Deutsche Post DHL is to deploy robots to sort the large number of parcels it ships. The robots are currently being tested in its various depots and should be ready for use within three to five years.
The company believes that robots will be an integral part of logistics in the future. "Our children cannot imagine a world without computers. Their future children probably cannot imagine a world without robots," says Clemens Beckmann, Executive Vice President Innovation at DHL Deutsche Post.
Deployment of robots in logistics low 
Robots are already used in many sectors, but due to the complexity of operations in logistics, the use of robots here is still low. Eighty per cent of logistics operations are currently performed by humans. In the future, this is set to change. At Deutsche Post, robots will mainly be used to transport heavier parcels. Beckmann believes that robots and humans can work very well together. "It will take a considerable investment to develop the technology so that robots can work alongside people. But we believe that many supply chains will start using robots and workers together within a very short time in order to process parcels faster and more efficiently."
'Robotics in logistics' report
DHL wrote a report on the deployment of robots in logistics, looking at the current state of robots in the sector and making predictions for the future. You can read the full report here .
Editorial LogistiekProfs
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