DHL to Acquire 1,000 Stretch Robots from Boston Dynamics

DHL Group, a global leader in logistics, has announced its plan to purchase 1,000 Stretch robots from Boston Dynamics, a robotics company with which it has been collaborating since 2018. This decision comes as part of an agreement aimed at enhancing operational efficiency and automating various processes within the company.

The memorandum of understanding, disclosed on Tuesday, outlines DHL's intention to integrate these robots into its operations by 2030. The Stretch robot is primarily designed for loading and unloading packages, but DHL intends to explore additional applications for this technology across its logistics network.

Introduced to the market in 2022, the Stretch robot has already been utilized by DHL in North America since 2023, marking it as one of the first adopters. The company invested around $15 million to implement the robot, subsequently expanding its use to the UK and other parts of Europe.

The Stretch robot features a robotic arm with seven degrees of freedom, mounted on a mobile platform. Equipped with sensors and cameras, it can effectively perceive its surroundings and handle objects. Utilizing a specialized suction cup array, Stretch can automate the loading and unloading of vehicles and assist in warehouse operations. The robot is capable of processing up to 800 packages per hour while optimizing space by considering package dimensions during stacking.

DHL aims to further incorporate Stretch into its operational workflows, beginning with its use in the order-picking process, which is known to be labor-intensive. Both DHL and Boston Dynamics are committed to identifying more applications for Stretch, pushing the boundaries of automation within DHL's logistics framework.

In recent years, DHL has made significant investments in enhancing automation within its contract logistics sector, allocating over one billion euros in the past three years alone. Currently, the company employs more than 7,500 robots globally, including machines from various other robotics firms such as AutoStore, Fox Robotics, Geek+, and Locus Robotics.