve working conditions.

To maintain its position as a logistics innovation leader, DHL required a solution that could adapt to the diverse demands of multiple industries, such as e-commerce, retail, and spare parts, while enabling rapid, standardized deployment across their global network.

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The Solution: AutoStore Delivers Multi-Site Excellence

AutoStore systems currently manage 800,000 Bins across multiple DHL facilities. With planned expansions already in motion, storage capacity will increase to 1.2 million Bins, and the company plans to construct five additional facilities beyond those currently in operation or development.

The AutoStore system that runs DHL’s warehouse operations is a compact, efficient storage solution that maximizes available floorspace while delivering consistent throughput of 500 units per hour. Reliable performance is assured even during peak periods.  

Key features

• Modular Grid: AutoStore’s Grid design enables efficient, high-density storage that makes optimal use of warehouse space while allowing easy expansion as needs grow.
• Robots retrieve Bins: AutoStore Robots navigate the Grid, swiftly retrieving and delivering Bins to designated workstations (Ports) for order processing.
• Ergonomic workstations: The goods-to-person delivery system eliminates excessive walking and reduces physical strain on workers, with Ports designed for efficient order picking and processing.

The system’s modular architecture ensures DHL can easily scale operations to meet future demands, supporting their position as a logistics innovation leader while maintaining high service levels across their global network.

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Key Benefits: Boosted Productivity, Efficiency, and Worker Comfort

AutoStore implementations across DHL's network have significantly improved productivity, throughput, and workplace efficiency. The modular system's ability to scale rapidly has enabled DHL to meet diverse demands across e-commerce, retail, and spare parts industries.

• 5x higher productivity: The implementation of AutoStore delivered unprecedented efficiency gains. As Markus Voss, Global CIO & COO of DHL Supply Chain confirms, “We've seen great improvements, like five times higher productivity.”
• Efficient throughput: The system enables throughput of 500 units per hour for item-level fulfillment. Voss emphasizes its efficient order fulfillment: “What [all our clients] like is the high throughput …”
• Improved efficiency and accuracy: AutoStore has improved order fulfillment accuracy while maintaining consistently high operational efficiency.
• Real-time inventory visibility: Real-time inventory visibility supports streamlined operations and informed decision-making. “Through a standardized approach and dedicated stock availability, we will be able to significantly drive down implementation times,” Voss says.
• User-friendly design: The intuitive interface and ergonomic design have significantly improved worker satisfaction and performance, contributing to smoother operations and higher employee retention. Voss notes, “Our colleagues love this solution and the ergonomics of it, the user-friendliness... they're also saving 12 kilometers of walking distances per day. And that is quite something.”

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A Global Partnership Drives Future Innovation

DHL Supply Chain's successful deployment of AutoStore across 12 operational sites demonstrates the scalability of warehouse automation at a global level. As Voss emphasizes, "AutoStore's network of partners is invaluable in supporting our growth strategy across multiple geographies." This partner ecosystem has proven crucial in DHL's rapid expansion of automated facilities across continents.

Looking ahead, the relationship continues to strengthen. "I'm delighted to celebrate an enlarged and enriched partnership with AutoStore," says Voss. With four more facilities in development and plans for further expansion, his enthusiasm is clear: "I'm very excited to see many, many more of these solutions implemented across the globe for our customers."

Project specifications

• Installation Type: Multi-Site Retrofit
• Robots: 1,000+ AutoStore Robots across 12 global sites
• Bins: 1.2 million+ Bins across 12 global sites