DPD has partnered with Deus Robotics to create a tailored end-to-end robotic warehouse automation system.

The new tool includes custom-built AI-powered software to operate the warehouse robots, a cross-platform web application, specially designed transportation cages, and ‘Rack Robots'.

The Rack Robots, which are equipped with obstacle-detecting technology, can increase productivity by up to five times and transport racks weighing up to 1,100 lbs.

DPD said that the technology enables warehouse operators to focus on more high-level, value-adding, and less physically demanding work.

The move comes after the robotics company was selected as one of the finalists of DPD's EcoLaunchpad programme.

The business was selected from a global applicant pool of over 100 companies to trial their solution in the live DPD environment.

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

DPD added that the new warehouse automation system supports its goal of achieving Net Zero by 2040.

The company is on track to meet its targets in the UK after delivering a 47.5 per cent reduction in overall emissions at the end of 2024, compared to the 2020 benchmark.

"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," said Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications & sustainability, DPDgroup UK. "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."

DPD has also been experimenting with robot technology in other areas of the business.

In December 2024, DPD announced it was the first UK parcel delivery company to roll out Ottonomy’s fully autonomous locker delivery robot.

Ottobot is a multi-compartment “locker on wheels”, larger than DPD’s existing autonomous delivery robots.

The bot has a maximum payload of 70kg and eight different compartments that can carry parcels of varying sizes.

Last year the business also announced the expansion of its robot delivery service to Lincoln as part of a nationwide roll out.

Based at DPD UK’s Lincoln depot at St Modwens Park, the robots deliver to the nearby village of Witham St Hughs, via an existing network of footpaths.

---