Parcel delivery company DPD has partnered with Deus Robotics to create an end-to-end robotic warehouse automation solution. 

The company was selected as one of the finalists from DPD's innovative EcoLaunchpad programme from a global applicant pool of over 100 companies to trial their solution in the live environment. 

The solution includes custom-built AI-powered software to operate the warehouse robots, a user-friendly cross-platform web application, specially designed transportation cages, and Deus Robotics ‘Rack Robots'. Equipped with obstacle-detecting technology, the robots help increase productivity by up to five times and can transport racks weighing up to 1,100 lbs.

According to DPD, the solution also enables warehouse operators to focus more on high-level, value-adding, and less physically demanding work, while the robots pick up and autonomously transport the goods.

Following the successful trial, DPD has now placed an initial order to transform the operation at its flagship Docklands sortation centre in London. 

Tim Jones, Director of Marketing, Communications & Sustainability, DPDgroup UKsaid: "A big part of what makes us the UK's leading premium parcel delivery company is our unending commitment to innovation and investment in new technology.

“We created the EcoLaunchpad to find and pull together the global innovators that can help us develop the solutions to power our journey to Net Zero.  The next part of that journey will require much more than just decarbonising fleet.

“We have to challenge ourselves on every aspect of the operation and think about technologies that aren't currently widely adopted or sitting ‘on the shelf' already. By working side by side with the innovators, we hope to solve more of the problems, more quickly."

Antonina Iermeichuk, co-founder and COO of Deus Robotics, added: "We are very proud to help DPD automate its parcel delivery operation.

“To be selected from the EcoLaunchpad and be able to work alongside the DPD team to develop the tailormade solution has helped make this a really successful implementation. The project marks yet another milestone on our journey to building a more sustainable logistics future."