Warehouse Robotics Hits Historic Milestone: DHL and Locus Complete One Billion Picks

In a landmark moment for warehouse automation, DHL Supply Chain and Locus Robotics have surpassed one billion warehouse picks using autonomous mobile robots (AMRs). This milestone, achieved across more than 40 global fulfillment sites, signals a new era in which warehouse robotics have moved from experimental pilots to mission-critical infrastructure.

The One Billion Milestone

The one billionth pick was completed by a Locus AMR at a DHL facility—a pink beanie that symbolized the scale and variety of items now handled by robots. What makes this achievement remarkable isn’t just the volume, but the consistency: these robots operate around the clock across diverse environments, supporting e-commerce, retail, and healthcare logistics.

DHL first partnered with Locus Robotics in 2017. Today, thousands of AMRs operate in over 40 DHL-managed facilities worldwide. The results speak for themselves:

• 30-180% increase in units picked per hour
• 80% reduction in training time for warehouse staff
• Plans to deploy 5,000 AMRs globally

Why Warehouse Robotics Are Scaling Fast

Several factors are driving the rapid adoption of warehouse robots:

Labor challenges: Persistent warehouse labor shortages and rising wages make automation economically compelling.

E-commerce demands: Consumer expectations for same-day and next-day delivery require unprecedented speed and accuracy.

Scalability: Modern AMRs like Locus can be deployed incrementally, allowing warehouses to scale operations during peak seasons without permanent staffing increases.

Safety advances: Today’s AMRs can detect obstacles and operate safely alongside human workers, eliminating the need for segregated zones.

The LoRaWAN Explosion: $164 Billion by 2035

While warehouse robotics grab headlines, the underlying connectivity infrastructure is experiencing its own revolution. The LoRaWAN market is projected to grow from $5.20 billion in 2025 to $164.10 billion by 2035—a staggering 41.24% CAGR.

Key drivers include:

• Smart city deployments — street lighting, parking, waste management
• Industrial IoT — equipment monitoring, predictive maintenance
• Asset tracking — real-time visibility across supply chains
• Precision agriculture — soil sensors, crop monitoring

Notably, smart city and industrial IoT installations now account for over 35% of LoRaWAN adoption. In the United States alone, the market is expected to reach $39.83 billion by 2035.

Amazon Sidewalk: A New Era for Consumer IoT

The expansion of Amazon Sidewalk illustrates LoRaWAN’s growing consumer reach. Using Semtech’s LoRa technology as its core radio modulation, Sidewalk now covers approximately 95% of the US population. The global expansion in 2026—with launches in Canada, Mexico, and beyond—creates one of the largest consumer-facing LoRa deployments worldwide.

This hybrid approach, combining Wi-Fi, BLE, and GPS for asset tracking without cellular costs, points to the future of low-power wide-area networks.

Smart Labels: The Next Frontier

Another significant trend: smart labels are scaling faster than expected. Berg Insight reports shipments reached 900,000 units in 2025, with projections rising to 29.2 million units by 2030—a compound annual growth rate of 101%.

These ultra-thin, low-cost labels enable item-level tracking without the bulk and cost of traditional GPS trackers. They represent the convergence of RFID-like capabilities with IoT connectivity.

What This Means for Singapore

As a leading logistics hub in Southeast Asia, Singapore is well-positioned to benefit from these trends:

• Port and warehouse automation — robotics and IoT can enhance Singapore’s already efficient logistics infrastructure
• Smart city expansion — LoRaWAN connectivity supports urban sensing applications
• RFID and BLE adoption — item-level tracking becomes more accessible

Product Spotlight

Intensecomp offers comprehensive solutions for warehouse automation and asset tracking:

• Inventrack Warehouse WMS — Full warehouse management with RFID, BLE, and UWB capabilities for real-time inventory visibility
• Inventrack 6.0 — Multi-technology asset management platform supporting RFID, BLE, UWB, and LoRaWAN
• Inventrack MES — Manufacturing execution system with integrated tracking for production workflows
• Inventrack Checklist — Digital checklists for warehouse operations and compliance

Learn more about our Inventrack Warehouse WMS, Inventrack 6.0, Inventrack MES, and Inventrack Checklist solutions to modernize your warehouse operations.