GXO Logistics has signed a letter of intent with robotics developer Apptronik to expand trials of Apollo humanoid robots in warehouse operations, establishing a potential route towards deploying up to 1,000 units across its international logistics network.
The companies intend to begin expanded testing during 2027, examining applications including order picking, case and tote movement, packing and sortation. An initial commercial deployment in North America is targeted for late 2027.
Any wider rollout will depend on individual applications meeting agreed productivity, safety and operational performance measures. The proposed 1,000-unit programme is therefore a conditional deployment objective rather than a completed equipment order.
The companies expect to develop a Robotics-as-a-Service commercial arrangement, allowing GXO to introduce robotic capacity through a service model as applications demonstrate suitable performance.
The new agreement extends a partnership established in 2024, when GXO and Apptronik began examining practical warehouse applications for the Apollo platform. Earlier work included a US pilot involving autonomous picking of small consumer goods.
During subsequent development, the companies collected information and conducted autonomous evaluations covering more than 50 logistics tasks at Apptronik's Robot Park training facility.
Those evaluations provide a basis for selecting applications for further trials. They should not be interpreted as evidence that more than 50 processes are already operating commercially within GXO warehouses.
Warehouse automation commonly relies on equipment designed for particular handling operations. Conveyors, storage systems and robotic picking installations move goods between established locations, with their performance dependent on consistent interfaces between products and machinery.
Humanoid systems offer a different mechanical configuration, using articulated arms and a mobile platform intended to operate in environments that may already accommodate human workers.
This can provide flexibility in some handling applications, although the mechanical form alone does not establish whether the equipment can achieve the required production rate, lifting performance or operating availability.
GXO and Apptronik will examine both goods-to-person and person-to-goods picking. These arrangements differ in how products move through an operation and how the required items are presented for selection.
In a goods-to-person system, inventory is brought to a picking location, often using automated storage or transport equipment. The handling operation must then identify the required item and transfer it to the appropriate destination.
Person-to-goods processes involve movement towards inventory stored elsewhere in the facility. A robot undertaking a comparable activity must be able to reach the storage location, identify the product and retrieve it while operating within the available space.
Picking performance depends on several connected actions. The robot must locate the required item, determine how it can be grasped, move it without damage and place it correctly within the order or handling sequence.
Product variation can complicate those operations. Packaging dimensions, surface condition, weight and orientation influence the gripping equipment and movement strategy required to handle an item.
Case and tote movement places different demands on the robot. The weight and centre of gravity of the container affect the required lifting capability, while the movement must remain within the equipment's stability and positioning limits.
Packing and sortation add requirements involving order accuracy, item identification and coordination with downstream equipment. A successful handling movement does not necessarily establish that the complete process can meet its required throughput.
The expanded trials will therefore assess the applications within live warehouse operations, where equipment, products and personnel must function together.
Integrating humanoid robots into an existing facility requires interfaces with warehouse software and other automation systems. The installation must determine how tasks are assigned, how completed movements are confirmed and what happens when a robot cannot finish its operation.
Recovery procedures are particularly important when equipment operates within a wider production sequence. An unsuccessful pick or unavailable robot may require a different device or employee to complete the task so that goods continue moving through the facility.
Apptronik develops the Apollo platform with software intended to coordinate perception, movement planning, control and task execution. Its Artemis environment supports those robotic functions, while Fleet Connect provides tools for monitoring and managing robots across deployments.
The capabilities available in an individual GXO trial will depend on the robot configuration and software used. The agreement does not identify a complete technical specification for every unit that may eventually be deployed.
Operating availability must also be assessed. Maintenance, charging, component replacement and recovery from faults can reduce the time during which a robot performs useful work.
Battery capacity and charging arrangements influence how a mobile robotic system is scheduled through a warehouse shift. The required operating pattern must account for the equipment's available energy and the opportunities for charging or battery replacement.
Safety is another condition of the programme. Robots working near people must be assessed against the hazards associated with their movements, loads and interaction with the surrounding environment.
Detection systems and software can assist with managing operating conditions, but their presence does not establish that the complete installation meets the safety requirements applicable to a particular facility.
GXO and Apptronik intend to evaluate these issues against agreed performance indicators. The numerical thresholds have not been disclosed, making it premature to assign a confirmed productivity improvement or cost saving to the proposed installations.
The companies also need to determine which tasks offer sufficient operational benefit to justify wider deployment. An application may be technically possible without producing the reliability or throughput required within the existing warehouse process.
Under the anticipated service model, GXO would be able to expand its use of humanoid robotics without relying exclusively on conventional outright equipment purchases. The precise commercial terms, including maintenance responsibilities and service commitments, have not been published.
Robotics-as-a-Service arrangements still require installation, integration and technical support. The resulting operating costs depend on the service agreement and the work the equipment performs.
GXO operates a global contract logistics network serving customers across different industries. Its facilities have varying product ranges, storage arrangements and handling requirements, which may influence the suitability of individual robotic applications.
Apptronik is also developing humanoid applications for manufacturing environments, where tasks and operating conditions differ from warehouse picking and order fulfilment.
Following the expanded trials beginning in 2027, each proposed GXO application will be evaluated before wider deployment. Progress towards the potential 1,000-robot programme will depend on demonstrated performance, satisfactory safety assessments and agreement on the commercial operating arrangements.
