DHL Supply Chain has announced plans to deploy 1000 robots at its Australian warehouses under a $150 million investment.
The contract logistics company said the investment is its largest ever in robotics and automation in the Asia Pacific.
DHL Supply Chain CEO Oscar de Bok said the company is committed to the Australian market and technological innovation.
“Global supply chains have been under immense pressure these past few years, and some disruption may persist,” he said.
“But we have invested in supply chain digitalisation worldwide, and by leveraging this global expertise, we will continually develop innovative solutions to help our customers overcome any challenges on the horizon.”
All robots are scheduled to be deployed by 2025.
They will include assisted picking robots, goods-to-person robots, automated inventory management robots and point-to-point picking robots.
The company also plans to launch a picking platform to increase storage density and order processing.
Steve Thompsett, DHL Supply Chain’s CEO, Australia & New Zealand, said the company made the investment with environmental, social and governance goals in mind.
“One of the robotic picking systems we are deploying uses [one-sixth of] the energy of a standard household toaster,” he said.
“The solutions will also significantly reduce our employees’ time on routine or physically demanding tasks, including heavy lifting.
“Such solutions allow them to have the opportunity to develop the skills to advance their careers, and work on meaningful and interesting projects.”
DHL Supply Chain’s timeline for deploying the robots coincides with plans to grow the company’s Australian workforce.
DHL Supply Chain said it aims to expand its team in Australia over two years and provide re-training and development opportunities to existing employees.
