DHL is set to deploy 1,000 Locus robots in 2020

American warehouse robotics company Locus Robotics has raised $40m in Series D funding.

The round, led by Zebra Ventures and previous investor Scale Venture Partners, brings the company’s total funding to $105m. Locus plans to open new headquarters in Europe, and invest in R&D.

The company sells multi-bot solutions to warehouses, both augmenting and replacing human employees. Customers include CEVA, DHL, Boots UK, GEODIS, and Port Logistics Group.

Most of what America is now is just boxes going back and forth

"Locus Robotics is thrilled to announce this new round of funding amid our most transformative year yet," Rick Faulk, Locus CEO, said.

"The new funding allows Locus to accelerate expansion into global markets, enabling us to strengthen our support of retail, industrial, healthcare, and [third-party logistics] businesses around the world as they navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that they come out stronger on the other side."

Zebra’s senior director Tony Palcheck said automation has been critical for retail and third-party logistics businesses during the pandemic.

He added: “As the retail industry continues to shift to e-commerce, Locus Robotics' warehouse automation will help businesses meet the demands of this 'new normal,' ensuring that customers can increase operational efficiency to meet requirements for fast, accurate delivery."

In February, Locus announced that its robots had passed 100 million units picked, marking the milestone at a DHL facility in Pennsylvania. A month later, DHL revealed it would deploy 1,000 Locus robots in 2020.

"DHL's commitment to bringing scalable and proven productivity-enhancing technology for our customers has been a key factor behind our choice of Locus as a part of our technology strategy,” Rick MacDonald, president of retail, DHL supply chain North America, said.

MacDonald added that the robots have enabled DHL “to realize consistent improvements in productivity, speed, and flexibility that will help us further grow and seamlessly scale to meet the explosion of online ordering as we all adapt to the post-pandemic economy."