DHL has announced plans to deploy 5,000 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) across its warehouses, in an expansion of its partnership with Locus Robotics.

The rollout is believed to be the industry’s largest AMR deal to date, a milestone in its digitalization roadmap, according to the company.

Locus’ robots are designed to take on labor intensive tasks, optimizing order fulfillment and logistics operations across a supply chain. They are designed to work alongside human workers primarily in the picking, packing and distribution part of the supply chain, and respond to the increased popularity of online shopping and e-commerce in the wake of the pandemic.

“The flexibility and scalability of the Locus solution has been instrumental in helping us meet the evolving demands of the e-commerce landscape,” said Oscar de Bok, DHL CEO. “Leveraging cutting-edge technology to optimize our operations and deliver an even better experience for our customers.”

The companies previously collaborated to bring Locus warehouse automation platform, LocusOne, to DHL warehouses globally. LocusOne acts as a command center for a site’s AMRs, and DHL said it has now surpassed more than 250 million units picked using it.

“Locus is a critical partner for us as we digitalize our warehouses, distribution and fulfillment centers,” said Sally Miller, DHL global digital transformation officer.”

The robotic deployment is expected to be completed by the end of the year.