DHL will extend its network of technological showcase centres to North America in summer next year when it opens its third Innovation Center in Chicago.
Like the existing DHL Innovation Centers in Troisdorf, Germany, and Singapore, the Americas Innovation Center will house DHL’s logistic innovations and robotics.
It will offer customers and partners a peek into what the world and its transport infrastructure might look like in 2050, as well as the latest technology trends in robotics and automation, artificial intelligence, self-driving vehicles, the Internet of Things, and virtual reality.
The 24,000sq ft space can host events for up to 300 guests.
DHL’s global head of innovation and commercial development, Matthias Heutger, said: “We aim to support strategic customer engagement that has the potential to create new business and leverage thought leadership to explore the different ways in which technological development can benefit DHL and our customers in the future.
“Our new Americas Innovation Center – in close proximity to some of the world’s most dynamic technology and innovation hubs – will help us to shape the future of logistics.”
DHL Supply Chain, the contract logistics specialist within Deutsche Post DHL Group, has used augmented reality technology in warehouses, with smart glasses that provide visual displays of order picking instructions and item locations to boost productivity by 15% in trials.
In addition, it has deployed drones with surveillance cameras to ramp up security at warehousing sites in Brazil and Mexico.
It also uses collaborative robots designed to help with repetitive and precise tasks, such as picking and packing, in a number of its North American warehouses.
DHL Global Forwarding also uses virtual reality and artificial intelligence in countries like the US and Chile for employee training programs and to optimise customer service.