DHL accelerates automation with SVT’s SOFTBOT platform

DHL Supply Chain has accelerated its automation strategy with the deployment of SVT Robotics’ SOFTBOT platform across its global warehouse network, marking a major shift towards faster and more flexible integration of robotics solutions. The move builds on DHL’s existing automation footprint, which already includes more than 8,000 collaborative robots operating across its facilities worldwide.

The introduction of the SOFTBOT platform enables a plug-and-play approach to robotics integration, significantly reducing deployment timelines. Previously, integrating new automation systems required separate custom coding for each technology, often taking six to eight weeks to initiate. With the new platform in place, DHL can now deploy robotics integrations up to 12 times faster, allowing it to scale solutions more efficiently across its global operations.

The platform’s technology-agnostic design plays a key role in this transformation. By offering prebuilt connectors, it allows DHL to integrate a wide range of robotics systems without being tied to a single vendor or architecture. This supports the company’s shift away from monolithic systems towards modular warehouse environments that can adapt quickly to changing customer demands and emerging technologies.

“The logistics industry is characterised by rapid change – whether its customer profile, volumes, or newly emerging technology - so our automation solutions need to adapt just as quickly,” said Sally Miller, Global CIO, DHL Supply Chain. “The SOFTBOT Platform gives us an effective and efficient way to connect different types of robotics to our warehouse systems, monitor performance in real time and scale solutions across sites with confidence.”

Beyond speed and flexibility, the platform also strengthens DHL’s digitalisation efforts by acting as a standard integration layer between its warehouse management systems and automation technologies. This has already delivered tangible results across regions.

“Our operations worldwide are already seeing clear benefits from deploying robotics and automation via SVT,” said Tim Tetzlaff, Global Head of Digital Transformation, DHL Supply Chain. “As a standard integration layer, the SOFTBOT platform provides the glue between our warehouse management system (WMS) and our digitalisation agenda. It has enabled us to replicate Goods-to-Person solutions across Europe with integration work completed in just three hours. We’ve also added new operational technology to live operations in Asia Pacific with zero downtime. The platform’s global, real-time data access also unlocks significant opportunities to scale logistics AI.”

The unified data layer of the platform further enhances operational visibility by providing real-time insights into both automation performance and workforce activity. This enables better coordination between human workers and robots, supporting safer and more efficient workflows without adding complexity.

“It’s been exciting to collaborate with DHL on their accelerated digitalisation efforts and to support their team in their use of our SOFTBOT Platform,” said AK Schultz, CEO and Co-Founder of SVT Robotics. “In fact, DHL now does the majority of implementations without hands-on support from SVT. This means they can scale even faster and further reduce costs, accelerate their deployments, and take advantage of the data visibility that our platform uniquely provides. These are benefits that positively impact their customers.”

“Not only is this a gamechanger for the speed at which we test and deploy new technology across our operations, the platform’s real-time visibility, data synchronicity, and system alerts further maximise resiliency and orchestration opportunities of both our sites and our networks,” Miller added.

The SOFTBOT platform is currently live across 30 DHL Supply Chain sites globally, with plans to expand to more than 100 sites over the next three years, reinforcing DHL’s position in advancing automation-led logistics.