DPD, a leading parcel delivery company, has partnered with robotics firm Deus Robotics to develop a ‘tailored end-to-end robotic warehouse automation solution’.
Deus Robotics was selected as one of the finalists from DPD’s EcoLaunchpad programme, which aimed to ‘bring together experts in sustainability, technology and innovation to develop and test new ideas that can help DPD further reduce its carbon footprint’.
The Ukranian-founded technology company was selected from a global applicant pool of over 100 companies to trial its solution in a live DPD environment.
The solution, DPD says, 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’.
These robots are equipped with obstacle-detecting technology to ‘help increase productivity by up to five times’ and ‘can transport racks weighing up to 1,100lbs (c. 499kg)’.
Following what DPD describes as a ‘successful’ trial, the parcel firm has now placed an initial order to transform the operation at its flagship Docklands sortation centre in London.
One of the motivations behind DPD’s decision to adopt this technology is its ambition to achieve net zero by 2040.
Tim Jones, director of marketing, communications and sustainability at DPDgroup UK explained: “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 tailor-made 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.”
Deus Robotics was shortlisted for an award at the 2024 Robotics & Automation Awards – to be in with a chance of making the shortlist and taking home one of the coveted trophies at this year’s event, click here to enter for free! Entries close on 24 July 2025.
