DSV Partners with Locus Robotics to Accelerate Warehouse Fulfilment Ops

In an era where customer expectations are skyrocketing and e-commerce growth demands ever more agility, logistics providers are turning to automation to stay competitive. One notable example is the partnership between DSV - global logistics and supply chain operator - and Locus Robotics, a leader in autonomous mobile robot (AMR) systems.

Together, they are pushing the frontier of warehouse fulfillment, weaving robots, software, and human workflows into a more productive whole.

The Need: Speed, Accuracy, and Flexibility

DSV is already a heavy hitter in contract logistics, warehousing, and fulfillment. But surging volumes, seasonal peaks, and labor constraints put pressure on traditional warehouse models. The goal: cut order-cycle times, reduce labor waste (especially travel time), and maintain pick accuracy, all without a massive overhaul of infrastructure.

Locus Robotics brings to the table a mature “person-to-goods” AMR solution (the LocusONE platform) that can be deployed with minimal disruption. The robots collaborate with warehouse workers, carrying bins or carts to pickers and reducing the walking burden on humans.

Warehousing 2.0: The Next Chapter in Automation and Optimisation

Because the robots are flexible, scalable, and integrate with existing Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), they offer a compelling bridge between manual and highly automated operations.

Integration & Deployment Strategy

One of the keys to this partnership’s success is how well Locus’s system can mesh with DSV’s existing processes. When first rolled out, the Locus platform integrated seamlessly with DSV’s WMS, allowing scheduling, routing, task assignment, and monitoring to flow naturally.

Because the robots don’t require heavy fixed infrastructure, unlike conveyor systems or fixed automation, they navigate existing layouts and adapt to warehouse changes more fluidly. This flexibility is especially useful in 3PL settings where one facility might serve multiple clients with different product mixes and layouts.

Training and change management also came into sharper focus. DSV and Locus invested in operator training, safety protocols, and staged rollouts to ensure human workers and robots could coexist safely and productively. Over time, DSV extended the solution to additional sites, leveraging the modularity and replicability of the deployment model.

Gains in Productivity and Efficiency

After implementing the system, DSV began seeing tangible performance improvements. Robot-enabled workflows reduced the amount of time human workers spent walking or transporting goods, allowing employees to devote more time to the actual picking and packing tasks.

Order throughput rose, labor utilization improved, and pick-cycle times shortened. In some cases, DSV was able to reassign staff from travel-heavy tasks to quality control, sorting, and exception handling. Crucially, the phased rollout meant that DSV could validate performance and ROI before scaling widely.

Another benefit is seasonal flexibility. Because the Locus system is scalable, DSV can more easily adjust capacity up or down in response to peaks during holidays and flash sales without massive capital investment in fixed automation.

Broader Context: DSV’s Fulfillment Factory Concept

It’s worth noting that DSV has been advancing its own “Fulfillment Factory” model, which aims to bring automation (including AutoStore-style goods-to-person systems) in a plug-&-play format to customers of various sizes.

The Locus partnership fits neatly into DSV’s broader strategy: offering clients automated fulfillment capabilities without forcing everyone to invest heavily in infrastructure. In effect, DSV becomes a “host” for robotic systems, layering them into its contract logistics and fulfillment offerings.

Challenges & Considerations

Of course, the integration of robots and humans isn’t without challenges. Some key hurdles include:

• Change management: Workers may be wary of robots encroaching on their domain, so clear communication, training, and safety protocols are crucial.

• Layout constraints: While robots are flexible, not all warehouse layouts are ideal. Narrow aisles, mezzanines, or unusual storage formats may still pose difficulties.

• Data and systems integration: Seamless connectivity with WMS, APIs, real-time monitoring, and error handling is essential for smooth operation.

• Scalability tradeoffs: The economics of robot deployment depend on density, volume, and uniformity. Some SKUs or warehouses may not justify full-scale robot adoption.

But with the right planning, these challenges are surmountable — and the upside, in throughput, labor saving, and responsiveness, is compelling.

Smarter, More Autonomous Warehouses Ahead

Looking forward, DSV and Locus Robotics are likely to explore enhancements such as more advanced vision systems, robot self-coordination, multi-tier navigation (e.g. mezzanines), and predictive analytics tied to demand forecasting.

Incrementally, each warehouse becomes smarter: robots not only execute tasks, but also flag inefficiencies, rebalance workflows, and feed performance data upward into supply chain decision-making.

In sum, the DSV–Locus Robotics partnership is a powerful example of how logistics providers can modernize fulfillment without disrupting existing operations. By combining flexible robotics, human collaboration, and intelligent software, they’re building warehouse ecosystems capable of scaling with growth and staying ahead in a fast-moving market.

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