DHL Supply Chain

DHL Supply Chain operates one of the world's largest third-party logistics networks, with more than 8,000 collaborative robots deployed globally across hundreds of warehouse sites. Despite this scale, each new robotics integration required bespoke custom coding tailored to the specific site, WMS configuration, and hardware vendor — a process that took six to eight weeks per deployment. In a sector where customer demands and technology options shift rapidly, that lead time made it nearly impossible to test emerging automation technologies at pace or replicate successful deployments across regions without significant IT investment for every rollout.

DHL deployed SVT Robotics' SOFTBOT® platform as a middleware layer connecting its warehouse management systems to robotics hardware across the global network. Rather than custom-coding each integration from scratch, the platform provides pre-built connectors that enable plug-and-play deployment of new automation technologies. SVT Robotics' role was to supply and support the platform while enabling DHL to take ownership of implementations over time. The centralised dashboard gives operations teams real-time visibility across automation performance and workforce activity at multiple sites simultaneously. The architecture supports DHL's broader shift from monolithic WMS setups toward modular warehouse environments that can adopt new technologies without rebuilding core integrations each time.

The SOFTBOT platform reduced robotics integration time by up to 12x compared to traditional custom coding. Specific outcomes include:

• 3 hours to complete a Goods-to-Person integration in Europe (vs. weeks previously)
• Zero downtime when introducing new automation into live Asia Pacific operations
• 30 sites live on the platform at time of publication, with expansion to 100+ locations planned within three years
• DHL now handles the majority of implementations without hands-on SVT support, reducing dependency and accelerating deployment velocity

The platform's real-time data layer is also positioned to underpin future AI applications across DHL's logistics operations.

• Pre-built connector middleware can eliminate the per-site engineering bottleneck that limits automation scale in large 3PL networks — the integration model matters as much as the robot itself.
• Zero-downtime deployment in live operations requires centralised visibility across both automation and workforce activity before the rollout begins, not after.
• Transferring implementation capability in-house (rather than remaining vendor-dependent) is a key lever for compressing rollout timelines and reducing ongoing costs at scale.
• Modular WMS architecture is a prerequisite for testing new robotics technologies without disrupting existing operations — monolithic systems become an adoption blocker as hardware options diversify.