A well-known health and cosmetic retailer was facing a surge in online orders during peak seasons, placing enormous pressure on its warehouse operations. It turned to DSV, an international provider of distribution, transportation and warehousing services with their challenge: Help us. 

Because it operates in more than 80 countries, with 1,600 offices and logistics facilities, and thousands of customer businesses around the globe, DSV was able to bring its wider expertise in providing comprehensive supply chain solutions to this specifically North American problem. When they looked at the problem further, they discovered they needed an innovative solution.

Solution Selection

The DSV team sought a flexible, cost-effective technology that could scale during retail peak seasons, integrate seamlessly with existing workflows, and maximize throughput. "Delivering the right product at the right time amid the complexities of a 3PL environment was crucial for our selection," says Jennifer Chung, director of automation and innovation for North America at DSV.

After a thorough selection process, DSV decided to partner with Massachusetts-based Locus Robotics to implement their LocusONE platform. As an AI-powered robots-as-a-service (RaaS) solution, Locus seemed the perfect tool for DSV to use to solve the retailer’s challenge, since it was designed to optimize fulfillment operations and improve efficiency and scalability through intelligent adaptability, delivered via their robotic automation technology approach.

Implementation Process 

As part of the initial implementation of robotic technology, and given that DSV had not been exposed to this technology before, the two teams had to focus first on making sure that IT resources were in place, as well as training operators to understand how the Locus solution worked best in their environment. 

For DSV it was critical to demonstrate flexibility when it came to implementation by considering all the project requirements and working collaboratively to understand the benefits in their existing environment. Chung notes, “During the implementation we had to consider what does DSV have versus what does Locus have, specifically the pros and cons of each to make them work together seamlessly. So, we were able to really bring that into play when it came to implementation as well as execution to go live with it.”

Chung notes, “Locus has a very standard approach for how they implement; how they integrate all their design and requirements, as does DSV. So, we were able to work very well together and find a way to integrate those two, with some pieces of standardization across the board as well as some customization on both sides.” 

For DSV, the initial implementation of the Locus solution worked seamlessly with DSV’s warehouse management system (WMS), enabling DSV to apply their solution at the initial client site. The Locus solution’s flexibility also minimized infrastructure changes, allowing the robots to navigate existing warehouse layouts and dynamically optimize routes. According to Laura Adams, director of customer lifecycle marketing at Locus Robotics, introducing something new into the DSV facility without disturbing existing infrastructure was a good example of Locus’ typical approach. Adams states, “The benefit of using the Locus solution over something like conveyor is that there are not a ton of infrastructure changes required.” 

Moreover, the emphasis on Locus’ founders’ expertise in warehouse management made the implementation that much easier.  Adams adds, “The beauty of the Locus solution is not only software; it’s the people. Our founders came from warehousing, so they understand the importance of getting product out the door and onto trucks on time. The team that we built here at Locus is really developed to look at the warehouse operation.”

While Locus focused on the ease of implementation, success was also driven by their collaboration. As Adams puts it, “It's not just flipping a switch. There is quite a bit of work on both sides to ensure that IT resources are in place, as well as training operators to understand how the solution works the best.”

Beyond IT infrastructure, the implementation of the Locus solution includes the change-management aspect of using the LocusONE platform. By combining optimized workflows and efficient fleet management, the LocusONE platform emphasizes the coordination of multiple robots to optimize their interactions with one another and with the worker environment for the best results. This optimization allows for more efficient use of labor, enabling workers to be reassigned to other tasks within the warehouse. 

According to Adams, “What Locus brings to the table is not only the ease of implementation, and ease of training new associates — especially in those peak holiday seasons — but also the ability to scale up and down base fleets in order to accommodate those peaks and valleys as volumes increase and decrease throughout the year.” 

Initial Implementation = Workers & Robots in Harmony 

Since implementing the LocusONE platform, DSV has seen substantial improvements in warehouse efficiency. While the initial engagement was with their health and beauty client at one specific site, over time the solution has increased throughput and optimized labor allocation across multiple locations, allowing employees to focus on more critical tasks, and reducing picking times. 

For DSV, the Locus robots also now serve as collaborative tools that assist warehouse pickers. Showing associates how to work effectively with the robots was essential for designing new processes that could be implemented.

Based on their initial collaboration, DSV has also been able to replicate the Locus implementation across multiple facilities quickly, thanks to the combination of Locus Robotics’ scalable RaaS model and customizable configurations. “Being able to replicate [Locus] has been much quicker. But what is also nice is there is still flexibility within Locus. So, I have this great standard, but I can still configure and do what's necessary for each client across our network,” Chung notes.

Chung is also impressed by the emphasis Locus places on warehouse safety, through understanding operations in different aisles and different client requirements; for example, preventing robot collisions, and adjusting dynamically to ensure safety in human/machine interactions.

Future Goals & Innovation 

At this point, DSV and Locus Robotics have worked together for over three years, and both are committed to ongoing collaboration and technological advancement. In the future DSV plans to explore new functionality with Locus, such as expanded picking capabilities, enhanced safety features for shared human and robotic spaces, and potential support for multi-level operations to better serve their diverse client base. 

Adams also highlights the ongoing advancements in Locus’ capabilities, noting that they are leading the way with their proven flexible and intelligent robotics technology: “Some of the biggest improvements we’ve made include MHE (material handling equipment) detection, where the robots can scan for AprilTags (a type of visual marker, similar to QR codes) to avoid cross paths, and for better use on mezzanines. This expands our opportunity to work with different types of facilities.”

As advancements in technology progress, Locus Robotics aims to remain at the forefront of robotic warehouse automation, optimizing operations and enhancing the service capabilities of their strategic partners like DSV, while continuing to solve for the most complex warehouse automation needs around the globe. 

Watch the related video here:

https://www.supplychainbrain.com/articles/40539-watch-case-study-using-warehouse-robots-to-manage-the-peaks-and-valleys-of-demand?oly_enc_id=