SOEM COMAPNIES uses new generation technologies such as robotics in their warehouses.
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In a world where speed and convenience are essential for customers, logistical suppliers turn to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics to remain competitive.
The DHL multinational logistics company used “very largely” robotics in its warehouses, said Javier Bilbao Uzquiano, CEO of APAC de DHL Supply Chain.
“It does not replace – that completes humans in the way we operate,” Uzquiano told Julia Boorstin from CNBC to Converge Live in Singapore on Thursday. “There are tasks … which were previously taken by humans who are heavy, are very repetitive, and these are transferred to these robots.”
Jobs such as the move of pallets or unloading containers, as well as many other parts of the company storage processes are now helped by robots, added Uzquiano.
“We see autonomous capacities becoming more and more available, allowing these robots to move alone in the warehouse,” he said. “You do not need the gadgets to be present in the warehouse to be able to follow where people move … where the heat cards are, [and] where you have bottlenecks. “”
“The force of robotics gives us flexibility,” said Uzquiano, in particular around “summits that occur … around Black Friday or Cyber Monday or all these events – they are increasing so quickly, it is very difficult to bring people to understand the process, to know how to react.”
“Robotics helps us … because they know how to do it from the start,” he added.
AI in food delivery
The online food control service based in Dubai Talabat also works on the development of its AI capabilities. The company mainly focuses on the use of predictive technology capacities to persuade more customers to order on its platform, Tomaso Rodriguez CEO in Converge Live, a two-day CNBC event on Thursday at Jewel Changi Airport.
“A large majority of customers who open our application each day end up not ordering for any reason,” said Rodriguez. “Now, with AI, you can go very deeply to the only person and know exactly what this person is more likely to want or not … And that’s really where our whole goal is going on right now.”
Tomaso Rodriguez (in the middle) of Talabat and Javier Bilbao (right) of DHL discuss the use of emerging technologies in the supply chain with Julia Boorstin from CNBC to Converge Live in Singapore on March 13, 2025.
This allowed the company to provide better recommendations to potential customers and target users with “good offers” or other incentives, he said.
The company also experiences the use of drones and robots for deliveries, but local restrictions can be a roadblock, said Rodriguez.
The two methods also require customer efforts to recover items, while humans can deliver food directly to the door of a client.
“It’s a little too early,” said Rodriguez. “I [think] This human interaction is still very important and will not be replaced for a while. “”
